Monday, May 4, 2009

The Pump Station

This blog is about breastfeeding - so if that freaks you out, stop reading!

I have been searching for things to do during my day so I don't go out of my mind. One of the moms in my Yoga class suggested a support group for nursing mothers at "The Pump Station" (cute name, I think). I went today for the first time and I can't believe how much information I got. It was well worth the effort of getting me and Teo ready.

But let's start from the beginning. I walked into the store (it's a store with products and such and then there's a classroom and a mommy's lounge in the back with couches and a fridge) when I see an older, nice looking lady assisting a customer and she looks so familiar. I finally realize who it is . . . "Jeanie," I say, "Jeanie Vercillo?" She looks at me and has no idea who I am. I think I must look very different than I used to. I tell her who I am and she comes over and gives me hug. She works at the store and is very nice and helpful. She gave me 40% off of a nursing bra I purchased! That is a great deal. She says hi to everyone.

So I'm the first one at the class which starts at 1pm. There are these special chairs with no legs along the perimeter of the room. They have a back to them, but they just sit on the floor. Next to them are several pillows to assist with nursing your baby. I go in and start nursing because baby is crying and pretty soon other mothers come in, sit down, and start doing the same thing. It started to make me laugh. I was sitting in a room with a bunch of nursing mothers all having a conversation at the same time. This class, by the way, is for babies 0 to 4 months so everyone is experiences roughly the same thing. I did see another one of the mothers in my Yoga class there.

I found out GREAT information . . . like when the Mommy and Me MOVIES were. I can go see a movie (current) with my baby at the theatre with other mommies on Mon. and Wed. at this certain theatre. They even have changing tables in the theatre so you don't have to leave the theatre when you need to change your baby.






I can go see "Wolverine!!!"






I also found out that Teo is "clamping" down on me so that is why I am SO sore. I thought that it was other things that I was doing wrong, but it is just that my baby's jaw is very tight, normally from a hard labor. There's NOTHING I can do except take a lot of Motrin and just wait for his jaw to loosen and stop doing it. The teacher said probably between 8 to 10 weeks old. At least I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

They have a scale there, so I weighed my baby. He is now TEN pounds! Hooray. And I also learned that I'm probably not feeding him as often as he'd like. I learned that babies go through a "marathon" eating period in the late afternoon when they want to eat every hour. I thought he was just being fussy during that time, but he really just wants to eat more!

I'm looking forward to my next meeting, and possibly movie, next week. I can't believe it's been a month since baby was born.

Finally, after the class, I went next door to El Pollo Loco and got a burrito for lunch. Inside there was a crazy man having a loud conversation with himself by talking to his reflection in the window. Once I made my order and was filling my drink at the soda fountain, he decided to come over and have a conversation with me. We talked about Teo and how he hopes the baby will play baseball when he grows up because he, himselft, is really good at baseball. To end the conversation he asked me if I would like him to buy me a taco? I said, "no thank you."

It was a very eventful day!

8 comments:

Julie/mom said...

Wow, Great stories! I think that Jeanie owns that place...could be wrong, but don't think so. She owns it with another woman. I had no idea they did classes and all there. Was the class free? Isn't it in LA?

Glad you posted!

G Dawney said...

Candice, VERY glad you posted. I've been reading Gil's posts on Baby Teo as well. It's nice to hear from you.

Tatia said...

Excellent post...loved the man at El Pollo Loco. That must be his local hangout because I saw him when I was there after Baby's birth! No kidding. Next time ask Jeannie about Jacquie... Is her son playing baseball at SLCC?

Tatia said...

Quinn & Zak must have skipped this post, because I know they would have had SOMETHING to say! ...YUK!

Candice said...

The first class is free, after that it's $15 - well worth it for my sanity. The store I went to was in Hollywood, hence, the crazy man. The other store is in Santa Monica and Jeanie said they were opening a third store soon. She did talk about all her children, and yes the son is playing baseball, but not at SL anymore, somewhere else.

Nana said...

Good story, CMPJ. Am glad you got to go out! Jeanie Vercillo is an interesting woman. I like her much better than I like her kids. I hope you get to keep going to the classes. Are you still in Yoga? My eyes are about to slam shut - got to go - am going downstairs to see one of the stories in the series of "Foyle's War" purchased for us by Robin Grey. Love you.

Bethany said...

Wow Candice! I'm so happy for you that you have found a breastfeeding support group and class. You are very lucky! I attended a breastfeeding class a few weeks ago here on our Army post. I was so not impressed. It was very vague, super brief and I really don't think I learned anything new. You have helped me to decide that I need to look for a breastfeeding support group or class away from our Army post when we get to North Carolina.

Candice said...

Definitely, Bethany. Even after nursing Tanner for a year, I still needed and learned so much from this class. And listening to other people go through the same thing you go through is also very helpful and encouraging. Many people struggle with breastfeeding, so if you have a hard time, don't give up. Often it takes a couple months before everything is working smoothly.