randomness

I don't know that this post will have any significant purpose, but I feel the need to ramble on about things.

#1.  My daughter turned 15 months yesterday!  No, she is not walking, but we are so close.  She has started throwing temper-tantrums and we have started ignoring them...talk about battles.

#2.  Good friends just moved to Italy!  Adam is in the Army and has been stationed there for I believe 3 years...we hope to visit before they get a new assignment.

#3.  Vehicles.  We are STILL using only 1 vehicle.  This has been ok because the weather is holding out.  HOPEFULLY we will be getting a truck at the beginning of the year from our neighbor who is ready for a new one.

#4.  Breastfeeding.  Yes I am STILL breastfeeding and see no end approaching!  She has reduced the number of nursings....but we continue.

#5.  Co-sleeping.  Yes we co-sleep.  I also don't see an end to this!  LO slept in her crib 4 nights in a row for 2-3 hours each night...then woke up to nurse and came to bed.  It was SO hard to sleep without her the first 2 nights...I was up most of the night just staring at her = irritating my hubby...oh well, what's a mother to do?

#6.  Pumping.... :(  Yes I still pump.  I am down to 3 times a day!  From 6...3 is wonderful.  I pump in the car to and from work and at lunch.  It's not bad....just annoying. 

#7.  Milk.  I pump 6-8 ounces a day.  I send 8 ounces to school...everyday.  What I don't pump the night before, I supplement with Rice Milk.  LO enjoys her rice milk, but I am not ready to completely switch over....too much good stuff in the breastmilk.  The freezer stash is dwindling...I pump less on Thursday and Fridays so on Monday, I thaw out a bag to get us started for the week.  I will probably be out of frozen milk by Valentine's day.  My plan at that point is to give her what I pumped and supplement with the rice milk until that is all she has.  I don't plan on introducing cow milk until she is at least 2...maybe 3.

#8.  12/15.  Today is my moms birthday!  She is 54.  It's a good day.  Today is also my boss' mom's birthday.  She has been dead for 15 years....so this is a hard day.  Today is also my friend's grandmother's visitation....today is a really hard day.  Today is also my friend's mom's mom's visitation...just unimaginable.  I just don't know how to feel today.  A mixture of emotions for me, but I can't imagine being at the other end....

#9.  Tomorrow.  Tomorrow is my friend and her mom (also my friend)'s grandmother/mother's funeral....so sad.  Tomorrow is also the day that my hubby, daughter and I leave for Nebraska family Christmas!...it's fun and exciting.  Another day of mixed emotions.

#10.  #s 8 & 9.  Because it is my mom's birthday and the day we are leaving to go out of town, I will not be able to be with my friends during this time.  I know they will be ok and I will be thinking of them.

Moving on...Christmas is coming!

Win a Pump

Below is a url to a website that is giving away pumps!
The hygeia pump meets the WHO standards!

http://theleakyboob.com/2011/11/hygeia-enjoye-breast-pump-giveaway/

POWER of the SUN

The sun is a VERY powerful force in my life.  I am very suseptable to depression during the winter months.  This year it has started early, because my husband and I are down to 1 car.  :(  So I get up to drive 6 miles at 6:15 AM....it is exhausting and seriously starting to affect my well being.  Finally Tuesday evening I explained to him that this is the situation and I need him to figure it out.  We are purchasing a truck at the end of December, but until then it seems I am stuck getting up WAY before the sun and driving the 6 miles....

So you say, "6 miles" is is really that big of a deal?  Same question my in-laws keep asking.  NO 6 miles is not the reason this is a big deal.  The big deal is on a "Normal we have 2 cars" kind of day, I don't get up until 7:30, the baby sleeps until I wake her up a bit after 8, and before LO gets up, I get EVERYTHING done I need for the day (set up the pump, fill bottles, get the cloth diapers ready, SHOWER alone, etc.).  Seems like a little thing to ask for...30 minutes, but I am SO productive if I can be by myself during that time.  LO is just not ready to be awake, so she is SUPER cranky and MUST be held...so it takes 3 times as much time to do all of my necessary things.

YES, I am bitching, but it needs to be said.

