My newborn had a type 1 tongue tie and although we did a release (very glad we did, it changed his quality of life drastically) he held a strong preference for the bottle.

I was an over supplier too. So weaning felt like more work at the time. 

I went back to work full time at 4 months postpartum and saw a drop in supply. Around my second week back, I was losing my mind. Even with an accommodating workplace and pump breaks, I felt like I had zero time and had lost almost all my time caretaking for my baby. 

So I decided to slowly start weaning with a goal of finishing at 6 months. I had a large freezer stash and started to introduce formula and built up more of a stash.

Now at 6 months, I'm officially done and looking back at the data- I am so proud and guilt free.

Sometimes, it was the data that kept me going. The proof of how hard I had worked. And I've been so surprised by it.

My data is on the low end- my mobile pump (momcozy) hours aren't included, I have lots of gaps in data, sessions recorded without amounts. Even with these gaps, the insights are impressive! 

171 hours pumping (that's the equivalent of 6.5 full work weeks)

3800+ ounces (that's 30 gallons of milk)

76,000+ calories burned (2-3 races of the tour de france!)

This has brought up so many thoughts and feelings about the expectations we set and support (we have or lack) for mothers. But, all of that aside- I am really proud of myself for the work I put in and for knowing when to call it. 

Mentally, what I was doing wasn't sustainable. Now my baby is getting the best version of me, a bottle of breast milk a day, iron rich formula, and yummy yummy solids (he loooooves green beans).

You should feel so proud too. For trying. For keeping going. For quitting. For pivoting. Whatever your journey has looked like- feeding our little ones is not linear and you are doing your true best.

Calling it quits at 6 months- couldn't be happier or more proud.