We've Had a Good Run, Medela

I just realized that I never named my breast pump. I should have done that. Maybe I would have felt a little more affection for the big lug if I had. Have you ever seen a Medela Symphony case? - that's what I have to bring to work with me. It's farking huge.

So I've decided to stop pumping. I finally reached that tipping point today where I only pumped 4 oz at work, which is far, far short of what Miles needs at daycare. He's gone through a 9 month growth spurt and now he takes 6-8 oz at that late morning feeding. And I have no stash or ability to pump any extra in case I have to work late, he needs a second bottle, etc. Even if I wanted to try a bunch of galactagogues to boost my supply, that's a long term solution and I have an immediate problem.

I went out and bought formula today. I feel fine about it. Except that I will admit I was a bit shocked to find that corn syrup solids is the first ingredient in formula. That does not make me happy at all. In fact I went to two stores to find a formula whose first ingredient is brown rice syrup instead, and I know I'm probably falling prey to a marketing trick there (brown rice is Wholesome!), but still. Corn syrup? So formula is mainly sugar water? How disappointing. Oh well.

I will still nurse Miles as much as he wants to any time I'm with him, but I am done pumping. I always hated it, I can't keep my supply up anymore, and - this is a little embarrassing - we've been renting the damn thing all this time. At the outset I was on maternity leave and we wanted to save every bit of our savings for living expenses rather than shelling out $300 on a pump... in the short term it was easier on our finances to rent monthly. I didn't know how long I'd make it pumping at work. At this point we could have bought two pumps, but meh. It is what it is. Now that monthly expense will be gone, and the cost of part-time formula should definitely be less than that.

I am relieved now that I've decided to stop pumping. Lord I hated it. I honestly can't imagine how exclusive-pumpers do it...

Fittingly, on my last pumping day I had an embarrassing first time ever pumping snafu. I finished a small job today and packed up all my stuff, said goodbye to the client, drove away... and as I was about to leave the neighborhood I realize I had left two bottles of breastmilk on her bathroom counter, with the flanges still attached! Even worse, it was the kids' bathroom and her son was home sick from school. I can only imagine my poor client having to explain what the heck those things were... Eek! I turned around and she was on the phone when I returned so I just grabbed my booby milk and fled. Ha!