A Funny Look

Today while driving to work, a woman almost ran into my car.  She was so distracted by my pumping, that we almost had an accident.  It was really quite funny....once it was over.  She stopped a light next to me, I was setting up the pump, she looked at me, mouth fell open, then she turned to look away, and then turned back as if "that's not really what I saw, let me just check."  It was SO funny!  I just watched her the first time and the second I waived.  She very quickly turned around and took off when the light turned green.
I love embarrassing people.

Jealousy

So Megan had her baby boy!  This is great...she was scheduled to be induced, but he came naturally :)  Horray!

The lucky lady says she was in labor for less than 4 hours...

So I instantly felt a MAJOR jealousy in the deepest pit of my stomach.  I'm not sure what I am jealous about, but it is definitely there. :( 

I am trying to convince myself that the important part is that he is healthy and here....not that her labor was so SHORT or that her baby was born with a round head instead of a pointed head (due to long labor) that LO had....he is healthy and beautiful.

I think it takes a lot of maturity to admit my silly jealousy, but it makes me upset that I am so vain, or maybe it is selfishness that I am jealous of Megan....GROW UP!

This all comes down to, I miss LO during the day and now Megan gets to spend all day with her new bb...that's what I'm jealous about...mostly.  After all, God must think I am DAMN strong to go through the labor I went through and that makes me smile.

LO has a new cousin and I'm willing to bet we go see him this weekend.  Hopefully this green monster is gone by then.  I'm working on it.

Photo Shoot

We took LO's 1 year old pictures today!  I attached a few at the bottom of this post.  My father-in-law is a "photographer".  He is GREAT.  He does it as a side job taking mostly senior pictures and pictures for the local high school drama groups.  It's nice because he lives in town with us and is available almost anytime.

LO was not feeling so great last night, (mild fever 101-102) so we thought we might have to cancel.  She burned out over night and woke up sans fever!  However, it is back this evening :(

Back to the point....we took pictures this morning!  LO wore a corduroy dress my mom bought and her cute brown shoes!  We did this photo shoot at 7:45 AM!  The sun was coming up and created beautiful warm colors!  It really brought out the RED in LO's hair!  Hope you enjoy the pics.

Baby update....Megan has still not had BB.  :(  She is SO ready.

Here's LO

Milk, I have MILK!

Today was a GREAT day!  I pumped 3 1/2 ounces on my way to work, 3 1/2 ounces at lunch and 2 1/2 ounces on my way home from work!  WOOOHOOOO :)  Maybe my body is getting back in the swing of this.

Hubby's cousin Megan is 40 weeks preganant today!  She is so excited to see her BB (baby boy)....so we are trying to encourage him.  This is a touchy subject for me because I don't believe in the official 40 weeks of preganancy....each baby is different, each mom is different....each preganancy is different, we should let nature take it's course (1 of many soap boxes)  Anyway, there are MANY different ideas that when a momma is close to labor can begin the process a bit earlier: sex, nipple stimulation, herbs, spicy foods, running, different teas...etc.  I'm hoping that Megan goes into labor soon and has a smooth and satisfying labor.

After she delivers my real hope is that she finds nursing satisfying and wonderful!  Last baby (BG) was not a successful nurser....epidural gone bad which lead to an epidural headache and then never reached the nursing relationship of her dreams. :*(  This time Megan is determined!

This is a post about not much, but I felt like I should just put all these thoughts out there.
Here's to hoping a new healthy baby is born soon and my milk keeps flowing!  Horray for positive thinking!

Cars

Cars....a serious cause of stress in my life and marriage right now.  Hubby's car was not suitable to be licensed or carry a child seat, so he got another one....it died....got another and it died....borrowed his dad's car (had an extra) and it has now died....so 3 cars in 1 year...killed.

I have threatened that Hubby's next care will be a horse & buggy....he was VERY excited to get to have a horse.  I have revised the threat to bicycle...it's less appealing.

So you say, go get a car loan and a new car....can't afford 2 car payments.
So you say, just use 1 car...we both have full-time jobs that are 45 miles apart...plus he starts work at 7:00 AM :(

What do you do?
Well, for the last 2 weeks I have been driving 10 minutes to a small town just South of us where a friend picks him up and takes him the rest of the 20 miles.  This is all fine and well, BUT it is at 6:30a.m.  LO is not ready to get up, but has to go in her car seat.
Last week, I left work at 4 to go pick up LO and then go 10 miles south and pick Hubby up before finally getting home.  This week Hubby's brother & mother are picking him up in the afternoons.  This is a HUGE help....but still sucks.

