DONEEEEEEEEEEE!
After 5 kids, countless hours, too many devices and parts used than I care to admit, and 25,150 total ounces donated...I AM DONE.
My pumping journey is officially over...forever. I'd like to say I'm sentimental and say I will miss it, but I promise you I will not. So so so SOOOOO many hours of love strapped to that thing and I cannot tell you how excited I don't have to keep myself up until a certain time at night or wake up at a certain early hour in the morning to go be strapped to this milkin' device when I really just want to be sleeping. I feel a bit liberated today as I packed up alllllll of my stuff and happily passed that big ol' tote of pumping goods along.
Teddy still nurses several times a day, so while my pumping journey is done, my breastfeeding one goes on for now, and I'm cool with that. I figured I still needed to do a little snap to pay homage to this thing I've spent more time on than off the past nearly 8 years.
This was a bit month for me -- but I don't think any major mom milestone will stand out in my mind more than this one. And man, it feels SO GOOD.
Even as I sit here typing this, I am so jazzed that I can literally up and go to bed WHENEVER I WANT. No more schedules, no more needing to pump before bed...I am free to do whatever I need to do and am not a slave to the pump anymore. And man, it feels so good.
With all of the other kids, even Clark, when I was 'done' I knew it was only temporary and knew I'd be picking that pump back up at some point in the future with another kid. NOT NOW. I am SO SO SO done with this part of my life and I am so freaking happy about it. I love my babies SO SO SO much but I am done with this stage: I'm so excited to experience the toddler years with Teddy and watch the big kids continue to grow and go to school and all of that. I feel so content with my 4 babies here and 1 in heaven that I have zero ZERO desire to have another one. And my job is the perfect outlet for any baby fever that may set in - I'll always have a birth or newborn ready to be snapped to fuel that. But at this house: we are done. No more late night pump sessions, no more schedules, no more carting that pump places if Ted isn't with me. I AM SO DONE AND IT FEELS SO GOOD!
Teddy still nurses 3-4x a day, and that's totally fine. My body has regulated for his needs, but no more for a pump, and damn. It's so nice.
So here's to a pump free life (and hopefully those pumps getting some more love from my brother and sister-in-law with my new niece or nephew coming in a month or so!) and excited to see what lies ahead for me with alllllll of my newly found free time. WOOT WOOT!!
