A Day In The Life Of A Nursing Mama

Oh my baby birdie. You always know when she was hungry.

After reading a post written by a friend about breastfeeding and it really got me thinking about the daily commitment breastfeeding your child is. So I decided to write a post all about my day as a nursing mama.

5:00 I wake up and depending on if baby love is awake I either nurse her for 20-30m min. or I pump. If she is awake first have change and dress the monkey and then we can spend 10-30 minutes trying to get my wriggle worm to take her bottle. If I am pumping  I have to first get the pump parts ready, make sure I have 2 clean pumping bottles, and find an available outlet to plug in my pump. I can pump from 10-20 minutes depending on how long I slept. When I am done I have to get the bottle ready for the girl, clean or store the pump parts and make sure they make it to school for later. Drinking coffee.

 5:30-6:00 I shower and get ready if the monkey is still sleeping. Getting ready means showering, doing my hair and makeup and then finding a nursing/pumping appropriate outfit for the day. The easier the access the better. Drinking coffee.

6:00 if baby love is still sleeping then I will wake her up and give her a freshly pumped bottle. This again can take anywhere from 10-30 minutes depending on how playful she is feeling that morning. After her bottle we will play and cuddle for a bit before I have to finish getting ready for the day. Drinking coffee.

6:30-7:00 If I haven't done it the night before I have to make sure I have everything I need for the day. School stuff, lunch, daycare bag, and pumping stuff (pump, clean pump parts, frozen milk,  4 bottles, hands free bra, burp cloths, ice pack for pumped milk). I also have to make sure I take my 2 fenugreek pills which help produce more.  Drinking coffee.

7:20 drop the little lady at daycare and rush off to school. Drinking coffee.

7:45-9:00 school stuff, carpet time, potty breaks, making sure friends aren't showing each other the toilet paper they wiped with, reading books, playing with puppets, making sure hands are cleaned after nose treasures are excavated, having a conversation about why booger is not a potty word, you know the typical everyday stuff. Drinking water.

9:00 the kids are off to their 30 min. special (art, music, p.e., library computer) and i am placing my cover over my classroom window, closing the blinds and getting everything set up for pumping. I have to once again get out my pump, find a plug, put the pump parts back together, get the bottles, get everything situated with the hands free top so I can get some work done as I pump, pump for 10-20 min. put everything away, clean the pump parts or store them with an ice pack and get any work done before my class returns. Drinking water.

9:30-11:45 snack time, playground time, carpet time, center time. Drinking water. I try to start eating my lunch around 11:30 so i don't have to worry about it later.

12:00 lunch, put out 16 cots, potty break. Drinking water.

12:30-2:15 nap time for the kiddos and I am trying to get classroom work done before I pump.

between 12:30-1:00 I either go to my pumping closet or the assistant principals office to pump for the 2nd time at school. This means I have to once again get out my pump, find a plug, put the pump parts back together, get the bottles, get everything situated with the hands free top so I can get some work done as I pump, pump for 10-20 min. put everything away, clean the pump parts or store them with an ice pack and get some more done before I am finished. Drinking water.

2:15 children wake up and go home by 3:00.

3:20 I leave school pick up my girl and we head home for some cuddling and playtime.

Between 4:00-4:30 I either nurse or pump again and then feed my girl whenever she gets hungry. This usually depends on when she ate last at school so everyday is different.

5:00-8:00 She naps, we play, I change diapers, we take a bath, I change more diapers, we eat dinner.

7:00-8:30 I either nurse or pump again. This means I have to once again get out my pump, find a plug, put the pump parts back together, get the bottles, get everything situated with the hands free top so I can get some work done as I pump, pump for 10-20 min. put everything away, clean the pump parts or store them with an ice pack and get some more done before I am finished. If I pump then I will give Kinley a bottle. We play and cuddle some more in between eating, changing. Drinking water. Make sure to take 2 more Fenugreek pills.

9:30-10:00 I pump again or nurse this means I have to once again get out my pump, find a plug, put the pump parts back together, get the bottles, get everything situated with the hands free top so I can get some work done as I pump, pump for 10-20 min. put everything away, clean the pump parts or store them with an ice pack and get some more done before I am finished. If I pump then I will give Kinley a bottle and then it is time for bed. Kinley gets a paci and I jump in bed and pretty much pass out.

Then we get up teh next day and do it all again.
I have reached my first goal of exclusive breast milk for 4 months and our next goal is 6 months. If I can keep my supply up then we will try for 8 months and then if we can make it 8 months then by golly I think we can shoot for a year. Wish us luck.