Hi, my name is Samantha and I occasionally blog over at the Reason why.
And by occasionally, I mean monthly updates for my daughter and the
once in a blue moon post about something else. I’m a slacker. However,
I wanted to be part of Julie’s Breastfeeding Diaries because it helped
me so much when preparing for baby. I knew that I wanted to try
breastfeeding, but I had myself pretty much convinced that it wouldn’t
work out for us. In my group of family and friends I don’t know anyone
that was successful at breastfeeding. It seemed so foreign and odd to
me.
And by occasionally, I mean monthly updates for my daughter and the
once in a blue moon post about something else. I’m a slacker. However,
I wanted to be part of Julie’s Breastfeeding Diaries because it helped
me so much when preparing for baby. I knew that I wanted to try
breastfeeding, but I had myself pretty much convinced that it wouldn’t
work out for us. In my group of family and friends I don’t know anyone
that was successful at breastfeeding. It seemed so foreign and odd to
me.
Fortunately
for myself and my daughter, Charlie, breastfeeding did work for us. A
quick trip down memory lane; Charlie was born two weeks early. If you
want the whole birth story,
it’s over on my blog, but the gist of it is she was born within 10
minutes of our arrival at the hospital. The entire hospital staff was
amazing. My labor and delivery nurse was a rock star and she’s the one
that helped me with breastfeeding the most. She asked if I wanted to
and if I had taken any classes. Funny thing about it, I was scheduled
to take a breastfeeding class the following night. Ya know, since I
wasn’t expecting baby girl to arrive for two more weeks. Lucky for me,
L&D nurse had 4 kids herself and had breastfed all of them. Like I
said, rock star.
for myself and my daughter, Charlie, breastfeeding did work for us. A
quick trip down memory lane; Charlie was born two weeks early. If you
want the whole birth story,
it’s over on my blog, but the gist of it is she was born within 10
minutes of our arrival at the hospital. The entire hospital staff was
amazing. My labor and delivery nurse was a rock star and she’s the one
that helped me with breastfeeding the most. She asked if I wanted to
and if I had taken any classes. Funny thing about it, I was scheduled
to take a breastfeeding class the following night. Ya know, since I
wasn’t expecting baby girl to arrive for two more weeks. Lucky for me,
L&D nurse had 4 kids herself and had breastfed all of them. Like I
said, rock star.
Our
breastfeeding journey has been mostly without complications.
Unfortunately, my daughter does have silent reflux. She spits up way
more than she should with the occasional screaming session when it’s
bad. Other than that, I have been very, very lucky with how
breastfeeding, pumping/working have gone for me. But what I really
wanted to touch on were some of the subjects or thoughts that I never
ran across in all my blog reading, research during pregnancy and even
afterwards.
breastfeeding journey has been mostly without complications.
Unfortunately, my daughter does have silent reflux. She spits up way
more than she should with the occasional screaming session when it’s
bad. Other than that, I have been very, very lucky with how
breastfeeding, pumping/working have gone for me. But what I really
wanted to touch on were some of the subjects or thoughts that I never
ran across in all my blog reading, research during pregnancy and even
afterwards.
My first thought about breastfeeding is that it’s a huge sacrifice.
It’s
a sacrifice for both parents but mostly for mom. Dad has to sacrifice
the ability to feed baby. This can change as mom starts to pump and
perhaps daddy can do a bottle a day. But
mostly it’s a sacrifice for the mama. Baby is fussy or has a lot of gas?
Mama needs to change her diet. Whether it’s a simple fix as avoiding
spicy foods or a major change as dropping dairy completely. Baby needs
to eat every 2 hours? That’s all you mom. Baby wakes in the middle of
the night? Right again, mom, you’re up. Mom returns to work and has to
pump to supply for her baby. It’s a sacrifice of your body in the most
amazing, extreme way possibly.
a sacrifice for both parents but mostly for mom. Dad has to sacrifice
the ability to feed baby. This can change as mom starts to pump and
perhaps daddy can do a bottle a day. But
mostly it’s a sacrifice for the mama. Baby is fussy or has a lot of gas?
