Here's the deal. I've gone to Austin City Limits music festival for the past four years in a row. It's a tradition for D and I, one that I love. That being said, while I was pretty damn pregnant last year, this is obviously my first year with a kiddo I'd be away from, which poses a multitude of problems.
Forget for a second, if you will, that despite her being over eight months old, she's never had a sitter.
Forget, as well, that I've never been away from her for more than six hours.
Those two things I could get over, as, eventually, I'll have to get over it and be apart from my little sweetie for longer than a handful of hours. To be honest, there are days I *wish* she was going to daycare, when I have a laundry list of things to do and a baby that's just not having it. As of right now, D's parents are coming into town to watch her, which....should be interesting. So forget those two things above.
My dilemma involves how to deal with pumping. I'm going to be gone for at least 11-12 hours, from roughly 11AM-11PM. While for those of you with babies that sleep twelve hour stretches may be in a position to go that long without nursing/pumping, A still eats in the middle of the night, as well as often during the day, and frankly, I'm not sure how to address this in order to be able to go. While I've slowly but surely become more comfortable nursing in public, I am just NOT going to pump in public. I just can't do it. It's isolating enough being the lone couple with a child, but to be sequestered off in a corner pumping under a nursing cover in a venue of like 100,000 people. Uh, no thanks.
Are there other options? Since I only have a one-day pass this year, I'm not able to leave and re-enter, which would be the easy and obvious fix. And while I don't think my milk will dry up by any means if I went that long, I would be VERY uncomfortable. Like bursting, leaking, in pain uncomfortable.
Ideas?
I know this probably won't be very helpful advice especially since you mentioned not wanting to pump while there, but one option that might help to relieve the uncomfortableness for a little bit to get through the day is to take a bathroom break and hand express enough milk to give you a little relief (or stick a small manual pump in your purse and express a little while taking that bathroom break). Wish I could volunteer something more to help you. :-(
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Jennifer. I had to do just that when we went to Canton. I couldn't breastfeed P for like 10 hours. I brought my pump in the car and pumped on the way there. Then when I got engorged, I hand expressed milk in a starbucks cup while sitting on the potty. Not pretty, but it felt damn good. Then I pumped in the car on the way home. Hope that helps!
ReplyDeleteThis is quite a dilemma.... my best advice for your situation is to just not pump. Yes, you might be uncomfortable and yes, you might leak a little (wear the pad inserts!) but considering everything think this is your only real option...besides going to the bathroom to hand express a little to relieve some pressure/milk or use a hand expresser..which I have never tried. I have pumped in my car multiple times but as you can't even leave and re-enter, that isn't an option either. I can't imagine your supply will decrease from this one time either... so... enjoy the big boobs and the festival!!! :)
ReplyDeleteFirst, let me just say that I love aleelavine's comment - "enjoy the big boobs!" Hahaha...
ReplyDeleteIf you can get to your car {does no re-entry include cars?} they do sell adapters so you can run the pump in the car. I've done that and it works well. You could definitely pump in the car on the way there and home. That might take the edge off.
I wouldn't worry about your supply going down from just 1 day. Good luck!
First of all, I am so sorry about your grandma. I can't begin to imagine how that must feel. I have had some scares with my dad- at just 45 he had quintuple bypass surgery and last year lost part of his left leg in a motorcycle accident, but luckily I was here and living with him for both. I would have been a wreck if I couldn't have been here with him. Are you able to visit for a quick trip?
ReplyDeleteAs for the music festival, why not bring A with you? Is that just not an option? I know it would be a bit of a pain, but you could wear her (although that could get hot for you both) or just have her in the stroller. I can see why you wouldn't want to bring her, but have you considered it? I definitely wouldn't worry about your supply. I've never gone that long during the day so I have no idea what it will feel like, but hopefully it won't be that bad!
Oh, and I have never left Jack either (except for daycare while I'm at work) so don't feel bad! I have no plans to do so anytime soon. I'm even taking a day off of work to go see Harry Potter. But, at least I have that option since he is in daycare. Go and have fun. You need it!!
I can't give you any better advice than everyone here except to say I disagree with Rene...bringing A to an outdoor venue (or even indoor) with the masses of people and noise...it would freak ME out, I can't imagine how a baby would feel.
ReplyDeleteI know my daughter would be completely overstimulated in like, an hour, and she's normally a relatively patient kid (for being 14 months old, that is.)
Have fun at the festival and good luck!
I think I'd hand express in the bathroom as well... even if you did it for five minutes, it would be enough relief for you that you could make it through.
ReplyDeleteAs for not leaving Ava... have NO guilt about that... I haven't left Liara for more than 2 hours and that was only once and I knew she'd be sleeping the whole time. :/ Even so, I do remember having a slight breakdown anyway. Lol.
Just as an update to this thread, there is now a breast feeding/pumping friendly tent available at Kiddie Limits at ACL. And it's open till 7. You should also be able to bring in a "medical" cooler to keep your supply cold.
ReplyDeleteI'm going this weekend and I just wanted to verify this. I haven't found anything on their website.
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