Production Reduction, What's Your Function?

WARNING: For those of you that read this blog to keep up to date on the exciting adventures of LP, this post may be a little too much information. I recommend you enjoy this new photo of my girl instead and stop reading. Caption: Silly Grandpa, don't you have enough pictures?

Hopefully my fellow new moms stuck around despite the ominous warning.

I am one of those lucky nursing moms whose body has returned to normal way before I am ready. Right around the time LP reached the 6 month milestone, my typical female processes returned to order. This is not ideal for many reasons. Not the least of which is that I didn't miss it so much.

More importantly it causes my milk production to decrease for a week or so every month. This bites. It makes me feel bad for not giving my baby girl enough milk and it stresses me out. It also makes all of those people who believe 10 months is too long to be nursing think they are right. They aren't but it makes them smug.

Yesterday I spoke with a lactation consultant who implied that my body was signaling that all systems are go - as in ready to have baby number 2!! While my mother is probably thrilled at this idea, it makes me think too much. We definitely want at least one more child, but the decision is just as complicated as the first time around. How long should we wait in between children? Do we want to have a break from diaper duty or should we just get it all out of the way over a 5 year (or so) span? Would I want to be a stay-at-home mom once I have two kids in day care? What does this mean for my career prospects?

I know there is no perfect solution, so I am going to stop thinking about it and instead focus on cajoling my girls into working harder to produce. I know I can't be the only one out there that practices telepathy on my boobs while pumping...