May I have your attention please?

After 1 year, 5 days, 12 hours, and 35 minutes (give or take) I am DONE PUMPING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been pumping 4 times a day, and feeding Jack from the tap 3-4 times a day since he was born. I'm still going to breastfeed him morning and night until he's 2 or weans himself, but I don't have to drag my stupid pump with me to work anymore!

It has been a very long and very tough road, but I did it and I'm pretty damn proud of myself, and don't mind saying so. It's worked well enough for me that I never had to open the emergency can of formula the hospital sends home with you.

In the last 12 months, I have survived the following:
1) a kid with an extremely powerful latch. We're talking the Incredible Hulk of breastfeeding. In the hospital the lactation consultant couldn't figure out why his latch hurt so much because everything was correct. He was laying in his bassinet next to the bed, so she put her finger in his mouth to test the latch. She went to take it out and ended up dragging him to the other end of the bassinet because he wouldn't let go. O-U-C-H
2) flat nips. I had to use a nipple shield for 9 weeks
3) weaning off the nipple shield. So frustrating
4) A baby with GERD which means I constantly had vomit on my nips, and had to keep him upright for 30 minutes after he ate.
5) Mastitis, countless clogged ducts, and 2 milk blisters which caused me to pump blood and almost throw up from the pain.
6) A dairy-free diet for 7 months (and counting) because of Jack's dairy allergy
7) A painful over supply that led to 300 oz being stored in my freezer
8) 6 months of a dwindling supply which was made worse by 300 oz in my freezer that I couldn't use because it contained dairy
9) A nursing strike
10) Pretty funny baby torture
11) Trying to find non-disgusting places to pump in while at meetings and conferences for work.

Through all the tough times, I pushed through and made it the full year. Troy has always been supportive and would hold my hand when I would almost puke from the pain of the initial latch.
Thanks for all your help babe. And thanks for playing "find the nipple shield in the sheets" with me at 3 am many many mornings.

For those just beginning their nursing career, I'll tell you truthfully that it's one of the hardest things you'll ever do. But, if it wasn't worth it to me, I wouldn't have made it this far. A few pieces of advice: you're not always going to like it, but never quit on a bad day. Take it one feeding at a time, and make sure you have a lot of support from family.

Thanks girls, you've done me proud