I'm not a frequent poster, but I love reading about everyone's breastfeeding milestones, and I wanted to announce that my DD Bridget turned two yesterday, so as of today, I've been EPing for Two years!! I’m in a bit of a state of disbelief that I’ve made it this far, when I was so sure I wouldn’t even make it to 6 weeks, let alone my first goal of 6 months, and now this.
I could never quite bring myself to Hang Up The Horns when Bridget still needed her Mama Milk so much. Bridget has a variety of special needs. She suffered a stroke before birth that affected her ability to suck and swallow, combined with a severe oral aversion (after massive suctioning at birth, ventilation for a week and sensory issues) and dairy and soy allergies(when she was tiny, I couldn’t eat any dairy or soy without affecting her). We considered a g-tube several times, but with lots of patience and very supportive doctors and therapists we were able to persist with just bottle feeding. Without EPing, I’m sure she would have needed the g-tube and hypo-allergenic formula.
After 6 months, I was able to convince myself to continue until a year to hopefully avoid formula. However, by the time 1 year rolled around Bridget still wouldn’t touch solids, and still couldn’t tolerate any other milk. So I kept pumping, hoping that one day I would wake up and she would just start eating. It didn’t happen overnight like I had hoped, but gradually she did start showing more interest in food, and by late last winter we were seeing real progress. She was picky like any toddler though and I felt like she still needed SOME sort of milk in her diet for fat, protein and calories. We rotated regularly through cow’s milk, soy milk, goat milk, pediasure and toddler formula trying to find something that wouldn’t cause a reaction. I settled into the idea that I would just pump through the winter to get her through cold and flu season and try again then. Well, in the past month, we started the other milks again after my supply took a hit with my 14th round of mastitis (and the accompanying yeast problems afterward from antibiotics). Bridget was still breaking out with dairy, getting an upset stomach with soy and wouldn’t even touch formula or pediasure, but lo and behold, she likes goat’s milk!! It was like trumpets sounded and choir of angels started singing. (I’m only a little over-dramatic LOL)
So now that Spring is here and Miss Bridget has hit the bit “2”, I’m finally facing HUTH. I want to go slowly since I’m so prone to mastitis. (I got the 15th round just this week). I’m going to stop taking galactalogues (fenugreek, blessed thistle, mother’s milk tea, oatmeal). I’m going to continue taking lecithin and some immune boosting supplements though. That should reduce my supply a lot since I’ve always had to fight to keep it up. I may look for something to reduce my supply further though. Any suggestions?
I currently pump 2-3xday for 45-60min, and I try to power pump on the weekends. For now, I’m going to keep the pumping schedule minus the power pumps until my supply drops further. I’m only getting about 15oz a day right now, so I’m expecting it to drop fast. I want to avoid any hint of engorgement to hopefully avoid blocked ducts and infection.
Now if someone could just help me deal with the guilt. I know she’s gotten MM longer than most babies despite everything, and I know I’ve done my best so far. I know a healthy Mommy is just as important as MM. I know, I know…but I still can’t help but feel like I’m somehow penalizing her for her special needs. If she could have nursed I would have let her self wean. She still loves her binky, her bedtime bottle and her MM, so I know she wouldn’t be ready yet. She’s going to start pre-school soon, and as soon as she gets sick the first time after I wean, it’s just going to kill me to know that my milk could have helped. How do you deal???
Well, I’ve written a novel, and if you’ve read this far, then you definitely get a gold star! Thank you so much for letting me share!
I could never quite bring myself to Hang Up The Horns when Bridget still needed her Mama Milk so much. Bridget has a variety of special needs. She suffered a stroke before birth that affected her ability to suck and swallow, combined with a severe oral aversion (after massive suctioning at birth, ventilation for a week and sensory issues) and dairy and soy allergies(when she was tiny, I couldn’t eat any dairy or soy without affecting her). We considered a g-tube several times, but with lots of patience and very supportive doctors and therapists we were able to persist with just bottle feeding. Without EPing, I’m sure she would have needed the g-tube and hypo-allergenic formula.
After 6 months, I was able to convince myself to continue until a year to hopefully avoid formula. However, by the time 1 year rolled around Bridget still wouldn’t touch solids, and still couldn’t tolerate any other milk. So I kept pumping, hoping that one day I would wake up and she would just start eating. It didn’t happen overnight like I had hoped, but gradually she did start showing more interest in food, and by late last winter we were seeing real progress. She was picky like any toddler though and I felt like she still needed SOME sort of milk in her diet for fat, protein and calories. We rotated regularly through cow’s milk, soy milk, goat milk, pediasure and toddler formula trying to find something that wouldn’t cause a reaction. I settled into the idea that I would just pump through the winter to get her through cold and flu season and try again then. Well, in the past month, we started the other milks again after my supply took a hit with my 14th round of mastitis (and the accompanying yeast problems afterward from antibiotics). Bridget was still breaking out with dairy, getting an upset stomach with soy and wouldn’t even touch formula or pediasure, but lo and behold, she likes goat’s milk!! It was like trumpets sounded and choir of angels started singing. (I’m only a little over-dramatic LOL)
So now that Spring is here and Miss Bridget has hit the bit “2”, I’m finally facing HUTH. I want to go slowly since I’m so prone to mastitis. (I got the 15th round just this week). I’m going to stop taking galactalogues (fenugreek, blessed thistle, mother’s milk tea, oatmeal). I’m going to continue taking lecithin and some immune boosting supplements though. That should reduce my supply a lot since I’ve always had to fight to keep it up. I may look for something to reduce my supply further though. Any suggestions?
I currently pump 2-3xday for 45-60min, and I try to power pump on the weekends. For now, I’m going to keep the pumping schedule minus the power pumps until my supply drops further. I’m only getting about 15oz a day right now, so I’m expecting it to drop fast. I want to avoid any hint of engorgement to hopefully avoid blocked ducts and infection.
Now if someone could just help me deal with the guilt. I know she’s gotten MM longer than most babies despite everything, and I know I’ve done my best so far. I know a healthy Mommy is just as important as MM. I know, I know…but I still can’t help but feel like I’m somehow penalizing her for her special needs. If she could have nursed I would have let her self wean. She still loves her binky, her bedtime bottle and her MM, so I know she wouldn’t be ready yet. She’s going to start pre-school soon, and as soon as she gets sick the first time after I wean, it’s just going to kill me to know that my milk could have helped. How do you deal???
Well, I’ve written a novel, and if you’ve read this far, then you definitely get a gold star! Thank you so much for letting me share!
When I decided to wean him, sage tea and peppermint tea mixed together a few times a day did the trick fast. Hugs!
I can really relate. My dd has special needs also, and I'm on month 20 of EP'ing. I'm not going to make it to two yrs, though. I CAN'T. I'm really starting to lose it (my patience, my mind, my sleep, and my milk!!)
:
you deserve all the smilies! Wow Mastitis 15 times 
can only imagine the horror. Look forward to the change in your families relationship Huth will bring, all that free time and no need to schedule around you pumping. Enjoy, wow 2 whole years, you are in an elite group.
: 
! But it also lifted a weight from my chest (no pun intended). A lot of this effort is about reconciling reality with our expectations, and I know logically that nothing can ever do that 100%. The scales have finally tipped, and now I can benefit my daughter more by giving her myself than by giving her my milk.
