Exclusive Pumping is a booby trap

hahahaah so cute Booby trap.

Received one email from a reader asking about exclusive pumping (waves excitedly :p ). I'm not an expert and is still very new in this but I love sharing. Hope this can help as many as possible.

If you choose to become an Eping mom, you have to bear this in mind: Pumping is harder than direct feeding. It's a booby trap because many thought it's the other way round. It takes a lot of commitment and patient and motivation and encouragement. But we are moms right??? We rock the world with our hands.

If you cannot directly feed your baby, you have to decide whether pumping is the best option for you. There shouldnt be 'I'll try' attitude because most likely half way you will give up. You have to have 'I MUST' attitude to be one. For me, I didnt decide to become an EP mom initially. I started pumping without even knowing this group of moms exist. I started out of my common sense that Muhaimin needs the milk. He was fed formula first before my liquid gold, and till today I couldnt erase the guilt I feel in my heart. I've said it and repeated it million times in my head that formula milk is still a form of rezeki but the guilt just wont go away. I hope with Allah's help, I can at least do this till Min reaches 6 months milestone.

That's why, a week into 4 months, I'm still pumping, 6-8 times per day. I still try to directly feed Min once in a while ut he still couldnt latch properly. I hope miracle will happen one day and he can latch like an expert.hehe 

Back to booby trap, pumping is so much harder than direct feeding. Because pumping isnt the same as direct feeding, the stimulation to the breast is also different. I know a mom who feeds her baby directly and she could get up to 10oz in one pumping session. For me, it depends. Sometimes I could get 7-9oz which is super rare hahaha but the usual one is around 4-5 oz. It's not much but enough to keep my baby's tummy happy. and the fact that he gained 1kg every month proves that he received enough milk. Alhamdulillah.

If you decide to be a pumping mom, avoid the word 'try' at all because you'll lose the motivation in the end and say 'i've tried but failed'.

Remember this, pumping means an endless cycle of pumping, storing, heating, feeding, cleaning, sterilizing. You have to follow strictly the pumping schedule to ensure good supply. And if you plan to travel, be prepared to carry extra bags - cooler bag, baby bag, thermos, thermal bag and if possible warmer. I did and sometimes it became soooo stressful. Trust me. I've travelled by plane and on road and so many preparations including mental preparation  needed to be done. You have to have contingency plan if suddenly you are out of hot water to warm the milk and the baby is screaming. and what if suddenly the journey took longer than your ice packs can hold on.Even my mom was stressed looking at what I had to do.hahahahaha



Cooler bag, and beloved warmer. Ran out of hot water while in Brunei. Gigih tak mak? At Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Mosque. Orang pandang pon mak dah tak peduli.hohoho


 Since the twin girls dont receive natural stimulation from the baby, you have to be extremely careful about your emotion, your food, your health because all these affect the production. I've had few periods of being so stressed that my production plummeted drastically. I took the wrong food, boom! down to 3oz from 5oz. I got sick twice and the result, Min had to be fed formula coz at that time I was down to 1-2oz per pumping session.

BUT!!!

Tho very tiring, it is also very extremely super duper rewarding. To see Muhaimin burped, smiled and gained weight consistently, is the best reward ever.

And this is something new that I just learned 3 weeks ago when Min was down with fever, cough and flu.

Did you know, when a baby under 1-year-old catches cough and flu, there's no medicine for that other than the mom's milk? Adala ubat but it is not advisable to give to a such young age. The baby needs to develop his own immune system to fight the virus with the help of mommy;s milk. At first I didnt believe this. I went to two different doctors, a paeditrician and a doctor from a government clinic. Both told me the same thing. Both doctors didnt prescribe any medicine except for fever and told me to continue breastfeeding Minmin.



MasyaAllah, the power of mommy's milk =)

Again, I need to stress how hard it is to be an EP mom but IT IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE.It takes a lot of commitment and support be it internal and external. Talk to your husband and make sure you receive an endless support from him. Because you will be surprised with the many people who will kill your spirit and will tell you that you will FAIL. I get this even from doctors. Be strong and know you are fighting to give the best for your baby. God will reward you plenty =)

It's rewarding, both seen and unseen. Good luck Mommies!

p/s I still hope Min will latch properly one day. Pray for me ya!