That's how much time I have spent pumping, cleaning and sterilizing pump parts and putting extra milk away in the last 6 months. Yes, that's right folks, in the last 6 months, I have spent a month and half-straight- JUST PUMPING. This does not include how many times I have washed cloth diapers, changed diapers, put Penelope to sleep, played with her, fed her, etc. This is the time I spend just being able to feed my child my breast milk.
I got to that number by stopping to think today, that not only is Penelope six months old, but I have been pumping for 6 months. I am very proud to say that I have made it this far. I am now apart of the 12% of mothers who breastfeed longer than 6 months.
Here's the breakdown of how I got my number. I was actually pretty conservative. Sometimes my pump sessions can be as long as an hour, especially in the morning. And in the first few months, I would "power pump" sessions in the early evening hours to simulate a "cluster feed" like a newborn would do.
month 1: 12 times a day for 25 minutes: 300 minutes (5 hours)=9,000 minutes (150 hours) a month
month 2:10 times a day for 30 minutes: 300 minutes (5 hours)=9,000 minutes (150 hours) a month
month 3: 8 times a day for 35 minutes: 280 minutes (4.6 hours)=8, 400 minutes (140 hours) a month
month 4: 6 times a day for 40 minutes: 240 minutes (4 hours)= 7,200 minutes (120 hours) a month
month 5: 4 times a day for 45 minutes: 180 minutes (3 hours)=5,400 minutes (90 hours) a month
month 6: 4 times a day for 45 minutes: 180 minutes (3 hours)=5,400 minutes (90 hours) a month
740 hours. 31 straight days of pumping. 44,400 minutes
all 6 months: 1.5 hours a day cleaning/sterilizing pump parts and putting milk away: 270 hours.
Total: 1,010 hours. 42 days.
Having a fat and healthy baby who has never had a drop of formula: PRICELESS!
oh and all that pumping yielded an average of 35 ounces a day, so total in the last 6 months, I made 6,300 ounces of milk!!
And we are oh so amazingly thankful for all those wonderful hours! :)
ReplyDeleteHoly mackerel. 6300 oz is just shy of 50 gallons. Boobs are amazing.
ReplyDelete@Kayla...I am so thankfully to give some away. It makes it even more worth the effort.
ReplyDelete@Erinn....that is a great way of putting it! Pretty crazy when you think about it that way.
Hi! I just stumbled on your site from another mama site (I fell down a link hole and popped out here :)
ReplyDeleteKudos to you for your dedication to pumping!
I've got a 5 month old who is breastmilk only and pumping is a beast of a chore! I have a let-down problem (supply seems fine) and have to pump every hour I'm at work to eek out enough for the next day (which isn't really enough and I'm pretty sure she's reverse cycling. Oh for a night of sleep!)
Anyway - just wanted to say Good for You! because I think the world takes pumping for granted as something easy. It's not! The constant cleaning alone makes my head crazy!
@cd..Hi!! I do that all the time, I just keep clicking on links and then think, "how the hell did I get here?!"
ReplyDeleteah, the let down. its such a powerful and amazing thing our bodies do, but it can be complicated. When my daughter first started comfort nursing, I had to leave the pump on so I could hear it and help send the signal to my brain to let down. But now I can let down to her or the pump.
Are you in a relaxed place? I always have an easier time expressing milk, if my daughter is napping so I really relax, and sitting down on the computer (i use a Pumping Pal to be hands free). If I am in the car or some place else, I can't pump as much milk.
thanks for the support!
I pump at the office, so, well, as relaxed as it can get there! :) I'm fortunate to have my own space and a door and respectful coworkers and the ability to silence the phone, etc, but I suppose there must be more relaxing places out there. I distract myself with online videos, etc, otherwise I stare at the bottles and think milk milk milk!
ReplyDeleteI've tried spreading the pumpings out more and building up more, but that just results in less milk for the day. So every hour, there I go. It's like a mission now as much as I think everyday "wouldn't formula just be EASIER!?" Almost at 6 months and we'll see what happens after.....
@cd...keep up the good work! and yes, formula would be easier. you can do it! Have you looked into supplements to build your supply? kellymom.com has some great info.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I bought lots of herbs and whatnot. Nothing seems to change things so my LC and I have settled on it being let-down and not supply related. Guess that's just my body!
ReplyDeleteI've been pumping for the past 4 months and have a huge supply issue. Today for example I pumped 40 minutes every hour and a half and only got 3 ounces. I wish I could say that Ethan has never had formula, but I can't. When I went through all the breast milk I had pumped and the stuff that I had frozen and wasn't producing enough to get through one day we had to do something. If you have any suggestions I would LOVE them!
ReplyDeleteHey Lauren,
ReplyDeleteAre you exclusively pumping or pumping to build supply?
Have you tried all the different herbs and homeopathic remedies? Gone to see the acupuncture dr? What about Domperidon? It's expensive but that shit works!
And have you seen the Healthy Home Economist's tutorial on how to make your own formula? If I was ever to have to supplement this was the route I was going to go.
Also, have you checked out Eats on Feets? A facebook group where you can find mothers to donate breastmilk to mama's who need it.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
oh. nevermind. I wasn't reading posts in order, I guess. I'm all caught up now!
ReplyDeleteHi Meg! Thanks for reading all the posts, I really appreciate it. Makes the trauma of the experience much less, knowing that people are actually reading my story! So yes, I gave away ridiculous amounts of milk, to 3 different babies. Such a great feeling.
ReplyDeleteKudos! As an adoptive mom who pumped/nursed for 5months after inducing lactation, I GET the dedication that pumping requires. Just found your site and LOVE it, and you! Thanks!!
ReplyDelete@ladybuggsmom...I am so impressed with adoptive moms who induce lactation and pump. What a beautiful person you must be. So glad you found my site, look forward to having you around and getting to know you. :)
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh because I was reading blogs while pumping and I have been counting down the number of days until Bessie (my pump) and I will part ways. She is 10 months on Sunday. I only pump at work and am finally down to 2 pump session (maybe 3 on a bad day) a day. With weekends, Dr. appt. days, and vacation I have 36 days until her first birthday. She has already started weaning so I don't know if we will make it for sure but I doubt we will go much further beyond that.
ReplyDelete@Bossy Chef...OMG that is so hilarious and awesome that you named your pump, Bessie. I totally should have named mine.
ReplyDeletethank you for this post. I start my journey through midwifery in the fall. I have a 4 month old (and a 5 yo and 2 yo)who I want to nurse/have breastmilk for at least 2 years. But since I will be back in school in the fall I need to start expressing milk. I have been dreading having to pump at least 14 oz a day to ensure my little love has plenty of milk. But after reading this post I feel very uplifted! geesh if you can pump 35 oz a day, 14 is nothin! So thank you! And thank you for being so real. I truly like your blog. It is great for women to share their knowledge which each other. But now a days it just seems everyone is competing or feels like they are being judged for their decisions. Never in any of the posts I have read do you create the feeling that a mom who chooses to breastfeed, co sleep, do yoga, home birth etc. is some an elitist. Because any woman can do these things. so thank you, and I hope your beautiful words reach many!
ReplyDelete@Maggie, thanks so much for your kind words! Good luck to you with school, we need more midwives in the world! And you can SO do 14 ounces!!
ReplyDelete