Weaning

I love spreadsheets, and since I gave up several of them as a New Year’s Resolution in order to simplify my life, I decided I could have a pass for a month.  So I created a spread sheet to track my output and corresponding graphs.  In addition, I tracked output versus consumption.  My body was producing enough breast milk until I cut to two a day sessions and went on a mini vacation this past weekend.  Therefore, I began taking Sudafed because it’s a decongestant and dries you up.  I will take one a day and drop to one pump session and then, NONE!  This week, Aidan is receiving half formula and half breast milk bottles to help him with the transition.   I should add that a few weeks back, I fed Aidan a bottle of formula to ensure he would drink it prior to complete weaning.  However, yesterday, he kept throwing his cup on the floor when he only had formula.  Though I also tried putting the formula in the bottle, and he drank it.  Silly kid.

I am ready to cut the pumping cord since Aidan doesn’t nurse friendly – you know, he bites with his gums and teeth on the verge of popping through.  I hope to be done by this weekend, but I can go another week if necessary.  

Overall, my body has adjusted well to weaning.  Each time I dropped a pump session, I saw a slight to noticeable drop in output, with the most significant change occurring when I dropped from 3 to 2 pump sessions.  

There were many reasons for breast feeding – the bond, health benefits (immunities), convenience, supposedly reducing ear infections, and cost (or lack there of).  The bond was gone when Aidan would not stop clamping down, the majority of the health benefits were already gained, pumping is a complete inconvenience, it appears Aidan’s ears are terrible no matter what the food consumption is, and I am ready for the tether to be gone, so cost is no longer a factor.  I should add that there are added benefits to the mom if you continue to breastfeed, but I gave breastfeeding my all, and now I am done.

Breakfast with Aidan

I love to cook, and I love to bake.  Even more, I love for people to enjoy what I make.  Baking is a hobby in addition to a stress reliever.  I knew when I wanted kids that I would look forward to the day I could share my kitchen creations with them.

On Sunday, I woke up before Aidan (because I am the early riser) and tinkered around the house.  I made coffee, pumped, and began working on breakfast.  I made myself egg whites with cheese, and I made Aidan egg yolks with a small amount of cheese.  He must have known I was making him breakfast because he woke up as I was putting his eggs in a bowl.

I stood in the kitchen while Aidan sat in the high chair and hand fed himself the eggs.  He loved them!  So from now on, on my days off, I will make Aidan and me breakfast to eat together.  In case you’re wondering, AJ rarely eats breakfast, and if he does, it’s 3+ hours after I get up…his food would be cold.  I am happy Aidan wakes earlier to share this time with me.

Birthdays, Post Partum Symptoms, and Quitting

Birthdays are amazing with children.  I was able to have lunch with my mom and Aidan on my birthday, and it was the best celebration I could ask for!  Aidan was a delight, and he even giggled and laughed with a nearby baby.  He is so happy, and he is easy to take into restaurants.  Additionally the food, I had pizza at a nice Italian restaurant, and company were amazing.  I could have lunch on my birthday every year like this and be happy.

After a wonderful lunch, I had to deal with an agonizing post partum symptom.  My wrist, no not the right one which surgery was performed on, but the ever reliable left wrist.  The orthopedist diagnosed the wrist with De Quervain syndrome, which he presumed occurred due to overuse being a new (breastfeeding) mom.  TO be honest, I put off the doctor’s appointment because I wanted to believe that my wrist had post partum carpal tunnel that would resolve itself around 6 months PP. No such luck.  My treatment options are rather simple – cortisone shot with a brace and OT or surgery.  I willingly accepted the cortisone shot since I previously had a great experience with one.  However, this time proved difficult.  I was in far more pain the next day than I was before I went to the doctor.  I was nauseous all day, and at 9:30 PM, I threw up everything I had to eat.  Ugh, if this is what I have go through, sign me up for surgery!  I did buy a brace that immobilizes my thumb, which has helped significantly.  I wear the brace when I am at home during the week and most of the times on the weekend, especially if I am carrying Aidan a lot. I also wear the brace when I sleep, so we’ll see how it goes…

I am not a quitter, BUT I am done with being bitten while nursing, and I absolutely despise my pump.  I wish I could take my pump outside and beat it up Office Space style, but breaking the pump would only cost me in the long run, so I have refrained.  While Aidan has no teeth poking through, we can see them making their way towards puncturing the gums, and his gummy grip now hurts when he clamps down when nursing.  The first few times he did it, I shrieked, and he laughed.  Now, I shriek, he cries, I put the boob away.  I thought taking food away when he bites would help signal that he should not clamp down, but he continues to clamp.  He has even smiled and clamped down.  Little stinker.  My original goal was to breastfeed for 6 months, and when pumping was going so well at work, I had high hopes of a year, but my intermediate goal was 9 months.  Well, I hope to pump enough milk between month 8 and month 9 to make it 9 months on breast milk because I started decreasing my pump sessions on May 2^nd.  While I gave up tracking spreadsheets for a New Year’s resolution, I have made one to monitor my milk output as I slowly tell my body to stop producing milk.   I don’t know how long it will take for me to dry up, but I at least want to monitor what my body is doing so I don’t shock my system by dropping a pumping session.  I did not have Bfing woes early on, such as a plugged duct, but engorgement is still uncomfortable.  So yes, I, Diana Bowers, give up.  Oh well, he’s a few short months from being able to consume cow’s milk and he is drinking less milk than he was a few months ago due to consuming solids.  Formula can happily bridge the gap.

In other news, Aidan still cannot fight his ear infections.  We were told to try one last dose since the last visit indicated that the left ear infection was gone.  So here’s hoping the right ear will be healed on Monday!  I desperately want to take Aidan swimming since he loves his baths and baby pool, but I don’t want to risk aggravating an infection. L  Lately during bath time, he will lean over and put his  mouth in the water.  Once he blew bubbles, though I don’t think it was intentional, but it’s a start!  So please, ear infections, be gone!