While we were there, both got weighed again. Gabi is at 11 lb 13 oz & Ian is 11 lb 11 oz. He did quite a bit of catching up since their 2 mth well baby exam! I'm so proud of him. I also discussed w/ the dr going to a 3.5 hr feeding schedule & she gave us the green light to go to a 4 hr schedule. You know me, no hestitating at all! As soon as we got home rather than feeding them at 11am, I went ahead & stretched them out to 12pm. It worked w/o any problems at all. They were obviously ready for the change! Monday was a bit weird since we were off by an hour but now we have our new schedule...
5am ~ Snack bottle w/ Todd (He feeds them before going to work otherwise they would make it until 6:30 but he saves me the hassle of having to wake up then & having an odd schedule the rest of the day. I'm sure the kids will be ready in the next month or so to drop that feeding all together.)
9am ~ 5.5 oz bottle w/ me
10:30-11:30/12 ~ nap
1pm ~ 5.5 oz bottle w/ me
2-4:30-5 ~ nap
5pm ~ 5.5 oz bottle w/ us
8pm ~ 6 oz bottle w/ us
8:30pm ~ Down for the count!
We don't want them to eat at 9pm b/c I am still pumping & start doing that no later than 9pm so I can be in bed asleep by 10pm. I'm still waking up in the middle of the night to pump. Many people think I am crazy but I have to tell you that the prolactin level is at its highest between 1am & 4am & by pumping during that time, I set the volume for the day. I am officially making enough to feed the kids all their bottles w/ breast milk. No supplementing at this moment. Actually, I take that back, about every 3-4 days they get 1 formula bottle. Not too shabby! GO BOOBIES! So this is my new pumping schedule...
3am ~ 16-18 oz
8am ~ 16-18 oz
12pm ~ 12-14 oz
4pm ~ 10-12 oz
8:30pm ~ 12 oz
I average about 72 oz per day which is 3/4 of a gallon of milk. I feel like a professional human COW! Todd & I sat down to figure out how much we are saving per month. A can of formula is $16, times that by 7 b/c the kids would go through a can a day & that is $112 per week. Multiply that by 52 & you get a grand total of...drum roll please...
$5824 per year!
Seriously, that is enough motivation to continue pumping for a year. I'm down to 5 sessions a day & if I could get down to 4 w/o losing my supply which means continuing to wake up in the middle of the night, then I'll do it! That is QUITE A BIT OF MONEY! Oh, I have to tell you I have a guilty pleasure...my treat for waking up at 3am is an oatmeal cream pie. My excuse is that oatmeal helps produce milk, wink, wink.
For those of you expecting triplets or are in the throws of those 1st 90 days at home w/ them, it does & will get better. I didn't think I would see the light at the end of the tunnel but it is happening. We are slowly starting to get our lives together again & w/ a schedule that is manageable for all of us. Todd & I are actually eating dinners cooked by me again. I don't know what we would have done w/o our parents those 1st few months b/c w/o them, we would not have eaten. THANK YOU! Life is getting on track. It feels great!
For you picture people, here are the latest...
Uncle Iancho & Ianchito playing on the computer.
Ianchito LOVEs his fingers, especially that thumb.
Sofi practicing how to sit up like a big girl.
Gabi loves to kick while she is in her bouncy chair.
6 comments:
They are getting SO BIG!!
I've said it before and I'll say it again: you're my hero for pumping as much as you do! That's so AWESOME. And I think the reason I didn't pump is because I DID feel like a cow...and I hated it. But you are just so awesome.
I found your blog randomly and I've been reading recently - but I had to post about this. That is a seriously impressive amount of milk you are pumping!!! I've never been able to get more than 8 ounces at once, and even that is rare. Go you!
Thanks ladies! I just know it is the best thing for my kids so it is worth it. Besides, it gives me a chance to get on the computer otherwise I wouldn't have time!
I've been following your blog since being pregnant with twins (who are 6 weeks this week and EBF). I am soooo impressed by your dedication to give breastmilk to your babies. You are an inspiration. No complaining from me for feeding just 2!
congratulations mama.
You are a pumping rockstar!!! I am so impressed. I so wish I could done better, I just didn't produce very much. I think we had figured that we spent something like $7,000 in formula that first year. CRAZY!!!
:)Katie
Mom to triplet girls- 3 1/2 years old
www.lenhartfamily.blogspot.com
well we just had identical triplet gurls, they are all on the same 3 hr feeding schedule for now.Do you e any advice for me for night feedings once my husband goes back to work?
Post a Comment