Breastfeeding

I heard a lot of horror stories about breastfeeding before I was pregnant and while I was pregnant.  It was something I really wanted to try to do but I was afraid.  Hearing about sore, bloody and cracked nipples could put fear into the heart of anyone, I would think.  I remember texting my sister, telling her that I was more afraid of breastfeeding than going into labor.  A lot of ladies told me their stories of how they tried to breastfeed and didn't like it, couldn't do it, didn't produce enough...I never heard anything positive so I braced myself for the worst.  I got lucky.  Breastfeeding came easy for me.  The first few days were tough of course.  I had to work with Weston for 20 minutes at a time to get him to latch on and make sure he tried to nurse for at least 10 minutes to get colostrum.  I know in those early days he'd always fall asleep but soon I was able to get him to latch without much effort.  I definitely experienced some soreness but no bleeding and nothing cracked! There was that toe curling, 30 seconds of pain during a few initial nursing sessions but it subsided after a week or two.  It took my milk FIVE DAYS (seemed like forever) to come in and on the day it came in, I got a care package from a friend.  The care package contained Earth Mama Angel Baby Nipple Butter, Booby Tubes and Mother's Milk Tea.  It was the most thoughtful gift and came at the exact time I needed it.  I hope I can do this same thing for a friend one day too.

I used the nipple cream religiously, after every feeding.  Prior I was using Lanisol but Weston hated the taste of it and I noticed on the Earth Mama package it stated it contained no Lanisol.  

The Booby Tubes are AWESOME you can put them in the freezer or microwave.  I kept them in freezer and would put them in my bra every night before bed, after many, many hours of daytime nursing.  I really looked forward to the relief they provided. 

I buy the Target brand Mother's Milk Tea now and try to drink a cup a day.  I think it's an acquired taste (black licorice-y). 

There are a few things I think helped with my success (so far) in breastfeeding.  I know everyone is different and what worked for me may not work for you and that's okay.  One thing motherhood has taught me is to NEVER judge other moms because we are all just trying to survive and however you want to feed your baby is fine with me...just feed your baby and keep on keeping on.  My cousin had her baby 10 weeks early and he spent nearly 23 days in the NICU.  She pumped milk for him but he was bottle fed the entire time and wouldn't nurse.  She worked with him and his latch for 6 weeks when he got home because she wanted to breastfeed him and she was successful, eventually getting him to nurse! He's still going strong 7 months later.  I tell you that just to show that everyone and their experience is different.

Since Weston was born at home, we were never separated.  I think this really helped establish our nursing relationship.  I have a picture of him nursing for the first time and it was about 30 minutes after he was born.  I was comfy in my own bed.  I was able to keep him on the breast as often as needed.  I was also on the phone with a lactation consultant in the hours after his birth (she taught the birth class I went to) because I have flat nipples and was having a difficult time getting him to latch.  She gave me a few tips and I took it from there. 

I never let myself worry about my supply.  I kept telling myself my body was producing what he needed and if he seemed frantically hungry I planned to break out the formula.  But, he never did.  He was fussy on the day my milk came in but I wasn't concerned since I knew I finally had food for him.  He had a lot of poop and pee diapers everyday and I took that as a signal that he was okay and getting the nourishment he needed in those early days. 

I never gave him a pacifier until 5 weeks.  This wasn't on purpose, I just never thought to do it before then.  He used me as a human pacifier up until that time.  It was awful.  It really was.  I could never put him down it seemed but in retrospect I think that helped regulate my milk production.  If I had known then what I know now, I would not have waited to give him a paci ( I LOVE PACIFIERS!!!) but I do think it contributed to our successful breastfeeding relationship.  

I never took him to the doctor until he was 3 weeks old.  My midwife is certified to provide baby care up until 6 weeks and she saw Weston 2 times before he saw the doctor.  I never had a doctor telling me he wasn't gaining enough or putting doubts in my mind.  The first time I did take him to the doctor, the doctor asked me to stop nursing him for 4 days and give him formula because he had a bit of jaundice.  We had his blood drawn and his bilirubin levels were not high enough for concern (20 is high but Wes was 14) but that's what the doctor asked me to do anyway.  I talked to my midwife and lactation consultant and did a ton of research that night about breastfeeding jaundice and decided we had a good thing going with nursing and I wasn't going to stop.  I never went back to that doctor again.  My midwife wanted to call the practice and complain about the 'advice' they gave me.  The doctor also told me not to hold Wes too much, so as not to spoil him.  I MEAN REALLY?  C'mon he's 3 goddamn weeks old.  He NEEDS to be held.  I wish I could say I'm seeing an awesome doctor now but this one sucks too.  And our insurance won't let me change again.  UGH.  

I did have a milk blister around 7 weeks and it was the worst thing I've ever experienced in my life.  The first minute or two of nursing on the nipple that had it was EXCRUCIATING.    I kept a warm compress on it before and after nursing, soaked it in Episom salt and tried to let Wes comfort nursing (omg, ouch) on it to help clear the clog as often as possible.  It took a week to go away and I hope and pray it never happens again.  But so far that has been my only hiccup.  I really do enjoy being able to feed him anywhere, anytime.  I am lazy and love not dealing with bottles.  I couldn't imagine getting out of bed and going into the kitchen to make him bottles at night with how much he wakes up to eat.  Learning to nurse laying down has been the best thing ever because I sleep right through his feedings, sometimes I barely wake up.  This has been a lifesaver for me and my sleep deprived state.