six SIMPLE tips for pumping at work

Warning: this post is girly in nature. Men, you may not want to read it.

And if you read it and are weirded out, you can't say I didn't warn you.

My breastfeeding journey started out rough. We struggled through the first few weeks, sorta kinda got the hang of it by week six, and seemed to get in a good grove after that growth spurt.

Just in time for me to go back to work...

dun dun duuuuuuuuun

I was absolutely terrified to go back. There were so many uncertainties and so much pressure. Would I be able to pump enough? Would Reuben still want to nurse after getting a couple of bottles a day? Would my supply totally go down the drain?

It was scary!

But it has a happy ending :)

Everything's worked out better than I ever could've imagined. There was no nipple confusion, no irreversible supply drops, and he always had plenty to drink.

I know it doesn't always go so well for others and I know I'm not an expert at it by any means, but I figured since it's gone so well and I've learned so much, I'd share a few quick tips I learned along the way.

1. Be aware of the recommended number of ounces to leave with your baby.

I've heard of moms saying their babies need 6-7 oz a feeding and they're just not making that much so they have to supplement with formula. If I learned anything, it's that young babies will take just about anything you give them in a bottle, especially if the bottle has a fast flow. With breastfeeding, babies have to suck to get milk and they take a break when they swallow. In bottles, when a baby swallows, more milk is sucked in and it creates a cycle that ends with them taking everything in the bottle because they don't know how to stop it. Breastfed babies only need 1-1.5 ounces for every hour they're away from you. Kellymom.com has a great calculator to help you figure out their needs.

2. Have a set time of the day to pump.

Breastmilk production thrives on schedules. You'll be a lot more successful if there are set times in the day you pump so your body knows it needs x amount of ounces by x time. On days my pumping schedule got off, I noticed a difference in how much I would pump.

3. Build up a stash before going back.

I'm not talking like 300 ounces or anything. Maybe just a "week's worth" of milk as a cushion. I liked not having the pressure of pumping 8 ounces every single day. If I only pumped 6 or 7, I could grab a bag from the freezer and send that instead. It takes a lot of the stress out of the equation.

4. Hit the "let down" button multiple times.

I have a pretty quick and strong let down, so I don't wait for the standard 2 minutes it takes to automatically switch to the longer setting.  As soon as I feel the let down, I press the button and as soon as I can see the milk has stopped coming out, I press it again. and again. and again. and will try and get as many let downs as possible. That way you can be much more efficient with your time since we all know breaks don't last forever!

5. Have a second (or third) set of accessories.

I, personally, think you can never have too many sets of pumping gear. I only have two, but I wish I had more like three or four! I hate washing the stuff SO much and dread it. Also, if you're pumping multiple times at work in a day, remember that breastmilk can stay out at room temp for 6 hours. So if you're pumping closer together than that, don't worry about washing them in between! If you're a nurse or have another sort of 12 hour shift job, put them in a grocery bag and stick them in the fridge in between so you don't have to wash them! Can you tell I hate washing them? haha

6. Remember... there is an end to it.

Pumping every three hours at work is SUCH a drag. Telling people why you're going into a room with the door locked will never not be awkward. Finding a place to store the milk without people seeing it and being totally weirded out is always a challenge. But it ends! It's not forever! And when you get to the end, you'll be able to look back at your accomplishment and know you did every single thing possible you could to give your baby the very best.

Have any other questions? Want to know anything else? 

Let me know!

the body of Christ

It's been two years since our miscarriage today.

It's such a strange feeling. Part of me feels like it was a lifetime ago. But there's another part of me that can still feel the pain and loss like it happened yesterday.

I try to not let that part win.

I'm so incredibly thankful for Reuben and his life. I know that he wouldn't be here if we hadn't lost that baby, but I can't help but wonder who that baby would've grown up to be.

Would it be another rambunctious, mischievous, little boy? Or would I be having tea parties with my little tutu-wearing girl?

I saw my facebook post from that day on TimeHop...

I still feel this way two years later.

