Showing posts with label breastfed. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breastfed. Show all posts
Monday, August 4, 2014
I'm a private person.
Sure, I have like 10 blogs and I share a lot, but for the most part, I keep my private life private.
Not many people know that I have returned to work.
I have been working for the past 2 months and I do enjoy being out of the house and bringing in some money.
Now, as you all well know, I'm a breastfeeding mother.
Breastfeeding for me ranks way up there with breathing and changing your underwear on a daily basis.
How do working moms continue to breastfeed?
They pump!
 |
| Ugly pump and it's parts |
I was blessed with a nice supply of breastmilk for both my son when he was a bay and my daughter who is currently still nursing. I also have always had the incredible support of my husband who would do all the housework, cook on top of working full time, so that I could breastfeed my babies every 1 hour or so on demand.
Breastfeeding had it's hurdles at first, but it came naturally to me. It was easy.
Pumping on the other hand, it's super hard!
There are extra steps to take.
You must sanitize the parts first. Everything has to remain dry afterwards or mold can easily form.
Pumping by hand is out of the question, it takes sooooooo long and your hands start twitching from the strain soon after.
If you have an electrical pump, things are a bit easy.
Pumping at work is a whole 'nother story.
First, there is the uncomfortable talk you must have with your supervisors. Women are usually more understanding. Men, specially the single ones, get a bit flustered when you tell them that you are lactating and will need an appropriate place and suitable time to pump breastmilk.
I take my pump to work every single time. It's this not so good looking bag that is clunky and has a strap that is too short. The motor takes most of the space of the bag. There is barely any room for bottle storage, let alone my wallet.
I have to pump at least every 4 hours. Every three hours would be ideal, but I can stretch it to 4 before I start hurting.
Still, I take the time to do it because it's what's for MY child.
I only work part-time, so it's not so bad.
But I think about the women who work full time.
It is a huge sacrifice, it is a huge commitment as well.
But they do it, and I applaud them.
It would be easier to just wean Sophia from the breast. At the very least, it would be easier to just give her formula while I'm gone and just breastfeed her night.
Sure, it would be easier, but it would not be best for MY child.
I emphasize the word "MY" because I want to make the point that what is best for my baby, may not be the best for others.
Sure, I would love to not have to bring the pump with me, and I would love to have a full 45 minutes to eat a meal at work, or to have my 15 minute breaks to just sit and relax. But I do this because I can. I can tough it out and complain about it when I get home.
Nevertheless, I made a commitment the day my daughter was born. I made it to her, and I made it to myself. I would breastfeed her for as long as she is interested in breastfeeding.
Whenever I come home and put the bottles of pumped breastmilk in the freezer, I start feeling negative about the whole ordeal.
As soon as I enter the room and find my perfectly chubby munchkin greeting me with the most beautiful smile ever, I renew my commitment to keep on doing it.
How could I not?
She is worth it.
 |
| Perfectly perfect breastfed baby |
Labels:
baby,
breastfed,
breastfeeding,
commitment,
hard,
leakies,
pumping,
work,
working
|
1 comments
Monday, May 19, 2014
Years ago, when Luka was a baby, a lady approached me at the Doctor's office and told me he was fat.
You can read that story here.
Well, now that Sophia is six months old, she has turned into a chunky monkey as expected.
My children are breastfed babies, and if you know anything about breastfeeding babies, you know that they get really chunky when they are small and then thin out once they become mobile. Furthermore, breastfed babies have their own growth pattern and it can vary greatly from baby to baby.
Anyway, with that being said, it irks me when people approach a mother to tell them how fat their baby is. I mean, seriously? Babies are supposed to have some cushion to them. They are babies after all. I can sometimes excuse someone approach me and comment on how rotund my babies are because most of the time, after I explain that they are breastfed, they back off.
This wasn't the case with a particular lady the last time I went out with Sophia.
Here's what went down:
Setting: Jcpenney checkout point
Cashier: "Next! Hi, your baby is soooo cute! That's a latino baby for sure."
Me: "Thank you, yes she is lol."
Lady #1: "God bless your baby, she is so precious. She's breastfed isn't she?"
Me: "Yes she is. Thank you!"
We spent a while trying to pay for my purchases because my coupons weren't working and I was not going to pay full price if I had coupons. We were almost done and in came another lady.
Cashier: "Your total is $ XX.XX"
Lady #2: (In Spanish) "Umm, excuse, that baby is really fat"
Me: "She's not fat, she's perfect."
Lady #2: "You should really cut back on the feedings."
Me: "My baby is fine, her Dr. agrees, she is breastfed, I'm not cutting anything."
I then turn around and start ignoring her. She, not pleased with herself, kept on talking.
Lady #2 talking to Sophia: "Yes baby, you are so chunky, you should eat less. If you keep getting so big you won't fit into any of the sexy dresses!"
Seriously lady? Seriously?!
First of all, who does she think she is lecturing me about my baby. Second of all, did you not get the hint that the conversation was over? I turned around, I was in fact IGNORING you.
Third of all, this is a six month old baby. Why would she care if she fits into SEXY dresses?
Way to start sexualizing infants!
It took all of me not to turn back around and bitch her out. I took the "bigger person" route and kept ignoring. I payed for my purchases and thanked the cashier. I gave the lady a sideways look and left.
The nerve on some people!
You can read that story here.
Well, now that Sophia is six months old, she has turned into a chunky monkey as expected.
My children are breastfed babies, and if you know anything about breastfeeding babies, you know that they get really chunky when they are small and then thin out once they become mobile. Furthermore, breastfed babies have their own growth pattern and it can vary greatly from baby to baby.
Anyway, with that being said, it irks me when people approach a mother to tell them how fat their baby is. I mean, seriously? Babies are supposed to have some cushion to them. They are babies after all. I can sometimes excuse someone approach me and comment on how rotund my babies are because most of the time, after I explain that they are breastfed, they back off.
This wasn't the case with a particular lady the last time I went out with Sophia.
Here's what went down:
Setting: Jcpenney checkout point
Cashier: "Next! Hi, your baby is soooo cute! That's a latino baby for sure."
Me: "Thank you, yes she is lol."
Lady #1: "God bless your baby, she is so precious. She's breastfed isn't she?"
Me: "Yes she is. Thank you!"
We spent a while trying to pay for my purchases because my coupons weren't working and I was not going to pay full price if I had coupons. We were almost done and in came another lady.
Cashier: "Your total is $ XX.XX"
Lady #2: (In Spanish) "Umm, excuse, that baby is really fat"
Me: "She's not fat, she's perfect."
Lady #2: "You should really cut back on the feedings."
Me: "My baby is fine, her Dr. agrees, she is breastfed, I'm not cutting anything."
I then turn around and start ignoring her. She, not pleased with herself, kept on talking.
Lady #2 talking to Sophia: "Yes baby, you are so chunky, you should eat less. If you keep getting so big you won't fit into any of the sexy dresses!"
Seriously lady? Seriously?!
First of all, who does she think she is lecturing me about my baby. Second of all, did you not get the hint that the conversation was over? I turned around, I was in fact IGNORING you.
Third of all, this is a six month old baby. Why would she care if she fits into SEXY dresses?
Way to start sexualizing infants!
It took all of me not to turn back around and bitch her out. I took the "bigger person" route and kept ignoring. I payed for my purchases and thanked the cashier. I gave the lady a sideways look and left.
The nerve on some people!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)