You're Still Pumping?!?

© 2012 Rebekah Kelly.  Used with express permission from author.  Edited slightly for form and punctuation, all content remains intact, and in the author's own words.  Rebekah can be found online at www.beachkellys.blogspot.com, where this was originally posted.

You’re still pumping?!?

At almost 17 months, this is a question that is asked of me frequently. My resounding and very PROUD answer, is YES I am still exclusively pumping (due to my anatomy and daughter lack of a latch). Each additional month, I reflect and think how proud I am of myself and the love I have for my daughter that keeps me going.

There is so much guilt associated with motherhood. My Mom was an active member of La Leche League (LLL) while my sister and I were both infants. She nursed my sister until she was 24 months (she was a preemie) and nursed me until I self weaned at 18 months old. With the innate guilt, I felt the drive to give my daughter the same benefit of my milk that I had as a baby- 18 months of my milk-love.

I had a lot of grief in the beginning when she was born as I mourned the loss of a traditional nursing relationship. I felt “Is this weird to mourn the loss of being able to nurse my daughter?” I came to find out there are plenty of other women in my shoes. I belong to several online groups that support each other that are for exclusive pumping women.

Why would I mourn the loss of the relationship?
It’s such a short time. Your baby will get teeth and bite you. Formula is so much easier. You're going to raise a child that is co-dependent on you.

Those are just a few of the answers I have experienced. Well, yes it is just a short time, and by all means I want to make the most of it (this was my mantra when I would get up to pump at 3:45 am for 4 months to continue establishing my supply even when my daughter was sleeping through the night).

The issue of biting is a whole other blog post that, even though I pumped I am qualified to write! Keep nursing even when they get teeth!! Your baby needs you.

Formula- easier?!! Recalls, bottle washing, mixing, making it the right temp. ..nope not a chance.

Boobs- always the right temperature, always there, no sterilizing or mixing.

One of the main principles of the LLL is to mother through nursing. When your infant is small there are 2 things that are as vital to their thriving, as air -  their mother and their mother’s milk. When children are hurt and need comfort an the mother picks them up to nurse them- their little body’s are in a full body hug/embrace as they are being nursed. It is the utter (no pun intended) situation of comfort.

I am also proud that I have donated to 9 different families that had trouble making enough milk ranging from the stress of returning to work, several moms had their milk ducts cut when have breast reduction surgery , women with breast cancer whom had mastectomy’s and most common was women who adopted babies who could not fully induce lactation.

So yes, it has been quite the difficult journey riddled with guilt and I even mourn the thought that my pumping time is coming to an end. However, I am so proud of my hard work and dedication to not only help my daughter and give her the best start I could, but also help out many families. Take a moment to support other moms, it can be a hard journey (worth it more than words can express).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rebekah and her lucky little girl!

We are still here!

Hello!  Due to many personal and professional commitments, this blog has definitely taken a backseat.  It has been A LONG TIME in which I have posted anything!  However, I am hoping that will change and plan to post here on a regular basis.    To be honest, I am more active on the Facebook page, but even that has taken a backseat to life lately. 

I am interested in all things breastfeeding, different experiences and perspectives.  If anyone is interested in writing a guest post, please contact me at bestmilkbistro at gmail dot com.  I am planning on starting off February with a guest post from one of our BestMilkers on pumping.  Happy reading!

The Greatest Super Power of All!

© 2010 Rebecca Morgan.  Used with express permission from author.  Edited slightly for form and punctuation, all content remains intact, and in the author's own words.

Guest post from our own BestMilker, Rebecca Morgan!  This was an inspirational speech she gave to her Introduction to Public Speaking class.

Sometimes Super Powers Suck

I don’t mean to brag about myself, but I have a super power.  A super power so magnificent I can hardly stand it.  Yes I am a mom, so it’s no surprise that I have eyes in the back of my head or that I can call Santa if you’ve been bad.  Those however, are not the super power I am speaking of.  The one I am talking about is making milk.  It’s been no easy feat.   I’ve had latch problems, mastitis, and allergy issues.  Despite all of that, I am still breastfeeding my son 13 months into his life.  I’ve since become very passionate about it.

