Got Milk?

Okay...so...us women...we deal with all sorts of C-R-A-P when it comes to our bodies. Starting anywhere from elementary to high school we have our monthly visits from Aunt Flow which may or may not be accompanied by mild to severe bouts of mood swings AND cramps. We get married and some of us have serious discomfort and issues during our personal time with our husbands. We then get pregnant...and all around less than fun nine (hopefully) months. During which our bodies are no longer ours, our modesty/personal space have long since been forgotten, and we have said goodbye to the bodies we once had. We than prepare for the "Marathon of Labor" which...isn't exactly considered a good time.

All of these things...we have to endure to get this amazing bonus prize at the end...

Exhibit A:TOTALLY worth it.

But why, oh why, does breast feeding (or pumping, in my case) have to hurt too??? I just don't think that's fair. It's the best thing for you AND your baby...and yet...we have to suffer through that as well? Can't we catch a break???

We knew that pumping would be in my future pretty much immediately after Logan was born, so we ordered one off of Amazon. And the next day a nurse asked us if we had one. We told her yes, and that we had ordered the Medela Advanced Breast Pump with On the Go tote. A high end pump...which cost FAR more than I ever expected to pay for a pump. She responded with a "Oh, yes, that one is really good. But...you're going to want something with a little more power."

Weighing in at around 35 lbs, created in 1955 and having industrial strength suction power...I'd like you to meet "Big Bertha".

THIS is what I get to wake up to 3-4 times a night, until my sweet little boy comes home. (You can understand my impatience to get Logan home a little bit more now, can't you?)

They have a newer...sleaker, digital version...which is actually quite nice, but even the NICU only has 2, they aren't really out there for public use yet.
But this one is apparently the caddilac of pumps. And it's real nice too. Not going to lie. All of us NICU mom's fight over who gets to use it next.

Pretty much my life is centered around milk these days. If we go anywhere...I'm usually pumping right before...right after...and typically during. We have to plan our social events around my pumping schedule. It's quite sad really.

On the up side, however, I am very grateful I have the milk supply I do. Logan does so much better because of it. He's packin' on the ounces these days! He's up to 4lbs. 9oz. A whole pound up from his lowest weight! The lactation consultant the other day praised me for the ample supply of creamy goodness that I've been able to produce. Kind of a weird thing to get complimented on, but strangely, it is a big morale booster to a breastfeeding mom to know that her efforts aren't in vain.

We're acquiring quite the stock pile in our freezer too. So hopefully I'll be able to keep up with demand once Logan finally comes home to us. And maybe his dad can take a turn or two waking up to feed him. ;)