Yes, the boys will be one in about 2 weeks and I am SO ready to stop pumping!
I'd like to keep up some of the nursing sessions, but cut out the daytime sessions so that I have a bigger chunk of my daytime free.
Right now this is what my breast feeding/pumping schedule is like:
7am BF
9am Pump (when they go down to nap)
10:30am BF (when they wake up)
11:30am Pump
12:30pm BF (when they are done with lunch)
1:30pm Pump (when they go down to nap)
3pm BF (when they wake up)
5:30pm BF (after dinner)
6:30pm Bottle of BM at bedtime (7-8 oz)
7pm Pump
9:30-10pm Pump
As you can see, that doesn't leave me with much time in between pumping or nursing. Quick runs out of the house but always with a "tick-tock" going to rush back in time.
Of course there were days, I simply had to be somewhere (doctor's appointments, etc) but most of the last year has been spent focused on feeding these boys.
I remember my LC saying to me a few weeks after the boys were born: "Don't expect to have a life this year. If you are committed to breast feeding twins, you aren't going to have much of a life."
She was not kidding. It has been hard, hard work, but I'm so happy I stuck with it. I also had the opportunity to stay home and do it. There is no way I would still be breast feeding my babies if I'd had to return to work and pump. My pumping output just wouldn't have been enough for them. I struggle to make the 2 bottles a day. Some days I get 14 ounces total. A lot of days I've had to supplement. But overall, they've been 90% breast fed and I'm beyond pleased with that. It has been the hardest thing I've ever done but also the most rewarding.
Those of you who work and keep this up are the true superstars of breast feeding, not me!
First things first: Drop a pump every 3 days. (If your titties are sore, ice them.)
First drop 1:30pm
Second drop 11:30am
Third drop 7pm
Fourth drop 9am
Last drop 10pm
This should take me to their birthday and we will start to introduce *cow milk in **straw cups as we wean them from the day nursing sessions.
I'm hoping my milk supply will hold when I drop the pumps as I'd still really, really like to continue to nurse them in the morning and evening.
We'll have to see.
If anyone else out there reading has any wise words about weaning, please let me know. I am both happy to stop pumping, but sad that the end of my breast feeding days might be in the future. Ideally, I'd love to keep going but my body will be the judge of that.
Just this week, I gave away my double breast feeding "EZ to Nurse" pillow and I cried a little. Things are changing.
*As an experiment the other night we put cow milk in their sippy cups at dinner. They freaking loved the stuff. Chicken and I go through a gallon of milk just between the two of us every 2 days, so I see a daily milk run in our near future.
**We have been trying to get them to use straw cups for over a month now, putting them out with water at every meal, but they loudly protest and then throw them over the side of the highchair demanding their sippy cups.
Yesterday, I tried something new. I filled the straw cups up with water and put them in their play area. Guess what happened??? Like magic. They drank out of them all day long. Babies are crazy to figure out.
12 comments:
You are AMAZING for bfing twins for a whole you. You should be really proud of yourself. I have loved my bfing relationship with my son and am so sad that it is coming to an end. He usually only nurses in the morning and evening... It makes me ready for #2!
Also, totally impressed by the straw-cup drinking. L loves playing with and chewing on straws but can't seem to figure out how to drink from in (unless I stopper it with my finger and release it into his mouth, which clearly defeats the purpose!).
1. Try not to feel guilty! I think that no matter when a woman decides to wean, guilt is involved. But do try to be gentle with yourself. You have done an awesome job!
2. A few months before we weaned from the breastfeeding altogether, we switched out the baby's bottles with sippies. She either got breastmilk from me or from a cup at that point. (And also some water from the cup.) That way, by the time we weaned from breastfeeding, she was magically also weaned from the bottles--without any work from us. We didn't really think about it; it just worked out that way, and it turned out to be great for us.
