First post-infertility, postpartum, post-pandemic trip to do field work in the Galapagos is now only days away!
Headed to Darwin island to collect coral cores with my collaborator and former advisor who will be featured in a new big documentary film on climate change in the Galapagos. Flattered to be chosen to accompany her on this opportunity to help collect precious samples & logger data.
That said, this was a “yes” I made while still pregnant, totally ignorant of what 9 months postpartum would look like. It was an obvious yes, and one I don’t regret, but needless to say I now understand why my collaborator (who has 2 kiddos of her own) was so surprised when I did say yes.
It’s been weeks-months of “power pumping” all hours of the day, between feeds & even during feeds, to bank enough extra milk each day to accumulate the 400+ ounces of milk Marcus will need for the 12 days I’m away. On top of working 8+ hour days, this has exhausted me to my bones.
My journey back to diving was a slow, and humbling process too. It stared only ~8 weeks postpartum with training to become a dive master (in retrospect: what was I thinking?!?!). The first day back in the pool, I could barely swim 200 m of the required 400 m swim. Slowly, I worked up my strength and navigated my new-postpartum (buoyant 
) body for diving. Ankle weights became a thing to counter the extra weight of my milk jugs, and calf cramps from constant electrolyte imbalances of being breastfeeding momma have become a norm. I had to fight the patriarchy to get re-approved for scientific diving after my inactivity from years of infertility struggles then pregnancy, but I am SO PROUD of myself for the journey back. I feel strong going into the trip & capable of doing anything!
That said, it’s going to be a tough trip. We’re going to some difficult dive sites– strong currents combined w/ drilling gear will provide a constant challenge. I’ll have to pump every chance I get to avoid mastitis, especially after the overstimulation my breasts had in the weeks leading up to the trip. I’ll tote a cooler to store as much as I can for the journey home, then rest will have to be tossed.
And most critically, I’ll miss the hell out of my son. I never thought it was possible to love any being so much, and 12 days away will break my heart.
I’ll try to update my blog as much as possible when I’m away– the beautiful, sometime ugly, journey of a working momma (field edition) 
Tropical Climate & Coral Reefs Lab 