The Bookish Girl

Working Boobs ~ 2007-05-07

Posted in General,Hey! She knits.,Nobody puts Baby in the corner by Bookish Wendy at 11:54 am.
39

I am back to work today. Today is only the 4th time I have left Sophia (the 3rd time was only this past Saturday) and the 1st time for longer than a few hours. I am presently sitting at my desk in my office with tandem breast pumps attached to my boobs listening to the hmm-whosh of the breast pump. Not fun, not attractive but necessary. This is all hard. But I think I am doing okay. At least for today and when today is over I will worry about tomorrow and when that is over I will worry about the following day. That is really all any of us can do.

The upside (there is ALWAYS and upside) is that I have given myself permission to use this time during my day to write. Write for the blog, write for myself, write. So, with any luck and assuming I can keep my work load under control you should be hearing from me a bit more often. I have two hands free for the first time in three months. It’s amazing what you can do with these suckers.

Me back at work means another thing. The little miss is three months old.

DSCF8360

She is doing great. Just yesterday she actually played with a toy. She engaged in it rather than the usual random whapping with the flying arm. She could kill a ninja with those arms. She’s that skilled.

The dress she is wearing is Debbie Bliss’s Picot Dress from her book Special Knits.

DSCF8382

I used Rowan RYC Cashsoft 4-ply. I absolutely love, love, love this yarn. Love. If I knit it again I would do it in the round and I eliminated the pocket. Otherwise – the pattern was knit as intended. So. Cute.

PS – The Chux Pads are awesome for the office breast-pumping.

PPS – I was getting spammed to death and have implemented a few plugins to manage it. If the comments are wonky please let me know via the contact button.

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39 Comments »

  1. PumpkinMama says:

    Who wouldn’t be heartbroken to leave that cutie pie – love that smile! This will be the worst part. You will adjust (as will Sohpia). It is hard. Glad you’re allowing yourself the pump-time to do something for yourself.

    I’m raising my pump horns in salute, as your virtual pump-buddy!

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 12:06 pm

  2. margene says:

    She is beautiful…and I’m not just saying that! She looks fabulous is the dress, too. It will be wonderful to hear from you more often.

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 12:07 pm

  3. Carole says:

    I went back to work when Hannah was 3 months old, too. It’s not easy but you get used to it. Oh, and I pumped at work and continued nursing successfully until she was 13 months old, so that can be done, too.
    I’m thinking about you guys today. Sophia is simply gorgeous!

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 12:11 pm

  4. Julie says:

    Oh my, what an absolute doll! It’s hard to believe she’s 3 months already. The dress is too cute; she’s going to be the best dressed baby around :)

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 12:14 pm

  5. Stephanie says:

    You definitely have the right attitude – one day at a time and using your pumping time for yourself. We’re on our second full week back at work. It’s hard , but it’s slightly better than it was last week and will be better next week, I’m sure. All the best to you and Sophia as you adjust!

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 12:17 pm

  6. Rachel H says:

    The little miss is gorgeous. And you can just tell she got the troublemaker gene from that first photo.

    I’m sad for you that you have to go back to work so soon (your country really needs to get better at the whole supported maternity leave thing. Really.) But I know you’ll be ok today and ok tomorrow and it’ll still be hard but you’ll do it and there’s absolutely nothing like coming home to that small face who thinks you’re the Absolute Best Thing Ever Invented.

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 12:18 pm

  7. Suzanne says:

    When my first son was 3 months old, I had to take a six-hour exam (no breaks for pumping). My breasts kept swelling, and swelling, and swelling, and suddenly, halfway through the exam, both the snaps on my nursing bra gave way, and my breasts sprung out and began spraying milk violently, milk soaking my shirt and running down my front–and there wasn’t a darn thing I could do about it, because I was in the middle of a timed exam!
    Hang in there. It’s hard, but you can do it. And it’s worth the trouble for your sweet angel.

