Almost the end of the journey

As of today, there are 4 bottles of 5 oz each in the freezer.  That would be the last ones.  Our breastpumping journey has ended.  But direct breastfeeding still continues until Allah knows when :)  Basically, until it is no longer cute and adorable for Achik to cling to me.

Washed.  Ready to be kept for future use

On the verge of losing my milk!

Yesterday was the first working day of Ramadhan 1433H.  And guess what?  I did not pump.  And it was not until after Maghrib prayer that I breastfed Achik.  Actually, I planned to pump once home.  But I was busy in the kitchen until iftar time.  Though Achik arrived home at around 6.30 p.m. with abah and the 'bodyguards', she didn't ask for it until after Maghrib prayer.  Oh my God.  I think I am going to lose the milk sooner than I thought ...

All that's left in the freezer

We still have some 87 oz in the fridge.  Achik will turn 2 in 2 weeks time, Insya-Allah.  I think I can start happily ever after emptying the bottles without worrying about refilling them.  Alhamdulillah.  Thank you Allah for making it possible for us to go this far in our breastfeeding journey.

Organic soya drink for Achik

Achik is approaching 22 months old.  Although I am still expressing milk with a lot of struggle to combat laziness, I have slowly started introducing her to other milks in preparation for weaning.  After successful introduction to fresh milk (seriously, she finished all the 3 oz on the very first day I introduced it), I am going to try organic soya drink on her.  The brand is Melilea.  Well, this is the only brand that I know.  Hope that it will work just as successful as fresh milk.

Melilea organic soya drink

The recommended serving is 1 scoop for 1 oz of water.  But I am going to go for half first.  So it is going to be 1 and a half scoops for 3 oz of water.  Hmm ...  Anyone has extra scoop?

Power pumping our way to Ramadhan 1433H

Time flies.  It is already Rejab now.  Sya'ban will be here in no time, followed by Ramadhan.  Achik will hit 2 years old this Ramadhan and I put 19th Ramadhan as the last milestone of our breastfeeding journey.  Just like last year, when Ramadhan is approaching, my concern about EBM stock for Achik is also growing.  Alhamdulillah, I managed to reach the targeted 160 oz last year, which were hardly used due to the number of leaves taken as a result of Achik hospitalisation series.  Achik is currently taking only 6 oz a day.  So, I am targetting half of the last year amount for the coming Ramadhan, i.e. 80 oz of EBM, assuming minimum daily production of 2 oz (so pathetic) during the holy month.

After successful experience with power pumping before, I believe that power pumping is the only way that works for me.  So, I am going to go back to the power pumping routine starting from tomorrow until the last day of Sya'ban.  Hopefully the perseverance will last longer this time.  In the mean time ...  3 more days of fasting to repay :p

The ROI for my Medela Freestyle

I bought my Medela freestyle breast pump some time in October 2010 at RM1450.  Relying on the good reputation of Medela brand, I opted to exclude warranty for cheaper price.  Alhamdulillah, the risk was worth taking.  Until now, after almost one and a half years, my Medela freestyle breast pump is still working fine.  Achik is still fully breastfed.  Assuming the cost of buying formula milk is RM100 per month (doubt it very much) if she is partially formula fed, I have roughly saved a total of RM1600!  The investment has certainly paid off, financially.  But breastfeeding is certainly worth more than that.  Full stop.

Power pumping (Week 3)

Day 5
On emergency leave today.  Achik had mild fever and cold.  So, no collection for today :)

Day 4
Collection from power pumping session: 2½ oz
Collection from regular pumping session: 2½ oz
Total:  5 oz*

*Fasting today :)

Day 3
Collection from power pumping session: 3½ oz
Collection from regular pumping session: 3¾ oz
Total:  7¼ oz

Day 2
Collection from power pumping session: 4 oz
Collection from regular pumping session: 3½ oz
Total:  7½ oz (record breaking!)

Day 1
Collection from power pumping session: 4 oz (record breaking!)
Collection from regular pumping session: 2½ oz
Total: 6½ oz

Power pumping (Week 2)

Day 5
Collection from power pumping session: 2½ oz
Collection from regular pumping session: 3½ oz
Total:  6 oz

Day 4
Collection from power pumping session: 3¼ oz
Collection from regular pumping session: 3½ oz
Total:  6¾ oz

Day 3
Collection from power pumping session: 1¾ oz*
Collection from regular pumping session: 3½ oz
Total: 5¼ oz

*Reason: Used manual pump at home.  Half way through, used marmet technique because the manual pump was being unfriendly to me :(

Day 2
Collection from power pumping session: 3 oz
Collection from regular pumping session: 3½ oz
Total: 6½ oz

Day 1
Collection from power pumping session: 2½ oz
Collection from regular pumping session: 2½ oz
Total: 5 oz (only?)

Power pumping (Day 5)

Collection from power pumping session: 2¾ oz
Collection from regular pumping session: 2¾ oz
Total: 5½ oz

Power pumping (Day 4)

Collection from power pumping session: 2¼ oz
Collection from regular pumping session: 3 oz
Total: 5¼ oz

Kind of yoyo effect so far.

Power pumping (Day 3)

Collection from power pumping session: 2¼ oz
Collection from regular pumping session: 3½ oz
Total: 5¾ oz

Note: Didn't take dried longan drink last night and missed the calcium tablets :(

Power pumping (Day 2)

With an added meal, dates.  3 in the morning and 3 in the afternoon.

