Michael and I have been on one solo date since we had June and it was short enough that I was able to pump (or feed- can't remember which) as soon as I got home. My mom has offered to baby sit when she comes back in town and it has my head filling with romantic ideas for a night out on the town, possibly for our three year anniversary coming up. O yes, folks! Who knows what could happen! Holding hands, walking under a dark sky and bright city lights. Quiet conversation over a candlelit dinner. Stolen smooches behind an unfolded menu. Dancing, lots of dancing. And sitting in the bathroom pumping breastmilk for 20 minutes while Michael checks Facebook from his Blackberry alone at the dinner table.
….Wait?
Electric (and manual?) breast pumps make a funny sound while operating. Sometimes I try to read messages into the sound. “Ruh-Roh, Ruh-Roh” is obviously some kind of message from Scooby Doo, and “I-Pod, I-Pod” is interesting. I don’t know what to think when my pump starts saying “Don Trump, Don Trump” to me, which usually only happens near the end of my work day.
What do people do when they are away from their babies for a feeding but it’s not possible to pump? Surely I’m not the only person who has ever asked this question. But my search of the almighty Google for “pumping while away from baby” and other variations only showed results about how often to pump (every 3 hours) and how to store expressed milk.
The reason why this is so important is because breastfeeding is very much a supply and demand thing. You will create as much milk as is being taken out. In the case mentioned above, the solution might just be to skip a feeding/pumping session. Maybe pump as soon as you get home from the date (now there’s a hot way to end a date!) to relieve any discomfort and then resume feeding as normal. Missing one feeding isn’t bad, but what about two? I can imagine that getting pretty uncomfortable.
This issue is really a lead-up to a bigger question I have (for a different post), but I would love any suggestions or advice in the meantime!
I've hand expressed into a toilet for five minutes in the bathroom :)
ReplyDeleteReally, missing a few feedings isn't going to hurt your supply at all - and all you really need to do is express enough milk to take the edge off so your boobs don't start acting like firemen putting out a fire.
agreed. skip the feeding(s). even if you just fed her, pump right before you go, and then again when you get home (maybe not IMMEDIATELY after you get home.....eh? eh? eh?)
ReplyDeletethat was awkward.
anyway, your supply is up so much and you are so great at your feeding schedule that your body will know what to do. you (and June) will be happy as clams.
Ditto!
ReplyDeleteYup. Nursed before we left, had the date, then pumped after the night had "officially" ended. Read into that all you want. I definitely became engorged but it wasn't horrible. When I finally did pump, it made a nice little stash in the freezer - for our next date night!
ReplyDelete