The long and the short of it is...if you see my hubby walking down the highway, carseat on his back....please pick him up and take him to CVS to catch his ride ;)

The good & the bad

The good news has it ended!  The bad news is it will come again (in about 21 days).  TERRIBLE.  Every new mom dreads the day her cycle starts again….I’m just the same.  Here I am almost 2 years without and suddenly as if with vengeance, my body takes over and it sucks….

Moms who don’t breast feed typically have 2 months without a period.  Those of us who breastfeed exclusively have longer, those of us who breastfeed AND co-sleep are the luckiest!  377 days after Liath was born….I consider myself pretty darn lucky J

My mom and I had a co-sleeping discussion today.  She breastfed me for 8 weeks then went back to work.  She believes passionately that ALL children, nursing or not, should be sleeping on their own through the night by 6 months.  She is supportive of my decision, but thinks I made the wrong one….ask her, she will tell you just that.  I think she is wrong because the aggravation, time and tears spent trying to put LO to sleep in her own bed is a very ineffective use of my time….after all it takes like 2 hours with only 1 or 2 hours (if we were lucky) of sleep only to be interrupted by a terrible frightened scream that would tear everyone from sleep just to begin the process again.  By co-sleeping everyone sleeps through the night, LO nurses when she wants, AND I didn’t start my period for 377 days after delivery!

On another note, did you hear about the 10 month old baby abducted from her crib this morning?  She was put to sleep in her own room about 10:30 last night and was gone by 4:00 a.m. today.  This is not a good reason to co-sleep, but it just adds to my reasoning.  I feel so bad for that mom (especially if she is nursing….yowza).  Hopefully we will hear good news.

So to conclude…..I will start buying stock in Kotex again….it will eventually be all over, but for now I will deal.  Hope I didn’t share too much or gross anyone out….if anyone reads this.

Chompers

Not every nursing child bites.  My child does.  It is terribly painful and the single most aggravating part of nursing...thus far.

Biting is more than just a nibble on occasion.  Biting is most nursing sessions ending in tears from at least one of us, a blood trail in my bra and just plain PAIN.  It's terrible.

What to do?  There are a lot of opinions and ideas on ow to prevent the biting, stop the biting and soothe the nipples.

What works?  Not much.  We have found that if Daddy holds LO upside down she can nurse without biting!  I think this is because she has to concentrate.  After a minute or so, I can then hold her in the cradle position.  Another option has been to sit her on the back of the couch or the balance ball, again she has to concentrate.

In short...it hurts & we are working on it.

Any suggestions, I would love to hear them.

Not a quitter

After a wonderful LeLeche League meeting where again my views were wanted, needed and appreciated, I have decided to fight the system.  I have never been a quitter, I don't plan to start now.  Who is this woman to tell me, a mom of a Beautiful LO, that I am not who they are looking for?  She has chosen the wrong person to deny.

Thank you for the support Aimee, Sarah, Cynthia, BrookieLee, Julie & Dottie.  It's wonderful to have a support group like you all.

As to the other would-be applicants: We can't help make the world better without pushing the envelope.  This particular envelope needs to be busted open.  I hope you will reconsider and join me. :)  We are WOMEN, we work, we nurse, we LOVE our children....so many more women are out there...let's make them WOMEN!

Rejected

So I have posted that I was applying for LeLeche League Leadership....I was notified by e-mail today that I was rejected as a Leader Applicant.  This sucks.

It basically comes down to I work too much (35-40) hours a week and have not followed the LeLeche League principles by working and going back to work when LO was only 6 weeks old.  This was a financial necessity for my family. 

My opinion is as follows:

1. LeLeche League standards are out of touch with reality.

2. The woman in charge of my decision, was ridiculous.

3. Many new moms are going to miss out on hearing my experiences dealing with:
           a) gallbladder issues
           b) pumping - daily...multiple times
           c) flange size issues
           d) mothering choices such as no shots, home birth, solid food choices...etc.

