Pumping Week 2

So my cool idea of using the Ceres Chill inner tube to bring my milk home didn’t work but I feel like my routine works

9 AM Session

Pump 3-ish oz total (I know it’s not a lot but that’s what baby is eating so I think it’s all good). I put my bags into a small Itzy Ritzy bag. I put my inner tubes in it too. I then wipe the flanges with my Medela wipes and put them in my wet bag. I put the milk bags into my Cooluli personal fridge at my desk and the inner tubes too.

2:30 PM Session

Take my inner tubes out of the fridge and into the wet bag with the flanges. Pump again. Now I’m getting 4 oz!!!! Repeat the process.

Awkward moment: my male coworker comes into my office area to say, “So you have your own fridge?”

“Yeees….” Is all I could muster. I really didn’t know what to say. He stood there wanting an explanation.

Fortunately I just signed a contract to a work from home job with my employer so it appears that I only have one more week to go!

Pumping day 4 fiasco

So I waited until the last possible minute to do the container hack for my Gen 1 Willow and the magnets I was able to buy at Hobby Lobby were too thick so it didn’t work!

I was out of bags.

My husband brought our daughter to work so I could nurse her and I used my Hakka catcher for the next session

I went home and bought more bags on Amazon because they’re the fastest option. I didn’t remember that Amazon has my FSA card on file and I was able to pay for my bags with that! What a blessing!!!

Pumping Day 2

My Cooluli mini fridge arrived on my day off so I was able to use it on Day 2.

Game changer 1!

Day 1 was so awkward because although I have my wet bags, I didn’t want them touching a communal fridge.

I did fit my Willow flanges in there but there wasn’t a lot of room for all my Willow bags of milk AND the flanges.

Still I was able to store my milk in a more sanitary manner and less sneaking around.

I also did my flip to finish better and spilled WAAAY less milk.

My Medela cleaning wipes also arrived.

Game changer 2!

Since the flanges don’t get too dirty I figured I can just wipe them between pumping sessions. At first it seemed great until I got to the flex tubes. They weren’t easy to wipe. I think it’ll be easier to put them into the mini fridge when my Ceres Chill can arrives.

I did way better at not hurting myself when sealing the pump and breaking the seal.

2 become 5

So two years ago today I had to urgently marry my husband and become a step mom.

I went from being a single mom of a preteen boy to a mom of 3! It was exciting, scary, and full of love.

I got to marry my 6th grade camp crush BUT the goal was our Catholic wedding.

Still, legal family bonds needed to be made. I feel like I’m still adjusting sometimes. We get used to routines and relationships then BOOM! We grow and have to adjust again.

But when I see my husband have his children as a real present force in their lives and in turn they also let me in in ways I didn’t imagine, it’s all worth it.

This day was not what we planned but it’s still a part of our story to the path of having our baby now. She’s the physical embodiment of our love and why I’m even writing this blog and proof of how far we’ve grown as a family.

Happy anniversary to my St Joseph. The man who rescued me from the lake of my lonely tears. My dear husband, I love you!

Pumping at work: Day 1

I’m not ready.

I don’t want to leave my baby so I didn’t really prepare myself.

I looked at Pinterest (obviously) and found that there are new options for women to carry their breast milk home! I was so excited to find the Sarah Wells Cold Gold bags and Pumparoo bags but I didn’t end up buying them because the rabbit hole of options was actually deeper than I thought. And I wanted to carry only one bag to work so I needed stuff to fit my personal situation. I’m a woman in Information Technology. I carry a lot of tools, work with men, and I will be pumping with my Willow electric pumps that were gifted to me by my hot high school English teacher.

So I bought the bagless containers for the Willow, probably too big. I didn’t do the magnet hack for my Gen 1 pumps so I did bring the bags. I found the Ceres Chill bottles but I barely ordered them last night. I also bought a mini fridge for my milk and flanges the day before. I found milk binders…. HOW clever! Why did no one tell me about this stuff?

It’s been a mess. I didn’t get a good seal for my morning session so I barely got 3 oz from both breasts in 20 minutes. I was getting that in 5 minutes before. Ugh!!! My milk was spilling everywhere so I definitely need wipes to disinfect my flanges instead of fridge them. I got an ounce during lunch. I’m not looking forward to the mid afternoon session.

Our Lady of La Leche, PRAY FOR US

  • Work Bag: Happ Brand Paige Carryall
  • Pumps: Willow Gen 1
  • Itzy Ritzy Large wet bag for flanges and large snack bag for storing my milk in the fridge discreetly at work
  • Privacy cover: Milk Snob Bambi print
  • Pre-pump warm up: Lansinoh gel beads
  • St Joseph Combat Strong Rosary: Roman Catholic Gear