3. When I started dropping pump sessions, I really only noticed boob tenderness/engorgement for the first day. I may have allowed more than 3 days in between drops. So if things seem uncomfy after a drop or two, maybe give yourself an extra day of rest in between drops. Also, if it's super uncomfy, try cutting down on the amount of time you pump during a session before you cut it out completely. Slow and steady worked best for me.
4. The freedom you will feel with every dropped pumped session will feel so freaking amazing. Seriously. I couldn't believe all the time I had on my hands. I could do anything all of a sudden! :o) It felt so wonderful to be able to have all that free time and no more pumping but still get to do some breastfeeding for awhile. I think that was the most precious part of my whole breastfeeding experience. No more pumping drudgery. Only blissful breastfeeding with a baby who knew how to latch and feed like a champ and didn't require a bunch of work like in the newborn days. Sigh. The end of a breastfeeding relationship is sad though... I still get teary when someone asks me about it, and we weaned about 3 1/2 months ago.
I wish you lots of luck and peace as you go through the process! Again, I think you will LOVE the lack of pumping! I sure did! It was seriously life-changing, and I included each dropped pump session on my list of highlights from 2010. Heh heh. :o)
Congratulations! What a HUGE accomplishment to have made it to a year bfing twins. You should feel so so proud of yourself. I just stopped pumping (only pumped twice a day when at work 3 days a week), and it is AWESOME! I can only imagine how great you'll feel. So far, I've had no problems continuing to night nurse with some day sessions as well (it's been about 2 weeks).
Yay puffer! You have done a great job. This transition was so hard emotionally for me but physically it was so nice to stop pumping and I basically had a ceremony when I packed all of my pumping supplies away on his first birthday. I am amazed how my body has shifted to accomodiate an am and pm nursing session with nothing between. I didn't believe it would work, but our bodies are amazing and will adjust. It's great that they loved moo milk so quickly because chunk did not and I had to mix bm and moo milk for a bit. All of our boys are getting so big and I truly believe these transitions are harder on us than it is on them. You have a great plan in place!
wait just a minute, young lady. how in the heck can the boys be almost one? they were only born like 3 months ago.
Congrats on making it a whole year bfing twins. That is a seriously huge accomplishment! I hope the weaning process goes smoothly. I am excited for you and all the free time and mobility you are about to enjoy!
I think packing up pumps will be the best day ever. You have done an incredible thing and maintained an amazing schedule.
My body seems to be able to accommodate nursing like crazy on weekends and holidays and then back to three times a day when I work. You might be surprised at what you can get away with.
The only tip I have is to give them a big bowl of oatmeal before bed. That's what Bee has. After that she nurses and the combo makes her really full and sleepy. It also means that she relies less on milk to fill her up for the night and more on food.
No tips here--only lots of praise. I think it's phenomenal that you have stuck it out through a whole year and that your twins have been primarily breastfed. That's a HUGE accomplishment, and something you should forever be proud of! Enjoy the time you're freeing up!
Gosh, my 8 mth old twins are only on 4 BFs a day (+ an extra one at night, still, if they wake up after midnight and won't go back to sleep), plus whatever water they drink from cups.
And they are starting to refuse some of the feeds so I'm thinking of going to 3 during the day (wake up, lunch, and before bed).
They do eat an enormous amount, 3 meals a day, sometimes snacks. I worry they're not getting enough fluids, so am constantly at them with the water when they refuse a feed or only feed for a short time!
I haven't pumped regularly for 4 or 5 months, I only really turn to the pump now if there's a blockage issue.
I am starting to realise just how much BFing means to me, now that they are clearly starting to wean.
Good luck! Kim
working or not, your pumping and BFing schedule is massively impressive! as for the straw cups--good for you! theo still barely drinks out of straws and he's
2 1/2!
congratulations on making it to a year. and congratulations on being able to stop soon!
Congrats on your amazing breastfeeding year! You should be so proud of yourself.
I am so jealous you are ditching the pump. I cannot wait to retire mine and I fantasize all the time about it.
Enjoy your new freedom!
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