I'll be finishing my latest Wedding Cake Portrait this week - check out the full image on my Facebook page. The work stalled since I came down with a fever / infection from nursing this week. But I'm feeling better and will be going to the studio today to work on it.
I've almost come to terms with wrapping up giving my son breast milk. He was tongue-tied at birth and very difficult to nurse so as an alternative after help from many resources with little success I decided to solely express milk. I've managed so far, but the schedule four times / day, about an extra two hours, spent attached to the breast pump is not only difficult to stick to considering my work, it's also becoming exhausting and is probably the cause of my illness this week.
Many moms and other breastfeeding proponents have been encouraging my breastfeeding. But, they don't seem to understand my situation and my schedule. I was initially hoping to nurse for a year, but considering Joel's circumstances, the shift to pumping shifted my goals to pump for six months. I've exceeded those expectations by going for 7 1/2 months and by the time I gradually stop, it will probably go well into 8 months.
I have to thank my best friend (a stay at home mom who has nursed both her two girls for a year) for putting it very bluntly and told me not to feel badly if I stop and I shouldn't compare myself to her b/c her job is as stay at home mom, and she added that her kids watch too much TV. She reaffirmed the notion that no mom is perfect and we do the best we can for our kids, given our situations. Thanks, Rach, for supporting me, making me laugh, and being honest! So as the wedding cake becomes more complete, so will my pumping sessions.
