Milking Mom on the Go

Today was a first for me. Jacob had a head specialist appointment today at 1pm downtown. We were supposed to show up at 12:30 so I left work at 11:30 to pick up Jacob and Andrew. As you know, from my last post, I have been having a hard time producing enough milk so it is very important that I pump on schedule as much as possible. I usually pump during the work day at 9, 12, and 3. Picking up Jacob and Andrew at 11:45 and traveling downtown was cutting into my pumping time so what does any working mom do you ask?!?! She pumps in the car on the way downtown of course. YES people, I had to pump in the car as people flew by and we flew downtown to the appointment. Never ever in my life did I think I would be milking myself in a car. Andrew looked over a few times and never said a word because, honestly, I don't think he knew what to say. After all was said and done....3 oz! I really don't think I'll be doing a pumping on the run session again for all of 3 oz.

Jacob's appointment today went very well. He has a mild tightness of his right neck muscle that we are going to get some physical therapy for. He also has a slight case of asymmetry of his head but the doctor thinks with a little more time on his tummy and upright in a bumbo seat he should be back to normal in about 3 months. We will go back in 3 months to visit the doctor and physical therapist for them to evaluate his progress. I felt great after the appointment and much better about Jacob's head.

By the way...for those of you betting on his weight, today he weighed 17lbs. 6 oz.

Milk Wars

Andrew helped me come up with the title of this blog posting last night. I have been at battle with my boobs and daycare for a while now. Since the first week of daycare, the teachers in Jacob's class have pretty much made me feel like a terrible mother and like I am starving my child. It seems like everyday I go in to pick him up they are telling me he either needs more milk, a different size nipple on the bottles, or he is crying after every feeding. In the last 3 weeks his bottles have gone from 4 oz, to 5oz, and now to 6 oz. Now, you have all seen pictures of this chubby child and know that he cannot be starving by any means! I swear every time I give Jacob a bath he has a new roll on his thighs that I have to clean. :) I really do not want to give Jacob formula because I set a goal to breastfeed/pump for 1 year.

Well, Friday was the last straw. I went into daycare on Friday afternoon and the Director pretty much gave me a tounge lashing for not leaving enough milk for Jacob. I got home and was really upset thinking that I was this terrible mother and I knew that I could not pump 24 oz. worth of milk to leave for him everyday. I quickly got on the phone with the lactation consultant at the hospital and she said pump for 10 minutes after Jacob eats over the weekend to try and produce more milk. I thought great.....now I am really going to feel like a cow. Andrew happily reminded me that cows only get milked two times a day and I would now be getting milked at least 8. (Thank you Andrew) Well, I survived the weekend and got enough milk to send 4-6oz. bottles with Jacob on Monday morning. Unfortunately, I have not started producing more milk. I actually think I am producing less.

My sister Carrie sent me an article today that made me feel much better about the situation. You just do what you can and don't stress. The important thing is that you enjoy the time you have with your baby- and it doesn't have to be through breastfeeding.

And because no blog posting is complete without pictures.......

JMT Picnic

Last weekend we went to the annual JMT picnic. The last few years we have gone there has never been a theme but this year it was a Hawaiian one. On Friday I went out to the consignment shops and looked for a bargain on a little Hawaiian shirt for Jacob. I found a great little outfit and it was a hit at the picnic. Isn't he soooo cute!



Jacob has had a pretty good week at daycare this week. He got his first daycare cold on Sunday and has had it the whole week but he seems to be recovering. I think Andrew and I had the cold worse than Jacob did.

New Sounds

I have really enjoyed Jacob finding his voice and love when he "talks" to us. Over the weekend, Andrew and I noticed he is making more and more new sounds. I think he is picking up on some new "words" at daycare from his friends. He seems to really be adjusting well to daycare and today I found him reading a book when I went to pick him up :). I wish I would have had a camera on me to capture the moment. He is very close to rolling over and I hope to capture it on video soon.

Daddy and his Baby Boy

Lately I have noticed how much Jacob loves his daddy. Of course, I always knew he loved Andrew but it is so neat to see his face light up when he sees him and how he "talks" to Andrew when Andrew talks to him. I was very sad on Monday morning when I had to walk out the door and head back to work but Andrew gave me a wonderful picture to keep in my head all day. Monday morning Andrew put Jacob in his blue seat on the bay window and was singing Old McDonald to him as I left. At work all day I was picturing Jacob looking at Andrew smiling while he sang him a song. The two of them have really become great buddies over the last 3 months.

Hunting season is not far off and I think Andrew is a little sad that Jacob still has a lot of growing to do before he is ready to go out in the woods with his daddy. I know Andrew has very fond memories of going out in the woods with his dad when he was little and even now that he is grown. Even though Andrew can't take Jacob out hunting this year doesn't mean they still can't dress alike for the season. Last year at Christmas Andrew and I went up to Cabela's. While we were there and Jacob was busy growing in my belly we decided to purchase a little camo onesie for him to wear during the hunting season. We didn't plan on Jacob being so huge so now he is wearing the onesie a little earlier than expected but he looks darn cute in the outfit! Isn't the butt flap hilarious? I think we will need to purchase him a new little camo outfit to wear around Thanksgiving when all the guys head off to deer camp to the start of hunting season.

Day Two

When I went to pick Jacob up yesterday they told me he was one of the best babies they have ever had (I'm sure they tell every mother that). He ate all his bottles, took 4 naps, went in their swings (he hates our swing), had tummy time, back time, and didn't seem to care that I was gone at all. After coming home last night he took a little cat nap after eating and then fell asleep at 8:30 last night and didn't wake up until 7:30 this morning. I think daycare wore him out.

This morning we woke up and headed over to daycare after packing his lunch box with milk. I put him down in the middle of the room and he started to smile and coo at the little girl that was screaming yesterday. He didn't seem to care that he was back and the teachers just loved all over him. I left today feeling much better and am glad that we made the decision to send him where we did.

Jacob with his lunch box full of milk and ready to head off to daycare.

Daycare- who needs it.....oh yea, we do.

Today was D day at the Birm household. I never thought this day would come when I would have to take Jacob to daycare and head back to work but it is here. Last night I was pretty beside myself knowing I would have to take him to daycare this morning and I didn't really want to close my eyes and go to bed because I was hoping if I didn't sleep today wouldn't come but of course I knew that wouldn't happen. So I went to sleep, woke up this morning, fed Jacob, and then we headed to daycare around 8:15. I got all his stuff out, set up his cubby and crib, and then kissed him good-bye. He looked a little terrified because when I left there was a little girl in an exisaucer screaming in delight at the toys she was playing with but I knew he was in good hands. I quickly headed to the door before I completely broke down and decided I would take him home instead of leaving him there. I cried for a few minutes in the parking lot and then decided that I would go to Starbucks, get a coffee, and read my book because I didn't want to go home and see his blue seat on the bay window empty. After I was done at Starbucks I still didn't want to go home so I did some retail therapy at the mall. I spent about 2 hours walking, shopping, and missing my baby. After spending a little too much money I headed home to the empty house. Of course the minute I walked in and saw his empty seat I lost it again but then I called my mom and she made me feel better. I am really hoping as the days go by it will get a little easier to be away from him. I head back to work full time next week and I think they will be keeping me pretty busy so I won't have much time to miss my little man but I think I will still count down the hours in the day until I can see him again.

I am very thankful to my work for allowing me to be able to spend so much time with Jacob before he had to start daycare. I know some mothers have to go back 6 or 8 weeks after having their little ones and I was granted extra time which was so nice.