Milky Cereal Baby

I started pumping way before needing to go back to work. So I had a stock pile of milk extras when I started. This took off the pressure of having to pump enough for Lydia right off the bat. I only pump once a day and I get about 4-6 ounces which for the stage Lydia is in at the moment isn't quite enough. When I got home yesterday my mom told me she gave her formula for the first time during the day, only about 3 ounces  after her solids. There was some breast milk in the freezer but not a lot, so was a good time to transition. Honestly my heart sank a little not because I ever had the intention of being hardcore breast milk only but  more because I never considered the transition very well.  Lydia has had one bottle of formula with rice cereal (the oatmeal cereal did not work out) before bed for a while the amount has varied so she was just fine with the change yesterday. It was me that was a little verklempt.

The skinny on the pumping at school for me is I try to squeeze it in during a free period but if not I do it during lunch which takes some work or flexibility in other areas like eating while I pump or snacking in between classes. I bring a little cooler which has ice packs where I can put in the milk containers. I pump in my car just because I have a bluetooth system and I can make phone calls, listen to NPR or a book on tape so the time goes by faster. This also prevents me from lugging all this gear on and off campus everyday. I put the little cooler in a shady area and since it has 4-6 hours before it goes bad, I can stick it in the freezer when I get home. I keep telling myself that as long as I nurse her when we are together I will continue to produce milk which all things indicate is true, including real research. So that is what I do. My new mommy mantra is "That is still super good!"  "That is still super good!" "That is still super good!" and her morning feeding is still a good 5 ounces of mothers finest. It's the best we can do!