Lilypie Third Birthday tickers

Lilypie Third Birthday tickers

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

11 months 2 weeks and 5 days

I'm sad to be making this post. I had the goal of providing the girls with exclusive breast milk for the 1st year or until I could start transitioning them to cow's milk but I didn't quite make my goal.

My decision to go on a weight loss plan has drastically decreased my supply and I also thought I was close to my goal and I dropped a pump a little too early which also led to my supply dropping. Prior to the supply drop, I was making 55oz of breast milk a day on average. As of late, I am only making 30-35oz a day. If I was only feeding one baby I would have tons of frozen milk and I would make plenty each day but since I have two mouths to feed, I can no longer keep up.

I thought I could just supplement the girls with cow's milk early but the pediatrician didn't think that would be a good idea for their nutrition. As preemies, they will need the extra calories and nutrition that can only come from breast milk or formula. The pediatrician wants us to keep the girls on breast milk or formula for a while longer, probably closer to their adjusted age of one year which will be in June. I will know more about how long when we have the girls 1 year well baby check-up on the 28th.

I did have a can of Similac Advanced that we were given as a sample that I thought I would never have to use, but today I opened the can and mixed my first bottle of formula. I only gave the girls 2oz of formula mixed with 4oz of BM but I still feel like I failed a little on my goal. I know there is nothing wrong with formula and my girls will not be harmed in anyway but I'm still sad about not being able to keep up.

8 comments:

  1. Oh Amy. I think you did great to go that long with two mouths to feed. Wishing your girls the best.

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  2. Amy you should be extremely proud of yourself for making it this long! It is so hard to be a MoM and find the time to pump and keep up. I am amazed that you have been able to do it this long! GREAT JOB!

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  3. Failed? Amy, you are a rock star!!! What you have been doing is totally amazing and you should be SO proud of yourself. You have given the girls a fantastic launch into a healthy life. Kuddos to you!

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  4. I am beyond impressed of how long you were able to breastfeed! As soon as I went back to work my supply went down, I tried everything to be able to pump at work but my milk would never let down. It was very disappointing, but at the same time, formula has come a long way and even though it is not the real thing, it is still very good for the babies. Keep your chin up:)

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  5. I'm amazed you went this long, too, and so impressed! I felt guilty at first, too - I really wanted "the best" for Micah, and I kept equating breast milk with "the best." I have to say, getting him exclusively on formula was a relief in so many ways...I stopped feeling guilty when the relief and freesom washed over me. You did an amazing thing for your girls! I feel like they are eating "real" food, and moving on to cow's milk OR formula at this point is the next natural step - they are ready, and they are getting nutrition from other sources now, and that is okay. I put Micah on organic formula (we used Earth's Best), so that made me feel a little less guilty about going to formula. Just remember - they are eating new things and moving forward with other sources of nutrition, and at this point, the milk really isn't their primary source of nutrition. Try to focus on how long you SUCCEEDED. When the time comes and you totally pack up that pump and put it away - you'll feel that urge to celebrate all your hard work and your freedom! It is so nice to not have to track and date milk, and planfor the pump and have all your thoughts focused on whether there is enough for your child to eat. It can be someone else's responsibility, too, and that is SOOO nice. - Tkeys

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  6. 55 oz A DAY?! Holy cow, girl! Even 30 oz would be AMAZING for me right now if I could pump that much! Alayna still has 3 nursing periods a day, and I usually pump 2-3 times in between those and I am not LUCKY if I get 6-7 oz a day extra from those few pumping sessions. You are an absolute rock star.

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  7. You have done so well and I am so proud of you! Please don't look at this as a failure. You have successfully breastfed TWINS for a year!! Most women have a hard enough time pumping enough for 1 baby..let alone 2! You are amazing and have done an amazing thing for your girls!!

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  8. Amy, you have done FANTASTIC - and I know it's hard when we don't meet the goals we make for ourselves - but you're talking less than 2 weeks, and you work, and you go to school. I seriously don't know how you do everything you do AND pump and BF! You are a superwoman to me! You should be nothing but proud of yourself and your babies love you for every, single ounce you've given them :) HUGS

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