So I go back to work the day after tomorrow and for me it feels like the first day of school. I'm excited but also bummed that summer is over. I'm also worried about what I'm going to wear. I'm 11 pounds heavier than I was pre-Zoe, so I can wear most of my clothes but some are a bit tight. I took a quick trip to Old Navy to get some transitional clothing. Also, since I have the life-sustaining milk, many of my old shirts are too tight.
And, of course, I am totally freaked out at the thought of other people taking care of my baby, which I hadn't anticipated feeling. Logically, I know we picked a good place and they'll take good care of her, but I'm going to miss her.
I'm also a little freaked out about pumping. I work in a cubicle situation and there is no private room for me to use. I'll be pumping in the server room, which part of me finds amusing. The other part of me wonders if I can make this work. We'll see. I'll do the best I can but I'm not going to drive myself crazy.
In Zoe news, she's been standing (with support, obviously)for about four weeks now. She can also sit by herself with support. She's responding to us a lot more--smiles, coos, and gurgles. For a while I thought her eyes were going brown but this week they seem very blue and at times they've looked gray, so who the hell knows? Her hair is part mohawk and part superman-curl-on-the-forehead.
I know both of us will get used to being apart during the day, but right now I'm pretty bummed about it. I don't think I understood that after I had Zoe that I would be completely and utterly infatuated with this tiny person and her hair curls.
5 comments:
Harry's been in a very wonderful home daycare since he was 5 weeks old (he just turned two on Aug. 1) and I STILL freak out about him not being with me. Sometimes I'll walk past the turtle pond on campus just for an excuse to think about him and smile for the next five minutes.
I used to have to pump in a ladies' room on campus, until a friend of mine gave me the key to her office, which she wasn't using. I've seen women pumping in the locker room at the gym. Crazy.
How often did you pump while you were at school? Were you able to produce enough milk?
On my long days, I'd pump at least twice. It was bad at first, because I was leaky, leaky, leaky and engorged a lot of the time. After a while, it tapered to only once a day while on campus (this doesn't include the pumping I did first thing in the morning and right before bedtime).
I ditched the pump by Harry's first birthday, because I was barely able to get an ounce out after 20 minutes of pumping.
And no, I wasn't able to produce enough milk at times. We had to supplement with formula, especially during growth spurts. I took fenugreek a lot, which helped, especially after my periods returned (around 7-8 months PP).
You know about power-pumping, right? Pump for 10-15 minutes, take a break, then come back and pump for another 10-15? My LC told me that this helps increase milk production.
I hadn't heard about power pumping ... that's something I'll try. Unfortunately, I probably can't try that right away. I'm doing two sessions right now during work and I start freaking out about taking too much time. I'm pumping about 15 minutes twice a day (plus one session in the morning at home), but then there's the set up and cleaning time also.
I'm going to do a few things to help in that regard, like I have a band for "hands-free" pumping action (That sounds a little dirty, doesn't it? I love the conversations I have these days). so I can work. I also think I'm going to buy an extra set of shields and things so I can do just one washing session, at the end of the day, instead of washing and drying, etc. each time.
I've only done this two days, so I'm not sure if things will change as I keep going but right now I'm guessing I'm going to be about four-six ounces short, at least for what I'm supposed to provide the daycare. So we've started supplementing with formula so she will be used to it.
Thanks for the suggestions!
Post a Comment