End of an era... at least a little era

I packed up my Medela Lactina yesterday. Sigh. If you don't know what that is. You probably don't really want to know.

One benefit - and truly, no tongue in cheek here, it is a benefit - of working where I work is that if you are a woman, after you have a baby, you get the use of a hospital grade breast pump for 6 months. Really, really nice benefit since you also get the kit that goes with it.

I love the Lactinas. I really, really do. Last year after I finagled an extra month of use out of the one I had on loan I looked at purchasing one on eBay. They ran about $800. After gasping a little, I decided at that point to buy a new PIS-A instead, which I used for that last 5 months.

So comparison now that I have experienced both... the Lactina is worlds above the PIS-A. There is a reason for the price discrepancy. I can expect my supply now to take a dip. Which is fine as I near these last 4.5 months of pumping daily. AB is probably hoping it does dip since we truly have no more room in the freezer.

(Which by the way, I was told there was a special on Dateline about donating breastmilk internationally, anyone have the info? I exhausted all avenues regarding local donation "just in case" I really ended up with that much. See I am an over producer. Massive, massive over producer. Like 13 gallons in my freezer over producer. You really wanted to know that didn't you? And no, I am not going to make soap, or cheese.)

This time I didn't need to finagle another month. When I got the e-mail saying "bring it down tomorrow", I could do it. Which by the way, how about a little reminder. Something like "just a hint from benefits... your child is now 6 months... you know what that means!" It would probably minimize those number of panicked e-mails back from moms saying "Wait! It can't be! I still need it!"

It's my second run with the big blue box. Kind of sad to think about hauling it in. But I will head down to hand it over to a brand new mom with a brand new itty bitty baby of her own.

Mine? Not so bitty anymore. All 23 pounds of her courtesy of mama milk.