Pumping

Sorry I have been MIA a bit lately, just haven't had a chance to sit down and write a good blog post lately. Too much going on with the home front and not interesting enough to blog about. Not that this next post will be, just something I was thinking about (Since it consumes 1 1/2 to 2 hours of my day 5 days a week).

My little angel, sweetie pie, pumpkin pie, sweet pea and cuddlebug is turning 8 months on Sunday. That means a few things for me.
1. She is growing up way too fast!
2. I have been a mom for 8 months
3. I have been breast feeding my cuddlebug for 8 months
4. I have been pumping at least 5 days a week for the past 6 1/2 months or so.
5. I have no idea where the heck time went.

I remember when I was first starting out with Breastfeeding I kept saying to myself how the heck am I going to make it to a year! I mean really, this is painful it hurts etc etc...how can I get myself to do this for a year. and now that it's been 8 months I can't imagine stopping now. Sure it has it's moments...my mother brain has failed me a few times and I have done some weird things. Leaving an 8oz bottle of my milk in the cupboard, I was thinking I was putting it in the fridge...Having to be on a conference call a few times while pumping and people asking "Is that someone running on a treadmill" or "Is that's someone's dog barking?" No it's not either of those things. It's me sitting at my desk at home or down in the mother's room at work, with two horns attached to me pumping milk for my precious little cuddlebug.

I have started to get the "you are still nursing" or the "I can't believe you are still pumping" and some days I do wonder, why am I still doing it. I HATE pumping, I really do. I hate having to stop what I am doing three times a day and attach myself to this machine to pump milk out of me. But then I think about Cuddlebug and how much I LOVE nursing her at night and in the morning. even in the middle of the evening when it's 2am or whatever I love watching her eat. I love the closeness I feel and the bond that her and I share. I know I could still have that bond if I gave her formula, but I have been blessed with a supply of millk, specifically made for her, so why should I go and wean her onto formula.

I guess that's part of being a mom. Sacrificing my time to do something great for my child. Even though it's sometimes painful to pump and I hate having to take the time out of my day, it's something that my little cuddlebug needs and I will keep doing it as long as I need to. Now I know some of you are out there thinking "Oh she is one of those"...one of those women that's going to breastfeed her child until she is 7 years old. Okay well I am going to do some extended breastfeeding, but not until she is 7. There is proven fact that the longer you breastfeed a baby the better off they are. So if I can then why not! Here is a great fact sheet that a good friend of mine gave me from Kellymom - which if you are breastfeeding, plan on breastfeeding or are pregnant I highly suggest this site, I have gone here numerous times for information.

I truly believe that whatever a mother decides to do breastfeeding wise for her family is what is right. Not all women can breastfeed, but those that can and choose to do it for a long time - I raise my hat to you and support you in your decision. Why do we have to bring mom's down around us..Let's support all those mom's out there, the ones that breastfeed and the ones that formula feed. We all have our reasons and those are what makes this world great!

I am choosing to breast feed for as long as I can, or until I get pregnant again. If I have trouble conceiving while breastfeeding I might choose to wean Cuddlebug, but until that time I can't make that decision. I am 4 months from my first goal which is 1 year and another 10 months from my Ultimate goal of 18 months. and who knows, I never though I would want to go 18 months, so I might end up going to 2 years. you just never know!