Let's talk about my boobs ;)

[SoonerTexan]

This may not be popular. I hated breast feeding. Even more so in public. But I did it.

I hear ya. There were actually some good bonding moments in there (the first time she looked up and smiled at me made up for the hell of the first 4 weeks. Almost), but I'm not missing it right now at all. The reason I DO like it and advocate for it so much is if all goes well, after the first 2 months it can get pretty damn convenient!

[mommax3]

The first six weeks with my oldest were nightmarish.....I swore to myself I would stick it out for six weeks because we were too poor to afford formula. It got easier right at six weeks (which was also when Ds#1 started sleeping through the night...I didn't know how lucky I was). I nursed him for a year. With my second, it got easier faster, but my nipples cracked and bled, which hadn't happened the first time, so that was a shock. He was up twice a night until he was 9 months old, and once a night until 15 months. He was so sweet, though, that I just got used to being tired. I nursed him for 21 months. My third was my hardest. Nipples cracked and bled again, he cried all the time (in hindsight, we think he had reflux, but at the time reflux was characterized by projectile vomiting and he didn't do that) and I was getting no sleep, yet I still had to get my oldest up and to school on time every day. I got mastitis when he was 7 months old, and couldn't get rid of it....every time I would finish the abx, it would come back. I finally gave up and weaned him at nine months, and I was sad. I would put nursing up there with some of the hardest things I have ever done, but I'm glad I did it.

[spotty_dog]

The first six weeks with my oldest were nightmarish.....I swore to myself I would stick it out for six weeks because we were too poor to afford formula. It got easier right at six weeks (which was also when Ds#1 started sleeping through the night...I didn't know how lucky I was).

This is true for so many. In fact, this graphic stood out in my mind...I came across it years ago while I was nursing DD.



Formula is easier than nursing at the beginning, while the learning curve of breastfeeding is SO steep and the effort high (discomfort, frequent feeds, etc.) But then nursing gets easier, supply is established and baby gets better at latching, and now you have a ready source of food at the right temperature any time your infant needs it, anyplace you find yourself. In the meantime, formula continues to require preparing bottles, washing bottles, carrying the supplies along with you...it doesn't really get any easier as baby grows.

Unfortunately, there's not really any way around those challenging first weeks of nursing. The transition from the hormonally-driven post-partum milk supply to the demand-driven maintenance supply requires that your body experiences, well, demand. The frequent nursing is telling your body how much milk to make, and if you short-circuit that feedback loop by having baby get some of her feeds by bottle, you may run the risk of supply issues in the long run. Hang in there...the tough part doesn't last forever! http://kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/basi...roduction-faq/

(BTW, on the "skim milk" vs. "butterfat" comparison...fat content can vary from day to day, and throughout the day, depending on how often baby is feeding and whether she's in a growth spurt and lots of other factors. It doesn't really have anything to do with how well baby grows. http://kellymom.com/nutrition/milk/change-milkfat/)

[Pollyanna]

Yes to what Alison said. At the same time if you need to supplement in an effort to get some sleep at night or if it helps you to relax that is okay too. Hang in there mama

[GreyhoundsRUs]

Very interesting! I'll have to check out KellyMom.com - I am woefully uneducated on a lot of mommy biology!

[Sheherezade]

I just remembered that I always advise nursing moms to be vigilant about caffeine. For me, my kid would get some caffeine via breast milk and it would disrupt his sleep for a week. Turns out the half life for caffeine metabolism is MUCH longer in newborns; a week to get it out of his system was about right.

[ladymoreta]

KellyMom is awesome! That's the first place I always went when I had questions.

[mommax3]

Reading "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" and "The Nursing Mother's Companion" helped me learn a lot. Re: what Angie said....I remember that, too.

[GreyhoundsRUs]

I just remembered that I always advise nursing moms to be vigilant about caffeine. For me, my kid would get some caffeine via breast milk and it would disrupt his sleep for a week. Turns out the half life for caffeine metabolism is MUCH longer in newborns; a week to get it out of his system was about right.

Hmmm. Good to know. I thought it was more immediate/short lived. Maybe I'll start there and see (I have, at most, one can of Pepsi a day, maybe).

[GreyhoundsRUs]

Reading "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" and "The Nursing Mother's Companion" helped me learn a lot. Re: what Angie said....I remember that, too.

Thanks!

[Sheherezade]

On caffeine and breastmilk from a quick google search - at least it's something to try. An edgy baby is no fun.

http://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastf...tyle/caffeine/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/428190

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/79/2/264

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I agree with ST. Nursing felt harder for the first 8 weeks and easier than dealing with formula especially when out or traveling (although full disclosure, I've never actually dealt with formula so WTH do I know - I had a good supply and we didn't therefore want to pay for formula).

And for the record, N is a baby outlier (in adorable ways but also in sleeping). D didn't sleep thru the night until 13ish months and still wakes up briefly 2-3x per week (I'm up for less than 10 minutes).

[SoonerTexan]

Oh she is still up once at night at least a couple nights per week, but when I was nursing we coslept after the first waking so it was just a matter of sticking a boob in her mouth. Not for everyone though.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

We coslept too. It's the only way I survived the first 6 months. And we coslept on first waking through a year.

[GreyhoundsRUs]

DH is too wild when he sleeps and we like our pillows too much I do sleep with her on my chest from 6-7am about 50% of the time. Girl is up with the sunrise!