Nine Days Without Baby - Day 3

I called home today and got to listen to the rhythmic vibrating sound River makes when Mark runs his finger over River’s lip. He seemed happy and dad was holding up well. So all was good.

Except that I was only pumping 16 ounces of milk per day – two bottles worth. River drinks at least four or five. I started to have doubts. Was I going to lose my milk supply?

I called a lactation consultant and she wasn’t very encouraging. “All that formula you gave him reduced your supply,” she said, as though I was a bad, bad mother. “And of course a pump isn’t the same as a baby.”

She said I should pump for at least as long as Soren feeds every day. Two hours in the morning? I didn’t think that was realistic. And I should eat protein and whole grains and look at their web page.

Thanks a lot for the encouragement, I thought.