Dwelling in Possibility: Progress Update

Last week, I attended a training in Austin about how to start a charter school. When I first heard about the training, I thought, “There’s no way I can go. It’s in the middle of May, and Henry won’t even be three months yet. I won’t be able to pump enough milk to leave him in Houston with a babysitter while I travel all the way to Austin and back. And if I did pump enough milk, where would I pump while I was at the training so my breasts don’t get engorged?”

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I simply had to go. I want to be the kind of mother who follows her passions and is there for her son. I enlisted Matt’s help with brainstorming different ideas to make it work.

Finally, I remembered that one of my dear friends from New Orleans had offered to travel to Houston after Henry’s birth to help out. I asked her if she would be willing to trek with Henry and me to Austin and then take care of him while I attended the training (and bring him over to be breastfed when he needed it). She agreed to my audacious request!

The day before the training, I was really stressed about waking up at 4am, getting ready, feeding Henry, driving three hours to Austin, arriving during rush-hour traffic, feeding Henry again, and making it to the training early enough to look professional. I even thought, “What the heck was I thinking? This is too much!”

But somehow, the day went perfectly smoothly. Henry slept through the night until it was time to feed him that morning, we left the house on time, Henry talked animatedly for several minutes and then started sucking on his fingers and fell asleep, we didn’t hit much traffic, and I was able to feed Henry in the parking garage.

My friend took Henry for walks around Austin and hung out at a coffee shop. She brought him back to me when I needed to feed him (I stepped out of the training and fed him in the car).

On the way home, Henry cried for about ten minutes and then fell asleep. He slept for our entire trip home.

I was so, so thankful that I didn’t let myself talk myself out of going to the training. I’m glad I did whatever it took to take care of my needs and Henry’s.

I just need to keep reminding myself of this the next time a challenging situation presents itself!

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8 Comments

Carrie

May 25, 2011 at 11:05 am Reply

You can also pump in the car when you need to; use the battery pack or car power cord. I've done that many times, sometimes even in the passenger seat when my husband was driving!

I go to a breast feeding group here in Maine, and we have talked about how best to build up a stored supply for reasons exactly like this. Because Henry seems to sleep through the night at least sometimes, assuming he doesn't eat everything you produce overnight, and assuming you have adequate supply otherwise, you might be a good candidate for what I do.

In the AM I feed my son from one side, then pump both sides. Lately, this has allowed me to save 5-6 oz each morning (it was about 1-3 oz for awhile–my son will be 6W Saturday), which I bag and freeze. I think I have six 6 oz bags frozen now. And yes, sometimes he decides he wants to eat again an hour after I pump. When this happens, 1. There is usually enough milk there to satisfy him, and 2. If not, he has some of what I pumped. It has worked well. I weighed my son yesterday, and he had gained 2lbs in 2 weeks! Yikes!

Anyway, I hope this helps. It's good to plan ahead with some frozen, in my opinion. You never know when you might need (or want) to be away from Henry for a bit.

Mich In Melbourne

May 25, 2011 at 1:20 pm Reply

Ooooh, Sara, what an amazing example of possibility thinking. What a star!

Anonymous

May 25, 2011 at 2:23 pm Reply

wow, inspiring!

~ellen

Andee

May 25, 2011 at 2:26 pm Reply

You inspire me, often times the only thing in my way is me. Thanks for the reminder. I'm so glad everything worked out!

Anna

May 25, 2011 at 4:04 pm Reply

This was just what I needed to read. You are an inspiration. Rock on!

Kelsey

May 25, 2011 at 4:40 pm Reply

Good job Sara, I love this!

lindel

May 26, 2011 at 2:15 am Reply

Good on you! Those first trips can be so daunting but you feel so much better and accomplished when you realize you can do it!

stef

May 29, 2011 at 4:50 am Reply

One of my dear friends was elected on to a local board (one level down from city council) at 9 months pregnant. Until the baby was about 4-5 months she took her baby with her along to council committee meetings/trainings etc. She even breastfed during her swearing in ceremony!

I think that your post brings up a really important point, the lack of welcoming spaces for woman and babies within the professional space. Given how many woman there are in teaching, it amazes me how unfamily friend the profession can be at times.