Re: Dont know how this isngoing to work

Originally Posted by
@llli*shelly3578
So i started back to work this week, pumping 3 times during the day and nursing when i go home. My 6 week old had a routine of basically nursing all day with little to no naps and sleeping at night with a couple feeds at night and back to sleep. I was afraid of how she would take all day with bottle and me coming home to nurse but she surprised me. That was great news. So saturday every time i nursed her she would sleep forma few hours (not usual for her) wake up nurse and go back to sleep. I had an idea that she would wake up alot in the night, and it was true. She woke up to nurse almost ever 1.5 hours and stayed up from 3-4:30 crying, pushing off at my breast, frustrated cos there wasnt much milk. Im assuming my supply wasnt up to par because shendoesnt usually wake up to feed much at night. I dont know i can do this on week night when i have to wake up at 6:30am!! :/
While I can't tell you I feel refreshed and rested everyday at work, things do vary over time and there are things I do to get more rest. You may not like what I have to say as it's not exactly convenient to life.
1. Up until about 6 months old, when I got home from work, I nursed immediately. If possible I changed my clothes quickly, but if she was hungry I nursed. This often left me unable to do anything, including wash up for bed. I'd typically have to wait till she was good and full and pass her to DH so I could wash my face and brush my teeth. Then I was back to attending to her.
2. Not only do we co-sleep, I go to bed with her by 8:30PM. This is previously when she was younger as well as now when she's 9.5 months. I try to get her down earlier (by 7:30) and she sleeps on me - or DH. But I'm in that bed by 8:30. She nurses a lot through the night most nights and when we side lie, I often doze or sleep through it. I typically am awake by 5/5:30AM. If she will sleep with DH I work out at home. If she won't, I lay in bed till 6 or 6:30 letting her sleep and dream feed so she is well rested.
Obviously this takes a great partnership with DH - or if he's not around - great planning. Like I will have food divided up into containers in the fridge that I can just remove and heat and eat. I can't remember the last time I chewed my food. Even at work I have to remember to slow down when I eat. 
Net net I pretty much sacrificed my evenings, mornings, whatever it took. If you spend enough time contemplating it and reading on this forum, you realize how special and precious this time is and that it's a for now thing, not forever. I can tell you I vividly remember being up in the middle of the night, sometimes all night, and wondering how I was going to make it through work. But it is SO much better and so much more fun now. For example sometimes when I come home she's not hungry yet. So we play in her nursery, go for a walk in the stroller or I put her in her high chair and I cook or do stuff in the kitchen (including prepping for the next day).
You're not alone and you will make it work. I even do a little celebration in my head every month over the achievement of EBF. Between being a mom to DD (and 3 dogs and 2 cats), a wife, a working woman and a breastfeeding mom to boot, I feel a lot of pride in keeping it all going.
1st time mom over 40 to Alex(andra) b: 7/14/12