Maybe it's time to stop pumping??

I really had planned to keep going past the first birthday since things had
been going so well, but Alli is making it next to impossible for me to pump
unless she's completely asleep. She now goes into a tantrum if I try to pump
when she's awake, when previously she'd let me do it as long as she was
right there or as long as she had someone else to play with. Now, if she
hears the pump at all, it's scream city. And I don't know about you, but I
have a hard time getting a good letdown with a 1 yr old in tantrum mode,
even when I know daddy is there to deal with it. I've tried getting up to
pump before she does, but I think she hears the pump even in her sleep, even
in another room. Same with napping. She's gotten so hard to deal with in the
last few weeks. It's almost like a switch was flipped on her first birthday
from giggle to whine, with a special random tantrum generator. And she's
perfectly healthy and perfectly normal, according to her pediatrician.

Pumping for her has generally been something I've felt good about-maybe I
couldn't nurse her, but at least I'm doing the right thing, even if it's not
easy, but it's just causing so much stress right now. I ended up bursting
into tears when her bag for MDO spilled and a bottle leaked earlier
today-because it's taking so much to get that breast milk to her. Add that
to the usual Christmas stress and end of the semester stress (college
students all save their observation hours until the last minute-at which
time I often don't have children for them to observe because the preschool
programs are doing their special activities), it's just too much!

Am I a bad person if I wean my 1 yr old off pumped milk? I know all the
benefits of extended nursing at least until age 2, and I'd like to do it,
but I don't think I can. I honestly haven't felt this overwhelmed since she
was a little teeny tiny preemie.


--
Donna DeVore Metler
Orff Music Specialist/Kindermusik
Mother to Angel Brian Anthony 1/1/2002, 22 weeks, severe PE/HELLP
And Allison Joy, 11/25/04 (35 weeks, PIH, Pre-term labor)

Donna Metler wrote:
Am I a bad person if I wean my 1 yr old off pumped milk? I know all the
benefits of extended nursing at least until age 2, and I'd like to do it,
but I don't think I can. I honestly haven't felt this overwhelmed since she
was a little teeny tiny preemie.

No, you're a hero for exclusively pumping for as long as you have!
You've been a hero since day one of that, IMHO.

--
Emily
DS1 5/02
DS2 9/05

On Wed, 07 Dec 2005 11:20:07 -0600, Donna Metler wrote:

Am I a bad person if I wean my 1 yr old off pumped milk?

Goodness no! I pump around 150ml a week for ds's feed on sundays with
granny and grandad. I find that a bind. I am incredibly impressed you have
pumped all feeds for a year. You should be proud of yourself!

Jeni

absolutely do not feel bad or guilty, every drop of milk you have given to
her is precious, getting to 1 year is utterly fabulous, yes there is some
benefit to going longer, but not if it means tantrums etc. there is no point
in focusing soley on physical benefit, when she is a whole person, she has
to develop emotionally as well.

Anne

Donna Metler writes:

Am I a bad person if I wean my 1 yr old off pumped milk? I know all the
benefits of extended nursing at least until age 2, and I'd like to do
it, but I don't think I can. I honestly haven't felt this overwhelmed
since she was a little teeny tiny preemie.

Oh golly, how can you even *think* you'd be a bad person?! I'm
overwhelmingly impressed that someone can keep pumping for a baby who
doesn't nurse for a year, never mind longer. I only pumped regularly for 5
months or so and it felt like a lifetime, and that was only for part-time
feeding. Be proud of yourself!

Sidheag
DS Colin Oct 27 2003

Donna Metler wrote:

Am I a bad person if I wean my 1 yr old off pumped milk?

Jeez - NO WAY! I'm especially impressed that you exclusively pumped for 12
months!! If it were me I'm pretty sure I'd hang up the pump tubing at this
point :-)

--
Nikki
Hunter 4/99
Luke 4/01
Thing One and Thing Two :-) EDD 4/06

It's time. Give yourself a break, you're an AWESOME mama. Most would have
given up by now already. Well done making it to this far
"Donna Metler" wrote in message
...
I really had planned to keep going past the first birthday since things had
been going so well, but Alli is making it next to impossible for me to
pump
unless she's completely asleep. She now goes into a tantrum if I try to
pump
when she's awake, when previously she'd let me do it as long as she was
right there or as long as she had someone else to play with. Now, if she
hears the pump at all, it's scream city. And I don't know about you, but I
have a hard time getting a good letdown with a 1 yr old in tantrum mode,
even when I know daddy is there to deal with it. I've tried getting up to
pump before she does, but I think she hears the pump even in her sleep,
even
in another room. Same with napping. She's gotten so hard to deal with in
the
last few weeks. It's almost like a switch was flipped on her first
birthday
from giggle to whine, with a special random tantrum generator. And she's
perfectly healthy and perfectly normal, according to her pediatrician.

Pumping for her has generally been something I've felt good about-maybe I
couldn't nurse her, but at least I'm doing the right thing, even if it's
not
easy, but it's just causing so much stress right now. I ended up bursting
into tears when her bag for MDO spilled and a bottle leaked earlier
today-because it's taking so much to get that breast milk to her. Add that
to the usual Christmas stress and end of the semester stress (college
students all save their observation hours until the last minute-at which
time I often don't have children for them to observe because the preschool
programs are doing their special activities), it's just too much!

Am I a bad person if I wean my 1 yr old off pumped milk? I know all the
benefits of extended nursing at least until age 2, and I'd like to do it,
but I don't think I can. I honestly haven't felt this overwhelmed since
she
was a little teeny tiny preemie.


--
Donna DeVore Metler
Orff Music Specialist/Kindermusik
Mother to Angel Brian Anthony 1/1/2002, 22 weeks, severe PE/HELLP
And Allison Joy, 11/25/04 (35 weeks, PIH, Pre-term labor)

Donna Metler wrote:

Am I a bad person if I wean my 1 yr old off pumped milk?

Good god, no! You've gone above and beyond the call of duty getting to a
year pumping but now it's affecting your relationship with your daughter. At
1 cow's milk is fine, and your relationship is worth far more than the pump.

Extended nursing till 2 and beyond is great but it doesn't work for
everyone. Many babies wean themselves before then, and Alli's behaviour
could be viewed as a weaning signal.

"Donna Metler" wrote in message
...

Am I a bad person if I wean my 1 yr old off pumped milk? I know all the
benefits of extended nursing at least until age 2, and I'd like to do it,
but I don't think I can. I honestly haven't felt this overwhelmed since
she
was a little teeny tiny preemie.

I think you've done an incredible job. When you think that so few people
sadly don't last a year of BF a full-term healthy baby (which is much, much
easier than pumping IMO) to express for a premature baby for a year deserves
some kind of award. Whatever you decide, please don't beat yourself up and
think of yourself as a bad person, because you're the opposite of that.

--
Amy
Mum to Carlos born sleeping 20/11/02,
& Ana born screaming 30/06/04
http://www.freewebs.com/carlos2002/
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/a/ana%5Fj%5F2004/
My blog: http://spaces.msn.com/members/querer-hijo-querer-hija/

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I just noticed your change in
signature, Nikki. I knew you were pregnant, but did you just find out
that it's twins? Wow! Congratulations!

Annie

--
Nikki
Hunter 4/99
Luke 4/01
Thing One and Thing Two :-) EDD 4/06