4. #3 makes me sad for myself (I like to talk about obstacles that I have overcome), but more saddend for the new mom that needs to hear "It will be ok" from a mom that has been forced back to work for financial reasons and not regretted it.  Hearing "It will be ok" from a mom that has never been back to work, only works very part-time, or the mom that has never had supply issues, just doesn't mean the same.

5. I will find a way to make my breastfeeding knowledge and opinions known to many people, hopefully I will receive an apology letter from LeLeche League along with an acceptance into the leadership process.  If not, have no fear, I will figure it out.

Rejection is a hard thing to handle.  I am attempting to be graceful and not hateful (it's my default) while allowing myself to move on without this goal in life completed...it's tough.

A change in mindset

I woke up today with a flood of memories.  1 year ago LO was born!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  These memories made me sad...sad for all the moments in time I missed being a working mom, sad for the times she won't need me anymore because she is growing up, sad for the times when I could put her down in one spot, go to the bathroom and come back and she still be there....

I was discussing this feeling with a friend during my lunch pumping and decided I needed an "attitude change."  I have been able to change my way of thinking for a long time (very helpful when I am nervous...I tell myself that those are EXCITED butterflies.).  So I decided: I'm not sad for things past, I'm very excited for what is coming!

So today is a HAPPY DAY!

Thank you Sarah.

Here is a picture of LO Loving icing :)

"Icing" you question?????  Typically I'm not a advocate for youngsters eating this type of crap, but on a birthday, I guess it's ok.  I planned for the fall out of a lifetime.  I planned on puke, diarrhea and diaper rash, but was pleasantly surprised....she was fine!  The icing even came out of her pretty dress.

LeLeche League - Applicant

Below is an e-mail exchange.  I am attempting to become a LeLeche League Leader (LLLL).  They are questioning my working and breastfeeding beliefs...how did I do?  My answers are in BLUE.

Dear Ruth,

I do appreciate your sentiments on this topic. Its up to you if you would like to answer the below questions. If you prefer not to, I more than understand, but then I cannot start your Application for Leadership. LLL does not have a hard and fast rule about working moms. Every situation is unique and LLL wants to know the details in order to make a fair assessment as to whether a potential Applicants meets the prerequisites for LLL Leadership.

Warmly,
Janna

Information about time apart from the baby

How early did separation begin (the age of your child)? 6 weeks

Were you able to provide a gradual transition from being with you to starting work? No

What was your average weekly work/travel schedule? How many hours at a time were you away from your baby? I work 35-40 hours a week. Liath is at daycare (we call it school) from 8:30-4:00 M-F....so 8.5 hours a day is 42 1/2. I drop her off and my husband picks her up. Some days are shorter, but never longer.
How flexible were those hours? Could you go to the baby or home if called or take some time off if baby had a fussy day? I am VERY fortunate to have the most flexible job I've ever had. I work for a small Law Firm in Overland Park and am a legal assistant. The job is Super felxible because the attorneys are only in the office 25 - 30 hours a week because of court and such. The other reason is that my mom is the other assistant. She is always willing to stay later or come in earlier if I need/want to have some extra time. ANY time the baby needs something, I'm in the car...it is not a question of "When can you leave?" It is always, I'll be there in 20. That being said, it has only happend once...LIath is a very healty and happy baby!
Could the baby be brought to the work site or could you take some work home? On occassion I have brought Liath to work, however this is not an ideal situation. I have brought work home, but there is nothing that is at the office that cannot wait unitl I get back or be done by someone else.
Are you currently experiencing regular separation from your child? SEE ABOVE
What is your current average weekly work/travel schedule?
How many hours are you away from your child?
How flexible are your hours? Can you go to her as needed?
If you are not currently experiencing regular separation, what age was your child when regular separation ended? This is an on-going event. M-F
Sensitivity to baby’s needs:

