So I haven't been able to post regularly lately because my maternity/summer break has ended and am now back to work. I was lucky enough to spend 4.5 wonderful months exclusively nursing Diggs and now I join the ranks of many other dedicated moms in the "pumping world".
The weeks before school started (I am a pre-school special ed teacher), I surfed the web, wrote on message boards, about the best way to figure out my pumping and nursing schedule. I stumbled upon a fabulous message board on iVillage that linked me right to a fellow teacher that was in my same situation. She helped me tremendously with how to make it work in our profession (as we teachers have early hours and really no time for break until lunch time).
So what's been working for me is pumping while driving to work at 7:30AM(yes, I know it sounds crazy, but I have to do it!) - Diggs is usually still sleeping when I leave and I'm about ready to burst, then I pump again at 12:30 during my lunch break during which I eat my yogurt and call home to see the boys are doing. I rush home as soon as the bell rings (unless I have a meeting) and am reconnecting with Diggs by 3:45PM! He only gets 2 bottles during the day in our time apart and the rest of the evening is spent nursing the old fashioned way.
What I am still trying to get used to is managing my time after work. By the time I get home and finish feeding Diggs, I feel like I have tons of chores left to do. I now have bottles and pump parts to wash and sterilize which I never had to worry about before. Then the bottles for the next day must be prepared. Mig's clothes for school need to be laid out for my parents (who watch the kids for us), etc. Throw in cooking dinner, paperwork for school, and of course the precious TIME I want to make up for with the kids, by 10PM I can barely keep my eyes open!
I don't remember feeling this exhausted and overwhelmed when I went back to work the first time around with Mig. Hopefully soon life will find a balance and I learn to juggle it all again!
this is my portable pumping station in the car
Here's the little room I use at work.
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