Finally, I am bidding goodbye to my Medela Pisa that had served me well for the past 22 months. I started my pumping journey when he was 7 months old and I never regret buying it. Pumping has yielded more than enough milk to feed him while I am away at work. I remembered the good old days where I would pump anywhere, even in cabs or when I was on a course. As I am not really a multi-tasker, this pump allowed me to concentrate on my work as it was almost hands-free. I, once, attended a meeting while having the pump on.
Of course, I have so many people to thank in my pumping journey, specifically my colleagues who have become attuned to the sound that the tiny machine emits. Nor do they mind when I had to pump in a meeting (as long as I am in the meeting). My colleagues kindly bought lunch for me just so I can sit at my desk to pump. One of my colleagues even gave me her mini fridge so I do not need to walk to the pantry to and fro to keep my milk bags!
She was concerned because our pantry fridge is always filled to the brim and that my milk would be contaminated by decaying food items and more amazing was that she was not a breastfeeding mom. This brought me to a point that we do not need to be making the same choices to understand and respect one another’s decisions. 🙂
Since Umar turned 2 on 24 June 2013, I have been relentlessly finding an alternative for him. Trust me, I have tried almost every brand of fresh milk there is in the market but he refused them all. I have been quite tired lately lugging my backpack together with my pump bag. Sometimes on bad days, I have to carry an additional bag home and that would be three bags on my shoulders. My breast has also been too sore from all the pumping recently. Furthermore, I only get 50 ml of milk even after pumping at 5 hours intervals. I can barely yield anything at 3 hours intervals. I thought long and hard if I should end my pumping journey.
Umar is now 2 years 5 months and I decided to shelf my pumping equipments. Umar took it quite bad initially. My mom told me that he cried into his naps but it got better over the days as he is left without any milk when I am away. When I am back home, he will latch on immediately like a hungry vulture before he continues his normal play. On some days, he will tell me to pump out my milk so he can have his milk during his naps. 😀
If you ask me whether I miss pumping, the answer would be a big NO. Haha. Pumping is really so tiring physically and mentally. Your break and lunch with your colleagues is gone. We are social creatures no matter how “introvert” or “unsociable” one is. Then, I have to wash the parts everyday and lug the heavy bag to and fro wherever I go. The pump bag is always there when Umar is not with me even when hubby and I go out on our very short 3 hour dates. The only thing that kept me going this long is Umar Khalif. I do not need to tell you the benefits of breastmilk because I suppose it can be easily be found anywhere but the TOP reason is definitely the benefits for my son and nothing else.
So Medela Pisa, you may take a break for now. InsyaAllah, we will meet again. 😉
For now, let me be happy with just nursing him when I am with him. 🙂