breastfeeding and briefcases August 19, 2008
So my several-day breastfeeding interruption is over. I have finished the baby-teeth-rotting antibiotics, and I am apparently no longer toxic to my babygurl. My sister asked whether I thought she would just wean altogether if I stopped nursing for 4 days. After all, I am already away from her (at my job) many hours each week, and she already drinks from a cup and bottle, and she eats lots of solids. Plus, during the several day hiatus, she really never asked to nurse.
But I know my kidlet, and I knew she would pick right back up where she left off once I was done with the drugs. And she did. And she nursed ALL NIGHT last night, which was exhausting, but also sorta lovely, after the break.
I will say that four days without nursing her gave me a real sense of what it must feel like to live with a botched, over-inflated set of implants. Yowza, I was ready to feed that baby. No, I didn’t pump. Because as I’ve mentioned many times before, I hate pumping, plus I’m pretty lazy that way, and I knew that after 13 months of breastfeeding, my supply wasn’t going anywhere. That’s just how my body works.
So now I am preparing for my first business trip with my brand new job. I’ll be traveling to Texas for several days. The older children will spend some extra time with their father, and Jon will be handling baby C. duties. I have another trip (this one just overnight, to Denver) slated for October.
Let me be very clear that I am not happy about the fact that I will be leaving my nursling child for several days. In a perfect world, I wouldn’t have to do it. I know it will be very hard on me, but she will be fine, because she has her Daddy (who is a full parent in every sense of the word, night and day), and her grandparents, and her Aunt Betsy.
Business travel with a young child is not ideal. But the bottom line is that I have to earn a living for my family, and my new job requires some away travel. That’s life, and we’re just going to have to deal with it. On the other hand, now that I am no longer working in a newsroom, I will not be getting the calls on the weekend to rush in to work (or stay really late some nights) because news is breaking.
(And by the way, as much I am enjoying the new gig, I really do miss my friends from my old job, and yes, the hustle and bustle of that newsroom.)
Katie, where in TX will you be?
Emily - I am going to Abilene. Is that anywhere near you guys? I have no clear idea of Texas geography
If you had pumped, you would have to have disposed of the milk due to the antibiotics, right? I’m just wondering if your current breast milk still contains the teeth altering substance due to the antibiotics since you didn’t pump. Or did your body absorb it? I know not of these things and wonder how that works.
Jessie that is a seriously good question.
It is fine she did not pump, at this point (13 months) the milk production is on on the endocrine (like tears and sweat) system and does not sit idle in her breasts waiting. Once the medication is out of her body it is out of her milk.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Katie, Look on the bright side of traveling, having time for yourself and being alone!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dewi - I actually thought about e-mailing you to ask you the answer to that VERY good question that the previous commenter asked. I honestly did not know the answer. SO thanks for clearing that up
Aw, too bad — Abilene’s not close to Houston (or much else, really). We’re in southeast TX and it’s kind of right in the middle. I would have invited you over to have a drink and meet the new baby! He was born on Saturday and is gorgeous, cute, and fun already.