My Breastfeeding diary

Going to 5 month of breastfeeding and it is really not easy. I have no problem breastfeeding my firstborn and second born, it was mainly because I was an exclusive pumping mummy. I realized it is much easier to pump on schedule. Coping between a full time demanding job and part time online shop, plus 2 older kids and a baby that latch on demand at home, I am totally exhausted every day.  To make my hard work worth, I decide to blog about my experience on exclusive pumping and latch and pump.

I have exclusive pump for my 1^st 2 kids for 8 months and 22 months respectively. I find it is easier if I just pump out the milk for baby, but with 3^rd baby and no maid, I decided to try direct latching during my maternity leave.

I remember when I started breastfeeding; it is very tough in the early stage when I need to pump every 2.5hr for the first month. It gets better when supply start to kick in. Facing engorgement and sore nipples from pumping which can really make me cry and curse. Cold cabbage is used to ease the engorgement when I started breastfeeding my 3kids. I need to be careful when I use the cabbage as it will decrease the supply much, so each time I cannot use it too long and I cannot use it too frequent.

After the supply kick in about 4-7days, things get better, really. With my mom helping out to look after the baby, I can pump on schedule. It takes load of discipline to pump on schedule and I have not skip midnight pumping. This really helps to build up the supply.

As a pumping mummy, I get to know how much does baby drinks. As a first time mommy back in year 2008, I can quite paranoid guessing if my baby is drinking enough; does she pee and poop enough per day. With she is drinking from a bottle, it is more straight-forward. I will record down how much she drinks every day.

Also I get to build up some stash for rainy days, for example when I am out of town or when I fall sick, supply dropped. So long, I continue to pump and I don’t really have to worry of my supply

Of course, exclusive pumping means I need to drag the pump bag around and finding place to pump whenever I am out. Pump set, cooler bag, and a diaper bag, it is a lot of thing to carry when we are out with baby. If we are lazy, we have to limit our timing outside, maybe going to nearby shopping mall for dinner and an evening walk near our neighborhood, pump before we leave the house and rush back before my next pumping session. I am quite lucky that I am over-supply for my 1^st 2 kids and I am able to drag the pumping session to 6hr interval by the 6^th month. Else I doubt I can make it to 22 month of pumping.

However, like most exclusive pumping mommies, we will like baby to latch. Especially after exclusively pump for 1^st 2 children, I can really love to try latching baby, and I am very thankful that I make it! Thanks to the support I get from facebook breastfeeding mummies group which really keep motivated me to latch more and pump on. Now I am latching him at home and pumping at work. I am glad that I am able to build up stash for him in case I fall sick and my supply drop. Of course again, there is times that I will find it too tired and will wish that I can pump out for him especially after I started work but that is only a small moment as I simply enjoy the bonding I have with him. It is amazing when everything cannot calm him except my boobs, and when he unlatch, he will smile at me.  Maybe I never experience this with my 2 kids, it means very special to me now.