God had us positioned perfectly for Him to show his love for us through his Body. We had meals brought to us by our small group, prayers for and with us, and plenty of people to just BE with us. Nobody tried to fix anything or offer any encouraging words. They were just in it with us. And that's exactly what we needed.

I've said it before, but God used that baby's short life to change ours entirely. We came to fully understand the purpose of the Body of Christ. That we're to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Yes, we felt peace from knowing the baby was in heaven and that God had a plan, but that peace was amplified through our friends and family's love and support.

Since our loss, I've had several of my friends go through hard times where they need someone to be in it with them. They don't need to be told they'll get over it one day. They don't need to be told life goes on. They don't need to be told it could be worse. They need me to roll up my sleeves and get in there with them. To cry with them. To listen to them. To tell them, "You know what? This sucks. I'm so, so sorry."

Food never hurts, too. ;-)

But seriously. People need you WITH them. That's part of our job as a member of the Body. To let struggling people know God is WITH them. He hasn't left them to fend on their own. He's there for them even more than we ever could be. Sometimes it just takes a little reminding.

I wouldn't know that the way I do if it wasn't for that sweet, sweet little baby. I praise and thank God for it's life and legacy.

sick and changes.

Reuben was crazy sick last week with roseola.

It was super pitiful.

And a major time-suck.

I've missed blogging.

This week is Clint's last week home with us full time.

He officially moves to Knoxville Monday.

I may be minorly freaking out and not able to blog much for a little while.

Wish us luck and pray for us!

five on friday

[ONE]
teeth

Weeks like this week make me wish teeth didn't exist. Reuben's got his top molars popping through and his bottom molars AND top eye teeth are next. All four gum spots are super swollen and red. It's awful. And why does it just have to be so bad at night? Why can't he be a complete grump during the day and then sleep like an angel at night? Instead he's happy as can be during the day and an angry monster at bedtime. Bedsharing was attempted last night out of desperation, but he was kicked out by 10:30. Nobody was happy and at least we were both semi-ok separate. He does look so dang cute asleep though!

[TWO]
silhouette

My husband surprised me this week by buying me a silhouette portrait! I've had my eye on one of these for over a year, but could never justify buying one. It's on sale (HALF OFF, Y'ALL!!!) and now that we're moving and I won't be working full time, I'll have a ton more time to mess around with it. The possibilities are endless. My creative juices are already flowing!

[THREE]
consignment sales

I went to my second consignment sale ever and totally scored this week! I got a Combi Cosmo stroller and two pairs of shoes for Reuben for only $27!!! We desperately needed all three items. The only stroller we have is the one that came with our travel system. We love it and it's been great on all day trips, but it's like driving a boat. It's huge. So this is perfect for trips to the zoo or the mall--places where we don't need a day's worth of stuff with us. Plus, the shoes are perfect for little man who's been zooming all over the place now. He loves them!

[FOUR]
profiles

I was messing around during lunch the other day and made this from a photo I took of Reuben. It's far from perfect, but I absolutely love it. The little baby mullet and double chin... be still my heart!

[FIVE]
dada's home!

Clint's been gone since last Friday and BOY have we missed him! "Dada" has been coming out of Reuben's mouth more than ever. The boy loves his dada. It was so sweet to see him reunited this morning when they got back to the church. Mama is happy to have him back too! It made me a little nervous about us being separated while he works in Knoxville, but I'm trusting God's got it under control and our house will sell exactly as soon as it needs to!


HAPPY FRIDAY, Y'ALL!


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night off

Last night was one of the most glorious nights of my life.

Clint was out of town

and Reuben was at my parent's house.

What's that? I think I hear angels singing...

But seriously, y'all. I love me some people and some good social time, but I'm an introvert through and through. To have 6 hours totally and completely to myself was one of the best things my mom and dad could've done for me.

I knocked out a week's worth of laundry and purged my closet in prep to move. I decided to toss/donate/sell close to 100 things. I don't know whether to be proud of that or sign myself up for some sort of hoarding intervention.

Confession: I found a pair of Levi's I got in 8th grade. They're hiddeous- two snaps instead of buttons, flares big enough they touch in the middle, covered in paint, and cut up the side since they're 3 inches too long. But they fit. So I kept them because I'm proud I can still wear them.

