Pumping — The Good, The Bad, and The Rewards

Real Mom Story, by Mary Atkins

Pumping — The good, the bad and the rewards

I started my pumping journey 18 months ago and  I have been Exclusively Breastfeeding, EBF, and pumping since. I’m sure many of you can relate that, the pumping journey is not so simple. Luckily for me,  the breastfeeding part came easily to me. Not so much the pumping part though. I have suffered from multiple spouts of mastitis, which in itself is a horrible experience. But I never called it quits even with bleeding nipples, painful pumping and wanting to just throw in the towel.

Thanks to my Spectra S2 and S9, I  have a deep freezer full of over 200 oz of breastmilk. I learned that once baby turned one, about 170 oz would expire, frozen breast milk only stays fresh in a deep freezer for a year. I was crushed. I felt defeated. All of those sleepless nights of hard work and dedication I felt were a waste. My husband held me tight and reminded me of what an amazing mom I am being able to provide breastmilk for our child and that no matter what my efforts have never gone unnoticed. This gave me the confidence to continue to build my “stockpile” of breast milk.

Women are such amazing human beings. Our bodies provide life, sustenance, and comfort. I am a proud part of the Spectra Baby USA family. The resources they have are incredible! There’s nothing fun about sitting there feeling like a cow getting milked, but my Spectra pumps are amazing and make the job easier..  Not all pumping sessions have been successful. In fact, there have been many times where I can only pump a couple of ounces. But those massive cluster pumping sessions where I produce enough to almost overflow the bottle have helped get me through the tough times and I thank my Spectra pumps for that!

Everyone struggles with their breastfeeding and pumping journey differently, but one thing I know is to use the resources that are available with the Spectra family. Life isn’t easy, and adding a child can always heighten that stress, but look into those sweet eyes of your child and remind yourself that life is good no matter what. YOU’RE good. You’re a superwoman who is privileged enough to provide the best source of nutrition for your child. The journey may not always be the easiest, but you can do this Momma! We are all proud of you, so be proud of yourself and never give up.