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 12:18 pm

  8. Becky says:

    What a cutie pie! It will be great to read your blog more often, but totally understandable that you haven’t been able to write more often. Take care.

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 12:22 pm

  9. Elinor says:

    Oh, she looks absolutely adorable – cherubic, even – in her little dress! I hope your adjustment to being back at work is as easy as possible. Even now, when I leave Beatrix, I have to repeat “this is your job, your job is go study/to class and leave B with a babysitter. this is your job. your job is to go” or something like that. I find that it’s just those first 5 minutes now that are really hard. It got easier for me, although everyone is different! Good luck!!!!

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 12:34 pm

  10. loribird says:

    Wow, she’s getting so big! And cuter in every photo you post – hang in there, you’ll be home to her soon :) I’m glad to hear you’ll be writing more. It’s important to have non-mommy-Me-time too.
    The dress is fantastic; looks like it will fit for awhile.

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 12:42 pm

  11. Vicki says:

    She’s the sweetest, most beautiful-est Baby Bookette.

    Ok, so here’s me, 22 years ago practically as we speak, with my 6-week old infant first daughter WITH me at work and no office of my own — a few minutes in the swing, nurse, a little bit of sleep in her bassinette, nurse, answer the phone, nurse, swing, nurse, take care of a customer (but not while nursing), nurse. OMG, I lasted only a few weeks with that craziness — I didn’t know if I was coming or going. Luckily, there was a daycare provider close enough that I could go and nurse at lunchtime (Katie never would take a bottle, no matter what the contents). I did pump a bit — in the friggin’ bathroom — but only to relieve pressure and we settled into a nice routine.

    And that’s what you’ll do, too. You’ll all settle into a nice routine — without all that worrying stuff. There’ll be changes, give & take, maybe not perfect, but it’ll be the best y’all can do and, hell, what more can you do?

    XO XO XO

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 12:43 pm

  12. Johanna says:

    I’ve been thinking of you today. Be strong and look forward to tonight. HUGS!

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 12:49 pm

  13. meg says:

    i hope the days fly by so you can get back to her. she’s adorable.

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 12:49 pm

  14. maya says:

    ack! She is just too cute!!!

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 12:51 pm

  15. Katy says:

    Good luck with the transition!
    Many years ago I worked for a Maternal Child Health program, and one of the nurses had just returned from maternity leave. She had the cubicle opposite mine in our (low walled) cube farm, and at the end of the day I could hear the whoosh-whoosh of her pump while she did her paperwork. I loved being in an office where no one blinked at bare breasts! lol

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 1:05 pm

  16. Cara says:

    My sister would always call me from work when she was pumping. We had to talk over that whoosh whoosh.

    She’s absolutely gorgeous and I’m sure you miss her so much it hurts you. I hope you’re doing okay. Sending out my love.

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 1:18 pm

  17. Liz K says:

    Wendy, Sophia is simply beautiful. Make that first photo your wallpaper!

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 1:44 pm

  18. cheryl says:

    She is just too cute! I love that little dress on her too!

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 1:56 pm

  19. Susan says:

    She’s so beautiful.

    I went back to work, part-time, when Boogie was 3 months old. It was so hard and I cried in the car all the way to work. Hang in there. You’ll find a rhythm in no time.

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 2:14 pm

  20. JulieFrick says:

    Whoa. You are blogging AND pumping? What kind of pump do you have? I always had to hold those frickin’ bottles in place. PLEASE share!

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 4:34 pm

  21. claudia says:

    You can sure paint a vivid word-picture.

    ;-)

    Your daughter has a beautiful smile.

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 4:43 pm

  22. Kellee says:

    I’ve seen England, I’ve seen France, I’ve seen Sophia’s underpants. :)

    I would ask if she could be any cuter, but I feel like I say that every time I see her & it’s probably getting old by now.

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 4:49 pm

  23. Lindsay says:

    No more lurking for me.. I just have to say she gets prettier and prettier with every picture you post.

