We love our baby!

To Pump, or Not to Pump: Always the Question

WARNING: IF YOU SUFFER FROM THE FOLLOWING,

YOU MAY WANT TO SKIP THIS POST:

1) YOU ARE A MALE
2) BREASTFEEDING MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE
3) YOU THINK BREASTFEEDING MOTHERS SHOULD GO INTO CAPTIVITY TO FEED THEIR BABE
4) YOU FIND SUCH TOPICS INAPPROPRIATE FOR BLOGGING

I have rejoined the world of lactating crazy people. This is one of those things that I must have blocked from my pregnant mind because it didn't occur to me to get ready in any way to feed a baby. Silly, you may say, but it does require a little forethought. At least as far as getting out appropriate undergarments and such. I am lazy. I have never denied this, and I stand by it. Firmly. And this is where my dilemma lies. And I know some of you have experience with both sides of this, so opinions are welcome!
I have always pumped at the beginning. With Sam and Cooper, they were in the NICU and so I had to. Jacob had a hard time latching at first, so I pumped until I wasn't so engorged. Remember what it's like when your milk comes in? Especially the first time it comes in? I remember I woke up, after days of pumping, (which I fondly refer to as titty torture) and Voila! I had the most foreign and painful things attached to my chest! And they were leaking everywhere! I was in a horrible hospital room, on the most horrible post-partum floor ever, with milk soaked sheets that I was sure my nurse would not notice or change. I felt like I was wearing this:
And so I feel the same way now, except without the pain. I really think that I could have picked whatever size nursing bra I wanted, and I would have filled it in. You want to be a 40 GGG, put it on, and let your milk come in. Only joking, but it did seem that way. (And I don't know any woman who would aspire to such a size.)

My quandry lies in this: I pump now for convenience. It is just plain frustrating to get a small baby to latch properly. I know when she reaches 7 pounds, she will do fine. I am tempted to pump entirely, but I know it gets old. While it is less time spent feeding baby, it is more work.
So for those of you who have pumped for your babes, how did it go for you and what did you like/hate about it?

I am fortunate enough to have an abundance of milk, and Collin was kind enough to look up a recipe for cheese, made from breast milk. Ah, that is most disgusting. Ice cream? Maybe. Just kidding. I would rather eat mayonnaise. And that is saying something.

'My Three Sons' is now 'Adventures in Babysitting'...

I decided that it would be appropriate to change the name of my blog since we no longer have only three sons. Yay for baby girls! More to come...

Zaida Olive Magonigal
April 16, 2010
12:33 pm
6 pounds 10 ounces

19.5 inches

Birthday Boys

We wished our sweet little boys a Happy Birthday by having cake with family and friends, and by going to the movies. Sorry, Jake, you got left behind, but none of us would have had any fun if you went! It was also Uncle Ian's birthday on Monday, so we shared some cake with him.

I think I'm Hyperventilating...

The doctor's office called this morning to change the time of my c-section.

"Congratulations! You get to fast until lunch and the doctor can fit you in on his lunch break."At least I don't have to arrive at 6 am.

For the record, I did ask if we could do the pulling and cutting and searing a day sooner, but alas, he is booked. That must be why I am now on the lunch agenda. Maybe he will sew me up faster.
After I asked for an earlier date, and was promptly denied, I started realizing that I would indeed be crazy to want that because I have waited to do all things improbable until the final 6 days before the baby's birthing. This is my awesome list, and I would be happy to contract some of these things out (and blogging about this is what I am doing to avoid getting started):

1. Hand quilt Zaida's blanket (and find the hoop to put it in)
2. Make cute burp cloths
3. Beg Stacey to embroider Zaida's name on a few things (check)
4. Take Cooper to see the Tame your Dragon movie for his birthday (planned)
5. Have cake and ice cream with family and friends for Jacob's and Cooper's birthdays (check)
6. Sew crib skirt (honestly that can wait)
7. Make room for Zaida's clothes by cleaning my maternity clothes from my armoire
8. Somehow clean up the huge mess that has evolved over the last few days.
9. Laundry (see picture)
10. Sterilize bottles, etc
11. Pack my hospital bag

I am quite certain that there is more, but definitely not less.

9 days, and counting...

I managed to ignore the entire month of March, blogwise. Just like I am ignoring the fact that my kids are watching Voltron on Netflix (Wii Streaming is amazing) and it's 7:37 pm. They should be going to bed, but dearest daddy is away for the evening and I am avoiding temper tantrums by pretending it's 6:37 instead. I can take only so much arguing over the Wii. And it's quiet (maybe they fell asleep?) and I would hate to disturb the peace.
I would really like to know if anyone has any good systems or suggestions that I may implement into a system to regulate how much they can play video games, the computer, or watch television. I can think of many things for Sam, but Cooper is one week shy of four, and while he is very bright, I am not sure that he will get it. So please give me ideas!
I have been very lazy as of late, letting them watch too long, etc. I realized this when I noticed that the one-week-shy-of-two year old is captivated by the TV. I really don't think that the high ratio of TV to toy time is the affector; I think he is just becoming interested. I just don't to foster it now, especially when I think has finally perfected his tantrum cry. So do I impose the "No TV Week" now, and detox them now, knowing that I am having a baby next week, or do I wait and let them become more influenced by the Sketchers ads on Saturday mornings? I think I will find something better to stress about, like lactation.

For the record, I did check my camera for pictures, just in case I took one, but no. Every picture on there has been taken by my one-week-shy-of-two year old. I wish I had some cute new ones, but old ones will have to do. In honor of our new baby arriving on the 16th, I have posted a few baby pictures of the others.

Pictures in order: Jacob, Cooper, Sam