I stopped exclusively pumping now that my son is 16 months old and I can't keep up, it's painful it takes forever to make even a very small amount anymore and he seems just as happy with either coconut or almond milk and organic foods like casseroles and sweet potatoes and various fruits any mushy or pureed food really getting so good about having solids and has iron fortified oatmeal with the alternatives too but I read that they can benefit at least up until 2 and I feel so bad about needing to call it quits for my health [no energy, very weak despite great diet] because I've heard it's what's best for baby as long as possible I feel like I'm being selfish not wanting to go through that anymore {no electricity so piston style manual pump} even though I know he's fine with what we've started him on...now he contracted a rare disease called bacterial meningitis at a month old so that explained his lack of ability to latch (we only managed it once right after birth at the hospital and only for 10 minutes so I was told I needed to extract it myself) and our pediatrician said she had to exclusively pump for her babies because of her profession in the medical field and the corresponding demanding hours and only lasted 4 months despite her best efforts she was so impressed that I made it to a year even and it shocked the few other people that I know that are moms that would have/did give up if such/ in such difficult situations so did I do enough? Is it okay? Or should I give in to the bad feelings and engorgement pains and continue? What do you think?
Quoting LovableFox:Thank you I don't feel so alone anymore not that I want anyone else to go through all this just that i don't feel weird :) 30 ounces, sounds about right how big is your lovey? Mine almost fills out this ginormous 3 in one car seat and must weight between 35 and 40lbs! Other kids talk to my son as if he were their ages [2, 3 or so] and their moms think he's a peer too and I do the rocking gesture and they are astounded he's only 16 mo. and have this look of disbelief until he utters the super cute tell tale high pitched chirpy "ba!"
Quoting Kirven3:
I'm in the same boat as you. I startef eping at 6 months and I had to stop myself plus when I started my menstrual cycle I could not keep up with his demand 30 ounces a day. It was mentally wearing me down. I just stopped pumping on Wednesday and I was so emotional about it I felt as I was neglecting his needs and he would not need me anymore. I'm still having a hard time with it. Best of luck to you and if you need to talk pm me. *Hugs*
All the milk he could want to drink 'till he was hiccuping wildly up until now , he has taken quite well to both coconut and almond milks and eats a variety of nutritious organic foods and especially likes his veggies [sweet potato is still his favorite] I just wish I could have made the much acclaimed 2 year milestone but you're right pumping is like twice as hard especially with the manual pump pictured above *exasperated sigh* I should just be glad I lasted this long I guess...
Quoting gdiamante:
Good gravy, most moms wouldn't make 16 WEEKS of exclusive pumping. Nothing to feel bad about here.
Did you do enough? You went ABOVE AND BEYOND. So no knocking yourself.
Exactly. With a manual pump? I would have expected you to go to formula after 16 MINUTES.
Quoting LovableFox:All the milk he could want to drink 'till he was hiccuping wildly up until now , he has taken quite well to both coconut and almond milks and eats a variety of nutritious organic foods and especially likes his veggies [sweet potato is still his favorite] I just wish I could have made the much acclaimed 2 year milestone but you're right pumping is like twice as hard especially with the manual pump pictured above *exasperated sigh* I should just be glad I lasted this long I guess...
Quoting gdiamante:
Good gravy, most moms wouldn't make 16 WEEKS of exclusive pumping. Nothing to feel bad about here.
Did you do enough? You went ABOVE AND BEYOND. So no knocking yourself.
I would be at it for up to an hour and a half sometimes to have it sucked down in 2 minutes lol but the smile that looks like this- :D was worth it and I knew he could digest it in its entirety which was not true for alternatives I didn't let my son's difficulty deprive him of liquid love :]
Quoting gdiamante:
Exactly. With a manual pump? I would have expected you to go to formula after 16 MINUTES.
Quoting LovableFox:
All the milk he could want to drink 'till he was hiccuping wildly up until now , he has taken quite well to both coconut and almond milks and eats a variety of nutritious organic foods and especially likes his veggies [sweet potato is still his favorite] I just wish I could have made the much acclaimed 2 year milestone but you're right pumping is like twice as hard especially with the manual pump pictured above *exasperated sigh* I should just be glad I lasted this long I guess...
Quoting gdiamante:
Good gravy, most moms wouldn't make 16 WEEKS of exclusive pumping. Nothing to feel bad about here.
Did you do enough? You went ABOVE AND BEYOND. So no knocking yourself.
What to say... teen mom who want to BF... kind of long
- LovableFox
on May. 26, 2012 at 10:00 PM