I also received this one from the hospital. Actually I asked for it. I asked for what ever they had and could give me that may help me. I got breast pads, lanolin, storage bottles, and a hospital goodie bag.
When I was first admitted to the hospital and they told me worst case scenario Gray would be delivered I was asked if I wanted to breastfeed or formula feed. I wanted to breastfeed. No question about it. It was really important to me and I knew how good it was for my son to have breast milk
Since I found out I was pregnant, I knew I wanted to breastfeed as long as I could. I had even attended my local La Leche League meetings to ask questions and learn more. So, after Gray was born, I began to pump. First with a hospital grade pump and then with my pumps.
As I said in this previous post, Gray received donor milk until I could get down to him with mine. I just want to take a quick moment to say that I am eternally grateful to those women who donate their breast milk. It truly is something special.
At first, pumping made me sad. I didn't really want to do it. It wasn't fun and it sure wasn't the way I'd imagined breastfeeding to be. I wanted a baby to feed, not a pump to hook myself up to. In the beginning I didn't get a whole lot. But, from what I had learned, that's normal, that was colostrum and every drop was precious. So I kept at it and tried not to get discouraged. Whenever the nurses checked on me at night, I pumped. After I went home, I set my alarm to wake up and pump. I just kept pumping.
My days were spent parked in my recliner. I was in quite a bit of pain so I didn't move unless I had to. Pumping was something to do. I could only stare at my phone, my computer, the TV, or a magazine for so long. Pumping broke up my days and made them go by quicker.
After a few days, my milk supply came in. Due to my constant pumping I was getting a good amount of milk. I was excited about this. All my effort was paying off and my attitude began to change. I had been feeling so helpless. I couldn't hold my son, or be with him, hell, I hadn't even met him, but there was one thing I could do for him, I could pump.
So my message to anyone who's pumping/trying to pump. Keep at it. Reach out for help. It's hard by yourself. I don't know if I could have/would have done it with out all the information and help I'd been given. Contact a lactation consultant, a local La Leche League leader, or friends or family who have breastfed. And don't be shy, you're doing something amazing.
Pumping is hard. It does feel unnatural. It takes will power and discipline. It's not always easy and it's oh so easy not to do it. But, as I was told by a good friend, "You're giving your child an amazing gift."
Pumping is something I'm so glad I did and I'm trying to continue to do. I was so dedicated to my pump, but to me, it wasn't just the pump, it was to my goal of getting breast milk to my son.
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