Collection from power pumping session: 3½ oz
Collection from regular pumping session: 3 oz
Total: 6½ oz =)

Saying good bye to milk booster pils and tablets ...

Power pumping (Day 1)

The scheme:

• The night before: 2 calcium tablets + 2 glasses of water
• Morning: A glass of dried longan drink
• 2 litres of plain water before (usual) lunch
• Power pump session is at 11 am with 20 minutes pumping followed by 10 minutes rest followed by another 10 minutes pumping followed by 10 minutes rest and another 10 minutes pumping.
• Melilea + ESP right after the power pumping session.
• Another 2 litres of plain water after lunch
• Regular pumping session is at 5 pm.

Collection from power pumping: 3 oz
Collection from regular pumping: 2¼ oz.
Total: 5¼ oz.  Way better than last week.  Plus, regular pumping was done half an hour early.  To be continued :)

Gone with the milk ...

The last three days were ... frustrating.  I only managed to pump out 3.5 oz on Monday, 4 oz on Tuesday and another 4 oz yesterday.  Today, it was 3.5 oz.  A sudden drop from the usual production of 6 oz.  Though I am expecting my 'best friend' to pay her monthly visit at anytime now, the regular visits don't usually cause such a significant decrease in the production amount.  And the effect is usually seen during the visit, not before!  I am planning to do power pumping beginning next week and hope to see some positive outcome after a week or two, aamiin.

On 6-999-6 formula

Daily production is less than daily demand.  That is the current status.  Therefore, we can no longer be based on daily basis, but weekly.  I am pumping only once a day during office hours now (reads: lazy), with average production between 7 oz and 8 oz daily.  That means, weekly production is between 35 oz to 40 oz.  Including 2 oz a day that I usually manage to collect over the weekends, we get a minimum of 39 oz a week.  6-999-6 formula means, Achik is taking with her 2 bottles x 3 oz on Monday, 3 bottles x 3 oz on Tuesday to Thursday and back to 2 bottles x 3 oz on Friday.  That means, a total of 39 oz a week.  Justification?  Because Achik has been and will be enjoying free flow and bottomless supply of her favourite drink over the weekend, so I think, it is okay to ration one bottle on Monday & Friday.  Yeah, we need strategy to survive the journey =)

It is the third milestone!

Alhamdulillah, we hit the third milestone in our breastfeeding journey today.  A day earlier because February only has 29 days :)  It could have been 2 days earlier if this year isn't a leap year.  Though there will be another six months to go, at times I do think about weaning.  Looking at the pattern now, I don't think it is ever possible :)  Never mind.  We will seriously think about it when the time comes.

The [not so] new year updates

About one and a half month to hit the third milestone in our breastfeeding journey.  But I am not at all excited about it.  Achik has taken all sorts of food that fully breastfeeding is not so much an issue anymore.  Breastfeeding now serves its another role more dominantly, that is, bonding.  And we don't have problem at that.  We are strongly bonded, physically and emotionally.  Because we are ladies :)

I have even started giving soy based formula samples that I have been keeping for so long, but not yet expired.  Just to let her explore the new taste and enjoy the goodness that they may bring.  She didn't seem to enjoy them though.  But Angah did!  So, he finished them all on her behalf :)

Just the three of us

Finally, Along decided to go with abah without Angah.  Alhamdulillah, after four days attending the camp, he seems to be enjoying it.  Without Along around, Angah has to assume position as ummi's personal 'assistant' :)

Spot where is Along?

We're going to have another extended weekend starting tomorrow.  I just love extended weekend (who doesn't?).  At least it gives me extra day to collect EBM for Achik.  EBM stock in the freezer is between 100 oz and 120 oz at the moment.  Insya-Allah we will not have much problem in achieving our third milestone in our breastfeeding journey.  We have to work harder to get to the fourth one though.

I also notice that Achik requests to be breastfed less frequently lately.  I think it's a sign of growing up and less dependency on breastmilk.  She only asks (read: demands) to be breastfed when she is about to sleep and when we are in the car and she doesn't have anything to do.  Most of the time, she will occupy herself with her favourite activity, making mess :p

Supply = demand

I brought down 7 oz yesterday and stored also 7 oz.  It seems ages since I last managed to produce supply that meets demand.  It feels great :)

EBM stock plummetting

When I was just about to feel relief with stable supply & demand, tests came one after another.  For the past two weeks, EBM stock left the freezer at a steady rate of around 2 oz/day, or even faster.  I was busy with office work while attending to sick children during the first week.  I managed to pump only once a day, getting at most 6 oz.  On the second week ...  I myself was sick.  A very serious one that rendered me bedridden for 2 days with 6 days medical leave.  I lost my appetite totally and without proper eating, the amount of EBM produced was also less.  Not to mention a number of pumping sessions skipped, especially the night session ones, when I felt totally weak and just couldn't get up.  Hopefully I will regain my strength soon and back on track for 10.5 oz/day EBM, amin.

Breastfeeding journey with Achik so far

Alhamdulillah, I think we are moving down the hill slope in our breasfeeding journey.  For the time being, I don't have to worry about insufficient stock.  As Achik is entering her 15th month and after some consultation with the nursery owner, I have reduced daily EBM supply for Achik to just 10.5 oz a day i.e. 3.5 oz in three bottles.  Daily production is around 10 oz to 11 oz.  So far so good and she eats a lot too.  So, I am not worried about her source of nutrients.  Achik is also beaming with health.  No more hospital visit since she was discharged last August.  Alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah wa syukurillah.