How have you met your baby's needs for food and comfort? Liath nurses on demand (except when I am at work). We co-sleep so she nurses throughout the night. FOOD: We are very careful to limit what she has been exposed to, however, she is a very good eater and has enjoyed learnig about food.
Was/Is there any regular reliance on bottles or formula? Liath has had NO formula! From 6 weeks to 10 months she had three 4oz bottles at school. At 10 months we slowly changed to two 4oz sippy cups.
How was it determined that your baby was ready for the amount of separation involved? Family's financial need.
How has your baby’s needs been met if they were sick? As I mentioned above, if Liath is sick, cranky or just needs extra snuggles, I take the day off.
How have you handled separation if your baby needed you? There has not been a time when she needed me, that I have not been there.
How has your baby handled the separation (both as baby and now)? Liath LOVES school! Some mornings she wakes up a bit cranky (don't we all) and when I ask if she wants to "get dressed for school?" She lights up...smiles and giggles start!
LLL Philosophy in light of your personal experiences:

What would you say to another mother experiencing a situation similar to your own, whose baby was unhappy with her absence? I would say every baby and evey mother is different. Also, different ages will change how the baby feels about this sitution also. Sometimes the choosen school is not the best. Is it possible for you and your partener to change up your schedules? Maybe if you could lessen the time away from either you or your partner, it would be less stressful to the baby. Have you ever attempted or thought about co-sleeping? I have noticed that Liath LOVES to snuggle, rather than be up with her all night wanting to snuggle and then both of us being cranky the next day, we co-sleep, she snuggles and nurses all night. We both sleep better. If this is something you are interested in learning about and/or exploring we have a great book in the library "The Family Bed."
Or a mother who worked and was concerned her baby wasn’t breastfeeding well?
The health of your baby is number 1. We know that a breastfeeding baby is best, so let's think about how to work on making nursing better. When is the baby nursing? When did you last pump? If it has been more than 2 or 3 hours since you have pumped, your nipple might be too big for the baby to get ahold of easily (especially when they are small). If this is the case, either offer the breast earlier, or hand express some milk to lower the milk level. Are you concerned because your baby is waking up more in the night? If this is the problem, maybe he/she is needing more snuggle time to help encourage longer more satisfying nursing. If the nighttime is the biggest problem, try a warm bath togehter where the baby can nurse as he/she pleases. The warm water is soothing and will help both of you relax. Remember the more stressed you become, the more your problems you will start to have with supply.

Camping

The weather here in KC has FINALLY turned nice....actually BEAUTIFUL!  So, my hubby and I decided to take advantage of the holiday weekend and pull out the tent.  This is the first time we have camped with LO, so we kept it close to home....really close...the back yard.  We learned a number of things:

#1....Fire is FASCINATING....LO loved looking at the fire...so much so that she didn't want to go to sleep. :(
#2....Queen size air mattress...not big enough for LO, Mommy & Daddy to be comfortable on :(
#3....air mattress FUN to crawl on.
#4....I am so glad that for the first time camping we decided to stay in our own back yard....at 4:00a.m. LO and I went to our normal bed....just wasn't comfortable.  This was a good thought, one we plan to repeat this coming weekend.
#5....stupid dog barks all night (sorry neighbors)...she barks all night because the stupid dog behind us barks all night.  Shutting one up (mine) helped keep the other quiet.
#6....coffee tastes better when made on a campfire, but coffee made in the auto coffee pot tastes pretty good when sitting by a morning campfire.

I have always been told that camping with a nursling is great and easy...I agree on a few different points: #1, nursing is so easy...much better than the measuring and mixing bottles....#2...not so easy if co-sleeping....just saying.

A sad event - A reflection

Yesterday, September 1, 2011 should have been my cousin, Jennifer's due date with her 5th baby, a boy named Andrew.  At 17 weeks gestation Jennifer's water broke and their was no way to save the baby.  After 3 days of drugs to induce labor and then to cause delivery, Andrew was delivered already gone.  It was the saddest week I can remember.  There were so many complications that the fact that Jennifer was able to carry him 17 weeks is amazing, but 17 weeks is not enough.

Yesterday we as a family, across the United States released balloons with notes.  This release was more than just balloons, it was a release of all the anger, pain and jealousy we have been holding inside for 23 weeks.  Jealousy?  Yes, I admit I am jealous of Andrew, he is pain free, sitting in heaven with all of our passed family and watching us, waiting. 

Yesterday was not has difficult as I had imagined, in fact it was quite easy to release that balloon.  The hard part was Tuesday when I wrote the note and yesterday driving to the park and a song played on K-Love about being strong enough because God is with you and he is strong enough for both of us.