After I finished the purging and laundry was going, I sat myself down to eat a little bit of heaven. If you haven't had Talenti gelato, go getcha some. FOR REAL. You're welcome.

I got to watch whatever I wanted for as long as I wanted *cough*hours and hours of Law and Order:SVU*cough* and go to sleep whenver I felt like it. I even actually had to set an alarm for the first time in 13 months.

It. Was. Glorious.

But now I miss my boys. I'm more than ready to see them!

I'll leave you with this official toddler. He's walking everywhere now! It's like getting some new, fly kicks inspired him.

Happy Wednesday!

playtime

Playtime has been getting so much more entertaining around our house!

Reuben's walking and getting in to everything... adorable and obnoxious at the same time. He's also started playing with us instead of just around us.

He's got the sweetest little personality and I was so happy to catch some moments over the weekend!

Here's his spread. The kid has too many toys. This isn't even all of them because we have some put away that we rotate out. That's what happens when your first Christmas and birthday are less than two months apart.

Poor kid has his molars breaking through. I know for a fact the amber necklace works and has cut down tremendously on his extra slobber, so I don't even want to know what he would look like without it...

This is the face I get when I tell him "no" to something. I call it the "who, me?" face. It's generally followed by a smirk and another attempt at whatever got the first no. Stubborn kiddo.

And out of about 50 blurry, slobbery, silly shots, I found this gem and they were all worth it.

Happy Monday, y'all!

five on friday

First off, if you didn't read yesterday's post, go ahead and check that out. It's a pretty big deal! We're so thankful for all the support and prayers during this transitional time.

Now, let's get down to business.

[ONE]
baby babbles

Reuben's getting to the age where he's babbling all.of.the.time. Most of it is intelligible, but I'm also starting to understand pieces here and there. This week, he's started saying outside... but in baby language, it's "ow dah!". The kid is obsessed with the chickens at my parents farm and ALWAYS wants "ow dah".

[TWO]
Muppets Most Wanted

The Muppets Movie from 2011 is one of our family's favorite movies. It's incredibly clever with some really catchy music. Knowing that we'll be 3 hours apart in a month, Clint and I are trying to squeeze in as much quality time together as possible so we decided to go on a last minute date after Reuben's bedtime tonight and Muppets Most Wanted seemed like the perfect idea.

I have to be honest, I was a wee bit disappointed. It was funny...ish. I didn't love the storyline and the songs weren't nearly as catchy. It was cute and I don't regret seeing it, but it definitely lived up to the general rule of sequels not being as good as the original.

[THREE]
bathtub woes

Our house was a foreclosure and it's come with plenty of issues, one of which is our bathtub. There have been these stains that I absolutely cannot get out. I found a concoction of vinegar, borax, and dawn dish soap on pinterest that I was convinced would work. So much so, that I even took before pictures to put on here before the after photos I'd get. Here's one:

Here's after:

Ok, so that's the same picture, but seriously. NOTHING CHANGED. UGH. So now we're thinking we're going to have to just get the bathtub refinished. I've tried everything I can think of and none of it is working. That being said, has anybody ever gotten a new bathtub liner? Looking for some hope, here.

[FOUR]
teething tongue

Reuben's got some molars breaking through his gums and he's decided sticking his tongue out makes him feel better. It's out 99.9% of the day and it's so dang adorable.

Oh, please excuse the massive pile of clothes in the background. Our friends gave us three boys worth of handmedowns so I was in the process of organizing them. Our house isn't always that messy ;-)

[FIVE]
the first of the lasts

Wednesday was Clint's last regular Wednesday night in the student ministry and the night they told all the students we were leaving. It was definitely bittersweet and there were plenty of tears from the both of us. It's really surreal that we're actually leaving and that was the first thing that made it sort of start sinking in. I'm just so proud of Clint and how God's used him in the student ministry. I'm excited to see what's next, but it'll be hard to leave this behind.

Happy weekend, y'all! Hope you have some fun plans!