Mama needs to change her diet. Whether it’s a simple fix as avoiding
spicy foods or a major change as dropping dairy completely. Baby needs
to eat every 2 hours? That’s all you mom. Baby wakes in the middle of
the night? Right again, mom, you’re up. Mom returns to work and has to
pump to supply for her baby. It’s a sacrifice of your body in the most
amazing, extreme way possibly.
And
although the first few weeks are painful, they’re amazing. The cluster
feeding is HARD and you’ll want to throw in the towel. But don’t.
Because those only last for so long. Then you hit this honeymoon phase,
where it’s all just clicking. This is usually right before you return to
work. The crappy part is, when you return to work it goes back to hard.
Not the breastfeeding part, the figuring out how to continue
breastfeeding and working.
although the first few weeks are painful, they’re amazing. The cluster
feeding is HARD and you’ll want to throw in the towel. But don’t.
Because those only last for so long. Then you hit this honeymoon phase,
where it’s all just clicking. This is usually right before you return to
work. The crappy part is, when you return to work it goes back to hard.
Not the breastfeeding part, the figuring out how to continue
breastfeeding and working.
Our first, at home, milk coma
So
since going back to work is the norm, there’s the pumping while being a
full time mom. It is the most aggravating, annoying, rewarding task
I’ve ever endured. Spoiler alert, you may not pump the number of ounces
you need while at work. In fact, you may need to get up in the middle of
the night or earlier in the morning to add in a pump session (while you watch your baby who sleeps through the night on the monitor). Only then do you (barely) have enough ounces for the day. Like I said, sacrifice.
And while we’re talking about pumping, don’t always follow the
recommendations. Follow your gut. I was only pumping 20-30 minutes
when I first came back to work and that certainly wasn’t cutting it. I
simply thought my pump just wasn’t the same as my baby and I wasn’t able
to empty out with it. Wrong. Now I pump 40-45 minutes to feel empty.
And you should feel empty after you finish pumping. That’s how
you signal your body to produce more. Play with your pump, push the let
down button more than once and adjust the settings. Find the right
balance for you. Also remember to eat. And eat a lot. I experienced a
major decline in my already risky supply during a week that I just
didn’t feel hungry. Once I got my appetite back, everything returned to
normal.
since going back to work is the norm, there’s the pumping while being a
full time mom. It is the most aggravating, annoying, rewarding task
I’ve ever endured. Spoiler alert, you may not pump the number of ounces
you need while at work. In fact, you may need to get up in the middle of
the night or earlier in the morning to add in a pump session (while you watch your baby who sleeps through the night on the monitor). Only then do you (barely) have enough ounces for the day. Like I said, sacrifice.
And while we’re talking about pumping, don’t always follow the
recommendations. Follow your gut. I was only pumping 20-30 minutes
when I first came back to work and that certainly wasn’t cutting it. I
simply thought my pump just wasn’t the same as my baby and I wasn’t able
to empty out with it. Wrong. Now I pump 40-45 minutes to feel empty.
And you should feel empty after you finish pumping. That’s how
you signal your body to produce more. Play with your pump, push the let
down button more than once and adjust the settings. Find the right
balance for you. Also remember to eat. And eat a lot. I experienced a
major decline in my already risky supply during a week that I just
didn’t feel hungry. Once I got my appetite back, everything returned to
normal.
My
breastfeeding tips to share it would be these two favorites. Because
I’m so well endowed and my daughter is such a peanut, I have to hold my
breast while I’m nursing. All of that careful preparation for my
“nursing station” was not necessary. I can’t reach a single item. Do not
fear, you learn to adapt. For here is my secret – those trusty
receiving blankets? Ball one up and stick it under the boob so you have a
free hand. Another fabulous secret? Netflix and/or your DVR. During
our entire maternity leave, I would go downstairs to our living room for
the middle of the night, early morning nursing time. I’d watch one of
my recorded shows while nursing. Then once Charlie was satisfied, I’d
lay her down on the couch beside me so I could pump. All in all, it
would take me about an hour to an hour and a half for this process.
