Lindsey, it all depends on the baby!
DS1 was (still is) very high needs. I honestly think it would have been abusive to leave him with a caregiver at 6 weeks - and it probably would have wreaked havoc with our nursing relationship (and the rest of our relationship for that matter). Fortunately, although I have always WOH, it is part time and my DH works part time also and his mom is in the area and willing to help out as well. I went to work, DS1 came along with either DH or MIL as caregiver, and was brought to me to nurse on demand (and boy, was it demand!)
DS2 was (still is) much more "normal". I think he would have been fine left with a caregiver and pumped milk, but we had our lives all set up for the level of demand DS1 provided and simply continued as we had begun.
I have never pumped and don't particularly want to start with this baby unless there's some compelling reason to. The way I look at it, I am the ONLY person who can be my children's mother. There are other people who can do almost everything else that I do. I do have a financial need to work for pay, so we make that work the best way we can for our family. But jury duty definitely falls into the "someone else can do it while I'm in the intensive phase of nursing an infant" category as far as I'm concerned.
I guess I just don't experience it as being tied to my baby. I don't feel right very far away from a very young baby, even if I know s/he is being cared by for someone I totally trust. I have never had the desire to get "away" from a baby - although I certainly can use a brief break for a shower alone or something once in a while. OTOH, I feel totally fine being away from my big boys (now 5 and 3). I know for sure they are having much more fun with an attentive caregiver than with me trying to work and keep them happy at the same time!
However, I always remember that just because I haven't had that desire, it doesn't mean no one else has. I know some mamas really need time apart from their babes at some point in infancy, and I respect that need.
This is just what works for me, though. I'm fine with others making other choices that are right for them.
DS1 was (still is) very high needs. I honestly think it would have been abusive to leave him with a caregiver at 6 weeks - and it probably would have wreaked havoc with our nursing relationship (and the rest of our relationship for that matter). Fortunately, although I have always WOH, it is part time and my DH works part time also and his mom is in the area and willing to help out as well. I went to work, DS1 came along with either DH or MIL as caregiver, and was brought to me to nurse on demand (and boy, was it demand!)
DS2 was (still is) much more "normal". I think he would have been fine left with a caregiver and pumped milk, but we had our lives all set up for the level of demand DS1 provided and simply continued as we had begun.
I have never pumped and don't particularly want to start with this baby unless there's some compelling reason to. The way I look at it, I am the ONLY person who can be my children's mother. There are other people who can do almost everything else that I do. I do have a financial need to work for pay, so we make that work the best way we can for our family. But jury duty definitely falls into the "someone else can do it while I'm in the intensive phase of nursing an infant" category as far as I'm concerned.
I guess I just don't experience it as being tied to my baby. I don't feel right very far away from a very young baby, even if I know s/he is being cared by for someone I totally trust. I have never had the desire to get "away" from a baby - although I certainly can use a brief break for a shower alone or something once in a while. OTOH, I feel totally fine being away from my big boys (now 5 and 3). I know for sure they are having much more fun with an attentive caregiver than with me trying to work and keep them happy at the same time!
However, I always remember that just because I haven't had that desire, it doesn't mean no one else has. I know some mamas really need time apart from their babes at some point in infancy, and I respect that need.
This is just what works for me, though. I'm fine with others making other choices that are right for them.
: nice judges!
