I quit pumping today.
It is quite a liberating feeling. I can’t explain how good it felt to take that pump off the coffee table, where it has been a staple for seven months, and move it to the garage.
I know I had thought about pumping twice a day for a while, but I was only getting about six ounces, and that was with two thirty minute sessions a day. It just didn’t seem worth it. At the height of my pumping, I was getting about 33 ounces a day.
I don’t know what happened to me, but two nights ago, I looked at that pump and just couldn’t bring myself to hook up to it. I poured myself a second glass of wine instead. I pumped once yesterday just because I was really uncomfortable, but today, I seem to be fine without any pumping.
I don’t think people that haven’t had children or pumped realize what a time committment it is, so I’m going to give you a few stats about my pumping experience.
Months Pumped: 7 (OK, minus a few days, but we’re talking round figures here)
Average Pump Sessions per Day: 4 (early on, I was pumping about 8-9 times per day, and towards the end, I was pumping twice per day, so four truly is the average)
Average Length Of Pumping Session: 30 minutes (most women can pump for 15 minutes at a time. I have lazy boobs that required at least double the pumping, with 45 minute sessions in the mornings)
Number Of Pumps Per Minute: 60 (and yes, I counted)
Let’s do a few calculations here:
Days pumped (7 months x 30 days) = 210
Days pumped x two hours per day (four half hour sessions)= 420 hours spent pumping
420 hours x 60 minutes = 25,200 minutes spent pumping
25,200 minutes spent pumping times 60 pumps per minute =
DRUM ROLL PLEASE
1,512,000 PUMPS ON MY NIPPLES
Is it any wonder I feel like they’re about to fall off?!
For the first time in 16 months, my body is all my own. I no longer have to provide nutrition (or a home for that matter) for Little Miss through my body, and Thank Ya Jesus for that.
I’m going to go revel in this, and am contemplating having numerous glasses of wine on Date Night this Saturday…