    I found out that I am 6 weeks pregnant about 3 weeks after beginning to read your blog – so I’m taking as many notes as I can!!! Thanks for the mommy humor and advice!

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 4:57 pm

  24. kniternet says:

    That is one beautiful baby! Good luck with being back at work and happy writing with two free hands.

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 6:07 pm

  25. Stephanie says:

    She is adorable! So is the dress.

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 6:15 pm

  26. Karen says:

    Intense Cuteness!

    Taking things one day at a time is a really good idea.

    Oh the cuteness!

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 6:16 pm

  27. mai says:

    oh my god, she is so beautiful!

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 7:15 pm

  28. Sarah says:

    Yay for you! Sophie is beautiful, I have to delurk to say that, and you…you are fabulous. This world needs more smart healthy balanced moms like you (even in those times you don’t think you are, you are doing a wonderful job!).

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 7:34 pm

  29. Wanda says:

    What a sweet pumpkin, she’s just delicious. Beautiful knitted dress too. I’m sorry that you have to be back at work, but all you can do is take it one day at a time. I may see you at the NH S&W this weekend.

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 8:19 pm

  30. Cathi says:

    Awwww- what a sweetheart. Just like her mama.

    The more Wendy, the better, I say.

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 8:51 pm

  31. Erin says:

    She is *so* gorgeous. Can’t wait to see her again!

    Changes ahead for your family — but I know you can handle them with grace and humor. :)

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 10:14 pm

  32. nova says:

    Welcome back to work! It gets easier, I think. Especially when you know you have so much cuteness to come home to. And wow, pumping and blogging at the same time? You are quite the multi-tasker!

    Comment - May 7, 2007 : 10:17 pm

  33. Karma says:

    Like other commenters, I have a baby girl and I, too, went back to work at about three months. It’s bittersweet… I love my job and I love our daycare provider (the kids call her Nanny), but it was still hard to leave her little toes to someone else for a whole day. And find time to pump, etc. But we’re at 10 months now and things are going great. In retrospect, this whole year is going by sooo quickly, but in the day-to-day sometimes that was hard to imagine.

    Enjoy your sweet darling baby girl. She’s so beautiful! And she looks so much like you. Her dress is precious!

    xoxo

    Comment - May 8, 2007 : 12:16 am

  34. Eva says:

    What a gorgeous lil munchkin Sophia is :)

    Wow, I didn’t realise that in the US you only had 3 months after the baby’s birth before you had to go back to work. Here in Lux you start 2 months before your due date plus 3 months after (at full pay), but then you can either have another 6 months full time parental leave (and your get 80% of your pay) or 1 year part time. The parental leave is also valid for fathers. They can take the parental leave within 3 years after the birth of the child.

    Cheers Eva

    Comment - May 8, 2007 : 12:17 pm

  35. katie says:

    Sophia is just the cutest darn baby ever, I think. Holy smokes!

    Rock on with your pumping self!

    Comment - May 8, 2007 : 12:37 pm

  36. KnittingPainterWoman says:

    I had no idea there were now dual expression nursing pump/bras, etc. etc. What WILL they think of next. So glad that you have necessary respites so that you write.
    Sophia is darling as is her dress. And the resemblance to Dad IS a bit spooky. Happy Mother’s Day.

    Comment - May 13, 2007 : 12:38 am

  37. Arianne says:

    Could you post some more details on how you pump at work?

    Besides the tips you posted recently I mean.

    Also, your baby is really beautiful. :)

    Comment - May 15, 2007 : 10:21 am

  38. kelli ann says:

    that baby girl is so sweet!! you sound like you’re doing well with all of the changes life throws at you: cheers.

    Comment - June 12, 2007 : 10:15 am

  39. Doe says:

    Good site! I’ll stay reading! Keep improving!

    Comment - November 10, 2007 : 5:15 am

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