Every time she nurses, she sleeps…
Breastfeeding
in public is intimidating and scary. At least it was/is for me. I
hate it. I cringe when it is necessary. After a while I’ve learned to
adapt and find the right balance for myself and Charlie. A lot of times, I found myself in the backseat of my car to nurse while out and about. As
much as you prep for a nursing station in your house, prep for a
nursing station in your car. Find out where to plug in your phone that
you can still reach it. Where to sit that you can see the clock but
still be able to nestle yourself down in so you’re not completely
visible to the windows. And if you’re in the market for a new car, may I
recommend leather seating? Baby spit up of your own milk is no joke.
When public breastfeeding was the only option, I’d recommend the Aden
and Anais swaddling blankets. Aden
and Anais blankets are wonderful for covering up while nursing.
They’re light weight and are plenty big enough. Tie a knot in one
corner, place the knotted end under your bra strap opposite of the side
you’re going to nurse on. Then sling the blanket behind your neck and
over the shoulder of the side you’ll be nursing on. Big cover,
breathable for baby.
Even
if breastfeeding is going well, there’s always the critics. Perhaps
its the type of person I am, but I have a bit of guilt over the fact
that I was able and still am breastfeeding. Several of my friends,
family members have formula fed their babies. And while that doesn’t
bother me a bit, it’s the comments they make that bother me more.
Whether they realize it or not, they make me feel guilty for being able
to breastfeed. Most I think are trying to justify for themselves why it
didn’t work or they chose not to, rather than realize that they’re
hurting my feelings. Just keep in mind that not only are there
individuals that push the breastfeeding, there’s always some on the
other side of the fence too with their own opinions and everybody will
let you know how they feel about it.
I didn’t expect to enjoy breastfeeding. But I have so much. My
daughter is still exclusively fed breast milk via bottle or nursing as
of 5 months. Currently we’re continuing day by day and slowly
introducing solids. Although it gives me some anxiety trying to figure
out when the right time for us to wean or if my supply will keep up, I
enjoy it more than I can say. Because this little girl is growing,
thriving on what my body can give her. How cool is that?
daughter is still exclusively fed breast milk via bottle or nursing as
of 5 months. Currently we’re continuing day by day and slowly
introducing solids. Although it gives me some anxiety trying to figure
out when the right time for us to wean or if my supply will keep up, I
enjoy it more than I can say. Because this little girl is growing,
thriving on what my body can give her. How cool is that?
Be
sure to catch up with the rest of the Breastfeeding Diaries series at
the top of my navigation bar. If you would like your story featured,
please email me at thegirlintheredshoes @ gmail
sure to catch up with the rest of the Breastfeeding Diaries series at
the top of my navigation bar. If you would like your story featured,
please email me at thegirlintheredshoes @ gmail
Great story! You seem like you're doing an amazing job. I agree about the introducing solids part…I was so confused on where to start that I went very slow and ended up doing Baby Led Weaning. My daughter didn't begin eating a lot of solids until after a year…and she is now 20 months…still nursing! Keep it up 🙂
playwashrinserepeat.blogspot.com
I love what you decided to post on. All very true facts and it's great to know for someone breastfeeding for the first time. It is a LOT of sacrifice and work. Also know for all the effort and work if you decide to have another it is SO much easier and not much of a sacrifice at all. Great post.
I was surprised by how time consuming it was, especially in the beginning. But after about 6 weeks it was great & ended up being so much easier & more rewarding than I ever imagined! I went back to work after 6 weeks & also pumped. It was isolating & frustrating some days, but I was so proud of myself for keeping it up for almost a year. We supplemented with formula on the days that I didn't pump enough (I never was able to have much of a freezer stash) and eventually just started doing one bottle of formula each day while she was at daycare. It took so much pressure off of me & she tolerated it really well, so it worked great for us! Thanks for such an honest post!