Pump Pump Pump

I've used my breast pump daily for probably the last 2 or 3 months. Every morning I wake up around 5 or 6am with a need to get out the excess milk I've been making for the last 8 hours.

At first, it was a blessing. I would pump 8-12oz a morning and be able to share that with some friends who were having a harder time nursing. Eventually, they didn't need help anymore (hooray!) and I was able to start pumping to start saving a store for when I got back to work.

At that point, pumping became a chore - but one that was like putting a fatty paycheck into savings every morning. I knew that milk would come in handy later, and it was kinda nice to watch the sun come up.

NOT what it's like to pump at work

Now, I've got a freezer full of milk and the sun doesn't come up until closer to 7am. Pumping is losing it's charm. As a way of practicing for what it would be like when I went back to work, my parents watched Foster for an entire day this week. They fed him with a bottle for every meal and I pumped to keep them stocked up during the day. It suuuuuucked (pun intended). Pumping once a day and then going back to bed is fine. Pumping 4 times a day, having to rinse the parts out between each session, and having to deal with making and cleaning bottles each time is lame. Important note, all of these pumping sessions took place in the comfort of my own home. I started to panic. How was I going to manage this at work and not start to feel like that milk cow I didn't want to become? Knowing myself, I also could see me skipping sessions to double up on busier days at work, and then losing my supply. Every time I thought about having to go into some closet at work to hear the whoompa whoompa whoompa of the pump the more anxious I became.

Then there was a spark of hope. I was proposed for a project with the national team which means there isn't a local client office. I'd have to work remotely! I could drive to my mom's or Helene's house every day and have them watch Foster while I work from there and just feed him instead of pump! I was thrilled at the idea of it and even after finding out that I got the role I'm still hoping that it works out like I plan. There will be travel sometimes but I've let it be known that I only want to travel for a week every 2 months at the most. Folks seem fine with that. I'll have to work in the Seattle Slalom office occasionally in order to meet with the team here, but that shouldn't be for a full day and I can leave bottles those times and bring the dreaded pump on longer days....knowing it's a small price to pay for the lucky schedule I have the rest of the time.

Before I know it, Foster will be eating solid foods as well and it won't be as critical that he has milk every 3 hours. I'll miss breastfeeding him, but I will not miss that whoompa whoompa whoompa!