Breast milk

One of the most difficult challenges I have faced this time around is the breast milk issue. I was able to nurse my daughter until she was 4 1/2 months. I managed to pump for the first month back at school, but the stress was too much and I dried up. Now, having to return after only 2 weeks, I am keenly aware that I need to continue to pump. I have had to supplement with formula a little, but I am still able to pump about 18 oz a day. I get up at 5:45 am to pump, pump during lunch, and pump before going to bed. I still carry my 32 oz water cup from Woman's and Babies Hospital to make sure that I am drinking over a gallon of water a day. To further improve output, I have researched ways to improve milk production and found out that a tea called "Mother's Milk" is supposed to help. I finally found it at my local Giant in the Organic section. It is a peculiar taste, but not unpleasant. I had three cups yesterday and, whether it is psychosomatic or not, I did seem to increase production by one oz this morning. I will let you know if it has helped any. I will also let you know if the ingredients in the tea help, hurt or do nothing to deal with the baby's colic.

Oh, and the baby has decided that nursing is for the birds. I have to pump in order to put it in a bottle so he will drink it. I must sit looking at my child while pumping rather than letting him nurse because the stress of trying to get him to nurse is too much. If I was a stay at home mom, it is worth the struggle, because I could fight the battle over a few days, but since I am only able to fight for two days and then he has five days of bottles, it does not seem worth the struggle. He gets breast milk, so I guess that is what is most important. Don't get me wrong, I miss the closeness that comes from nursing, but I need to choose my battles.

For my working moms out there, isn't it a pain trying to find a place that is quiet enough to pump? I am lucky enough to have a classroom, but I still have to put up a sign (which has been ignored two times!), turn out the light and sit at the back of my classroom to pump. It's great spending my entire lunch pumping. It's not like I can create a pumping club and a group of us sit around in a room talking while pumping. It is very isolating. If I had a baby, I could sit in the company of others, but not while pumping. (Deep sigh)