22May
Breastfeeding has always been very important to me. When I tell my breastfeeding stories I always think of them chronologically. I had a unique experience with each of my three children.
This will be a three part series. One post per child!
Bug
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When I was pregnant with Bug someone gave me Dr. Sears book “The Baby Book”. I really felt that some parts of it really felt right. I was still very mainstream in many of my ideas and was a long way away from the mother I would become. Breastfeeding seemed like a non-issue. Of course I would breastfeed. That was best for the baby, right?
When I shared this with family and friends some were SHOCKED I was going to breastfeed. I heard everything from “It will hurt” to “you will never last” to “but then we won’t get to feed the baby”. If you know me then you know that I do what I decide to do. I don’t often change my mind.
I took a breastfeeding class at the hospital I was going to deliver at. Best choice ever! My husband even attended and he was a great help to me after Bug was born.
I was ready!
Bug came into the world on May 23, 2003. I had placenta previa and started hemorrhaging and he was born via emergency c-section. He had to go to the NICU for a few hours. Once he came from the NICU the nurse told my husband and me that I was not allowed to hold him because I might be a bit out of it from surgery and she was worried I would drop him. We said fine and she left and I immediately tried to nurse him. The nursed walked back in and told me not to do that, it was too soon. I was a first time mother after a traumatic delivery so I listened to her. After all, she was the expert….so I thought.
Luckily Bug latched well and nursed well. He gained weight and pooped, a lot! The first few days were a bit rough. I can remember being in my hospital bed and trying to figure out how to get the baby on my breast. My husband had attended the class with me and told me “honey, just RAM” through tears I could not think. He walked over took the baby’s head in his hands, pause and suddenly thrust the baby onto my nipple. I remember being shocked for a moment. Then I remembered what RAM meant: Rapid Arm Movement. Basically it means, when the baby opens his mouth wide enough shove your breast in quickly!
At 6 weeks old I started pumping to prepare to return to work full time at 8 weeks old. Pumping was hard and uncomfortable but I had to get back to my 50 hour a week job and Bug needed the milk.
When I returned to work I was lucky that I found a daycare about 1 mile away. I went to the daycare everyday at lunch and nursed. They were annoyed because I ruined their scheduling but I didn’t care. I pumped several times a day at work. My boss was less than thrilled. He was very annoyed to find my office door closed and locked during the day. He felt like he should have access to me at all times that I was working.
When Bug was 6 months old I started having supply issues. I no longer was pumping enough milk. So I started pumping at home in the mornings and at night. When he was 9 months old I had to start supplementing with artificial baby milk (formula). I just could not pump enough milk.
I stopped pumping at 12 months and Bug weaned on his own at 13 months. I was really sad when he weaned.
In preparation for my second child I researched breastfeeding quite a bit. I didn’t want to experience the same problems. I learned that there were many things I did and didn’t do that contributed to my low supply. I did not nurse him enough, pump enough or start co-sleeping early enough. I would not repeat those mistakes with baby number 2!
If you want to be notified when Part 2 and Part 3 are done you can sign up for notifications HERE!
Here is a picture of me nursing Bug at 1 day old:
Here is a picture taken at about 5 weeks old:
Here is a picture taken at about 5 weeks old:
Tags: attachment parenting, breastfeeding, natural parenting, nursing story
August 1st, 2014 at 11:40 pm
[…] 1 is HERE and Part 2 is […]