Dane was born at 4:33 in the morning July 30th, 2009.   He was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen!   I cuddled with him for a few minutes, and then put him to breast.   I was finally going to be able to feed my son the milk I made for him.   What an amazing bonding moment with my son.  It hurt a little, but I thought it was supposed to.  When he was done I was a little bruised, but didn’t think anything about it.  The nurse said he was latched on wrong and called the lactation consultant to come help.  The lactation consultant at the hospital gave me what they call a shield.  It is supposed to be easier for the baby to latch with when having problems.  I felt very discouraged having to use this silicone device, a lot of moms would give up breastfeeding because of this.  I was missing out on a little piece of bonding with my son.  I tried and tried to get rid of this stupid shield, but couldn’t seem to get him to latch properly without it.  Until one day when he was about 4 months old I tossed it away and refused to use it.  We laid there in bed latching, unlatching, and latching again; until I finally got him to latch properly.  Once we got that perfect latch we never looked back.  I was finally able to bond with him over breastfeeding how I thought that I should.   I feel the shield was the cause of my mastitis, since he wasn’t nursing directly from my breast.

When Dane was about two weeks old, I got terribly sick.  I was sicker than I had ever been in my life.   I literally though I was going to die.   I had chills, a fever, nausea, and a headache.   I’ve never had the flu, but from what I’m told this is how it feels.  My right breast was terribly engorged.  It hurt so badly for him to nurse off of it.  At this point a lot of moms give up breastfeeding and just give the baby formula.   I was determined not to give up.   My mom was in town so we left Dane with her and my husband rushed me to the emergency room.  Mastitis if not treated can be deadly.  After being evaluated the emergency room doctor determined that I did have mastitis, put me on antibiotics, and sent me on my way.  The next day I felt worse.  My husband took me back to the emergency room.  This time they gave me a shot of antibiotics and put me on a different type of oral antibiotics.  The next day I was feeling a little better.  I spent my time in between nursing sessions applying warm, moist heat to my breast.   It took a couple weeks, but eventually I was back to normal.  Now that I had climbed that mountain it was time to shed some of the 58 pounds I had gained during pregnancy.

Little did I know losing weight would be easier than I thought would be.  Dane had been diagnosed with reflux at about 2 months of age.  Again, this is something that causes a lot of moms to switch their baby to formula.   I used the zantac the doctor prescribed and took him to a chiropractor to help align him.   I wasn’t confident about using the zantac, but I didn’t want my son suffering either.   Not too much time had passed when I noticed blood in his stools.  I took him to the doctor and she recommended I cut out dairy.  Again, a lot of moms would stop breastfeeding rather than limit their diet.  It was supposed to take about a month to see results.   At the end of a month he still had blood in his stool, but his reflux was getting better.  It was determined that he had a milk protein allergy and that was causing his reflux, so I stopped giving him the zantac.  I did a little of my own research and found that babies can have a problem with soy as well.  This totally made sense, considering I had replaced much of my dairy consumption with soy products.  Once I cut out soy the blood in his stool stopped.   I was relieved.  I was also losing weight.  Before I knew it I had lost all 58 pounds and then some.  I did gain a little back once I reintroduced dairy and soy into my diet, but it was all worth it.   He no longer has problems with them.  As soon as he was mobile his body was able to digest them easier, so I was able to eat them again.

Here I stand before you today without a shield, no more cases of mastitis, and eating dairy and soy all while still making milk.  Breastfeeding is not something that is easy, but it can be done even when problems arise.   I’d give up every other super power to keep this one, because it is the greatest super power of all!

 

Our Superwoman, Rebecca, and her beautiful boy, Dane.