I don't talk about it much on the blog, but I am a very prayerful person.  I find myself praying for the dummies on the highway every morning (better than cussing at them).  This life of prayer and reflection is new for me.  I recently did a bible study that encouraged constant "prayer"...more of constant communication.  It has really made me think differently about my relationship with God and my savior.

As this is September 2, I move on from my day of reflection, but I wanted to put it in words for anyone and everyone to read...it's kind of therapy for me.  Anyway, until next time...

A Change in "Normal"

They say "Change is good."  They don't say "Change is easy."

I'm hoping to say Change was so easy, I don't know what I was worried about.

LO turns 1 in 15 days!  We have changed her from bottles to sippy cups exclusively as school....in less than a week!  Now we are changing how many she gets....from 3 to 2 cups of 4 oz of milk.  She is a VERY healthy eater and is not missing out on any calories, so with all the supply issues I have, this makes sense.

With a change in how many ounces I need to send to school each day, I get to take out a pumping session! SO EXCITED :)  I will now pump on the way to work, at lunch and on my way home!  Today was the first trial of this theory...I pumped 11 ounces....3 more than I will send tomorrow!

I have also decided to change the fact that I was taking 2 different supplements to assist in milk production.  I am no longer taking those for 2 reasons....1 they are expensive....2 I don't want to.  We will see how this goes.

So with life comes change, and FINALLY I have found change I am excited for!

Gadgets & Gizmos

Gadget (from Dictionary.com)

noun

a mechanical contrivance or device; any ingenious article.

 

Gizmo

noun

a strange and crazy barn cat turned family pet

 

I have finally taken the time (20 minutes mind you) to learn how to use my hands free pumping gadget that came with my Medela Freestyle pump!

So you ask...."How is it you have been pumping on 435 for almost a year without this gadget?"  Well that is a funny story....I found out that I can hook up without this particular gadget.  It's a trick and I'm not telling my secret :)

Anyway, I was figuring out this gadget and had to actually pull out the directions!  Have you ever looked at one?  First you have the pump and its parts then you have the extra parts of the hands free to assemble and figure out....felt like I needed a video instruction course and a few extra hands to help.  20 minutes later, I have hooked up and am driving down the road no problems....except the milk.  I guess I was extremely anxious about using this device, so I didn't pump very well.

I have used the gadget a few more times (4 to be exact) and have gotten the hook up time down to 3 minutes.

Some gadgets are great, some are handy, but others are just extra parts and stress.  So far, this one has only been an extra stress.  The good news is my milk production is back to normal even with the gadget.

 

Gizmo is my loving cat.  She is CRAZY, just ask poor Willie...she tried to eat him.  Giz loves my LO and lovingly head butts her...so cute.

The reason for adding Gizmo to the post?  I named it Gadgets & Gizmos...so I had to add her in.

 

Happy pumping :)

Happy FRIDAY!

Smurfs!

Post #2 for the day!  GO ME!

Who knew the little blue people of my childhood would be so popular in my child's childhood?

Last week I was on a mission: Find Smurfs.  McDonald's had the toys for the Happy Meal promoting the movie, so I had my destination.  Now, as a normal food source, I stay away from "The Great M Steakhouse," but for promotional toys there is no better place.

So you ask, was I searching for the figurines for my LO?  No, my Aunt lives in Montana and was attempting to make a complete set (14 I believe) for her boss.  So I'm on the hunt in Kansas and Missouri for my Aunt who lives in Montana...welcome to my crazy family.

Anyway, on both Tuesday and Wednesday last week, I drove through 2 different McDonalds looking for the little buggars.  Pumping and going through the drive thru is not a new concept for me, but the reaction of the McDonals' employees was epic. *It should be known that when I pump in the car 90% of the time my shirt fits over the pump and bottles and I just look like my boobs are really droopy.  Nothing to see really.

Day 1 - McD 1 ~ Employee, girl, ignored the fact (the normal occurrence).
Day 1 - McD 2 ~ Employee, girl, leaned out her window and asked "What model pump do you use?"  Sweet, someone who knows, understands and has been there!  I told her and then moved on.
Day 2 - McD  1 ~ Employee, guy (typically they do not notice or if they do notice don't EVER say anything) looked straight at my boobs and said "What's the noise?"  I explained, he turned red and then turned away from me.
Day 2 - McD 2 ~ Employee, guy, no reaction.

