I pumped for 16+ months — I didn’t think I’d make it past 1 week
(This is the first of what will become quite a few posts on our unusual breastfeeding journey. So feel free to skip if it’s not your thing.)
My nursing journey started in tears and ended in triumph.
When I was pregnant, I knew nothing about breastfeeding or pumping – all I knew is I was going to make it work no matter how hard it was.
But, boy was it tough. Eloise was rushed to NICU the moment she was born and, by the time I got to try nursing her for the first time, she was 2 days old.
For months, Eloise would just cry at my breast, no matter how often I tried nursing or what I did. So I pumped.
Those first few months I cried and cried and cried. I hated pumping. I hated my life – it felt like those stupid breastpumps were separating me from my kid. On top of it all, my supply was awful, none of the breastmilk supplements worked, my baby was screaming all day long from reflux, my nipples were in extreme pain, I was spending around 6 hours a day pumping, and the only advice professionals in Estonia seemed to offer me to help was “Relax.”
I could have screamed.
Eventually we found a unique nipple shield that worked, so we did a few months of nursing. But, ultimately, I made the decision to return to exclusive pumping. And, clearly, we made it work a long time.
So, after 16.5 months of learning so much about milk production and feeding my kid, my pumping journey has ended. Yet, amazingly, Eloise, will likely get my breastmilk until she’s 3 years old.
I am ridiculously grateful.
I lasted so long not because I had a great supply or that my body was made for pumping – the opposite is actually true. The reason I made it 16+ months is because I had a community of resources and coaches who taught me how to make it work this long.
It truly took a village to give my kid breastmilk.
So I wanted to pay it forward.
Some of the advice, had I known sooner, would have saved me a lot of pain and tears back then. Which is why I wanted to write out the wisdom they gave me – in hopes it might help another struggling mom out there now or in the future.
All the posts from our breastfeeding series so far (more to come!)
- Part 1: I pumped for 16+ months — I didn’t think I’d make it past 1 week
- Part 2: Before you commit, you’ll wanna know WHY you’re pumping
- Part 3: What I wish I knew about exclusive pumping from the start
- Part 4: Why pumping didn’t work for me at first — until I learned a secret
Sending all my strength to you moms right now,
Mallory — mom of Eloise
Eloise The Tiny Fighter 