I did it. We did it. Micah and I got my milk to come back. Apparently I gave up too easily. He had had a bad cold that made it hard to breathe and I was so tired of pumping that I had given up on breastfeeding! Luckily I rejoined the parent-baby group at Evergreen Hospital and listened to my mommy guru, Christine, who counseled to offer my breast before each bottle and amazingly it worked! He's back!
I was a little torn with the idea since I really didn't want to be pumping again when I start the new school year, but I decided that I've basically weaned from pumping pretty quickly once before, I can do it again. I figured if I can give my son little boosts of immunity (a.k.a. my milk), I should. Now don't start thinking I am getting all self righteous and preachy about breastfeeding or all caught up in the breastmilk vs. formula debate. I've still been giving Micah formula too. At first we still gave the formula because we truly didn't think I was producing enough milk for him. Now, although I hate to admit it, we use formula for convenience. It is summer and we've been on the go a lot, so a bottle in the car has been great. I really haven't been able to figure out how to find the time to sit down and pump my own milk for those situations and I am not going to feel guilty about it. Plus I wasn't getting more than 2 ounces or so when pumping at the beginning of summer anyways, which proves that Micah (and babies in general) are way more efficient than any grade of pump. The bottom line is that I am happy and comfortable with feeding Micah myself and with some formula. He's also been joining us in eating solid foods at each meal, which is a topic for another post entirely.
As someone who thought I was done with breastfeeding, I've developed a new found passion for doing my part to normalize breastfeeding in our society this "second time around". I think that we can all disengage from the mommy milk vs. formula debate since as my mom says, "if you are comfortable, then your baby will be comfortable." Instead of battling over who does this milk thing better for children, we should all join forces as mommy's, adults, and global citizens to support those mothers who can and do breastfeed. I could go on and on about how ludicrous it is that it is not already normalized and a common sight in our society (U.S.), but instead I will put down my Hooter Hider (partially because the wire pokes out and jabs me in the neck now anyways and partially because Micah refuses to be covered anymore anyways) and I will openly feed him where ever and whenever I need to without shame or embarrassment. Someday I want my son to stand proud and say that his mom helped lead the way to change our backwards, prude, and overly sexualized society into a healthy, supportive, and humble society where mother's feeding their infants is just that.
I was a little torn with the idea since I really didn't want to be pumping again when I start the new school year, but I decided that I've basically weaned from pumping pretty quickly once before, I can do it again. I figured if I can give my son little boosts of immunity (a.k.a. my milk), I should. Now don't start thinking I am getting all self righteous and preachy about breastfeeding or all caught up in the breastmilk vs. formula debate. I've still been giving Micah formula too. At first we still gave the formula because we truly didn't think I was producing enough milk for him. Now, although I hate to admit it, we use formula for convenience. It is summer and we've been on the go a lot, so a bottle in the car has been great. I really haven't been able to figure out how to find the time to sit down and pump my own milk for those situations and I am not going to feel guilty about it. Plus I wasn't getting more than 2 ounces or so when pumping at the beginning of summer anyways, which proves that Micah (and babies in general) are way more efficient than any grade of pump. The bottom line is that I am happy and comfortable with feeding Micah myself and with some formula. He's also been joining us in eating solid foods at each meal, which is a topic for another post entirely.
As someone who thought I was done with breastfeeding, I've developed a new found passion for doing my part to normalize breastfeeding in our society this "second time around". I think that we can all disengage from the mommy milk vs. formula debate since as my mom says, "if you are comfortable, then your baby will be comfortable." Instead of battling over who does this milk thing better for children, we should all join forces as mommy's, adults, and global citizens to support those mothers who can and do breastfeed. I could go on and on about how ludicrous it is that it is not already normalized and a common sight in our society (U.S.), but instead I will put down my Hooter Hider (partially because the wire pokes out and jabs me in the neck now anyways and partially because Micah refuses to be covered anymore anyways) and I will openly feed him where ever and whenever I need to without shame or embarrassment. Someday I want my son to stand proud and say that his mom helped lead the way to change our backwards, prude, and overly sexualized society into a healthy, supportive, and humble society where mother's feeding their infants is just that.
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