My Smurf mission was over, but I had to share the reaction of these employees!  Went 360 degrees with their reactions.

Anyone have a Drive Thru employee say something about you pumping?

User Error

Pumping today dozing off as usual and suddenly my pump STOPS.  No suction, no noise Stops.
I look at the silly machine I regularly beg to pull out a TON of milk and NOTHING is on the screen; no signs of life.  TERRIBLE.
What do I do?  I'm only 6 minutes into a 25 minute session.
              Option 1 => Hand expression.  I have never been very good at that.  Really frustrating.
              Option 2 => Buy a battery.  My pump takes  a huge silver batter that I have never seen before.
              Option 3 => Buy a hand pump.  The problems with this plan: #1, I already have one, #2, I don't have the money to go buy one, #3, the parts need to be sterilized (hard to do in an office that doesn't even have a sink)
              Option 4 => Try a random AC Adapter.  I highly dont' recommend this option, but it is what I chose and I worked!

Turns out my Medela Freestyle likes to be plugged in more often.  Lesson Learned!

Disaster averted.  Glad the AC Adapter in the office "Box of random parts with cords" worked and did not fry my pump (really don't have money to buy a new one of those).  Unfortunately however, it did freak out my boos and they didn't produce very much milk :(.  Pumping is 90% mental and my brain was somewhere else.

Chiropractor Visits

I have been taking my LO to the Chiropractor since she was 3 days old.  WHAT!?!?!  Is typically the reaction people give me when they find out....but YES she goes regularly and so do I. 
Think about this....when a child is learning how to sit, crawl or walk, they slip and fall...right?  Well the spine is a moving part of your body, so when you slip and fall, it is jarred and then needs to be put back to it's most fluid state.  Much like Humpty Dumpty.
Anyway, LO and I were adjusted on Thursday!  We were sitting in the waiting room and the nicest looking old man kept playing with LO with his facial features.  So cute.  When we were called into the room, he offered to watch her.  I told him "No thanks, it's her turn."  He scowled at me and said "What, has she been in a car wreck?  What's wrong with her?"  I told him that she is adjusted for preventative reasons and to keep her body functioning at its best as she learns to crawl.  He "hump"ed and turned away from us.
So I ask, what is wrong with preventative adjustments?  Maybe if he was adjusted more often, his disposition would be better :)
So a happy and well adjusted momma will keep her happy and adjusted child going to the chiropractor.

Supply Woes

I am hoping that by blogging my pumping experiences, I will be able to boost my supply.  You see, I have milk, but just barely enough.  I send 12 ounces to school with LO, but make 12 1/2 or less each day.  This is a very tight wire to walk.  Sure, I have some frozen milk.  BUT that is an emergency stash....which is dwindling.
What to do, What to do?
There are lots of options, many of which I have tried.  I regularly eat an entire bulb of fennel sauteed in olive oil then sprinkle it with dill, drink 3-5 cups of Mother's Milk Tea, take fenugreek capsules....etc., all with mixed results.
So I am at a LOW point in my supply right now and considering other homeopathic and natural options.  There is the medical option, I am VERY hesitant to add something synthetic to my diet knowing that some of it will go to my daughter.
Many of you will ask, why bother?  Why would you go through the trouble of worrying about this when there is formula (the most fabulous thing ever, right?)....a different soap box...for a different day.
So my current solution is to try a new golactogauge Ayurceutics Shatavari -- 60 Vegetarian Capsules , I'll let you know how it works.
The nursing roller coaster is a ride I choose because of my belief that breast milk is best.

My first post!

Welcome,
I thought I would join the rest of the blogging world.  So, here goes nothing.

I named my blog "The 435 Pumper" because I think this is a really cool part of my life right now.  "Pumper?" you ask...well I am a breasfeeding full time working mom, so I pump my milk 5 days a week.  "So, really on 435?"  Yup!  Sure do.  I pump on my way to work and on my way home....very effective use of my time...don't you agree?

Anyway, my daughter is almost 11 months and is adorable. :)

She's awake, gotta go.