Challenges I faced while breastfeeding
Though Johnny was able to latch and nurse before we even left the delivery room, breastfeeding didn’t come completely easily for me. I credit his early interest in nursing because he didn’t have drowsy epidural drugs in his system.
But his latch wasn’t perfect, I later discovered. It was just a little off, and that caused excruciating pain. It didn’t always hurt, but there were times it hurt more than giving birth.
Ever hear of flat or inverted nipples? Yeah. I had one. Johnny’s nursing drew that out and now they are regular — but before that happened it hurt like whoa.
(I can’t believe I just told you that. TMI, much? But breastfeeding is important and if telling you this makes your own experience easier, than I can handle any bit of embarrassment that might come of this. Cuz it’s pretty common.).
I do think that was partly why he wasn’t getting a great latch early on.
Anyway.
Aside from other early-on engorgement, leaking (oh man, I could just THINK about Johnny around the time he needed to nurse, and drip-drip-drip!).
Also early on, my let-down was really fast. Too fast for him to really handle. So that was kinda messy.
While my body was still adjusting to Johnny’s nursing needs, I was producing too much low-fat milk and he wasn’t getting enough of the full-fat at the end. I figured out the problem because his poop was green and that can be one indication of that.
I made sure he finished nursing on one side, and then started him on that same side the next time so he’d get the higher-fat stuff.
Then there was the whole, “How do I nurse him around others without completely flashing everyone?” Kinda stressed me out, especially while he needed help with latching on.
I used a blanket or nursing cover initially, but then as my confidence grew I just was strategic about what I wore. I’d often wear a tank top (or a nursing tank) under everything so my belly would be covered, but I’d still be able to pull up my shirt. I was more self-conscious about my still-flabby belly hanging out than anything!
Sometimes I’d wear an oblong scarf. It was a fantastic nursing cover.
But really, using a nursing cover or blanket seems to call more attention to yourself. “Hi, I am nursing a baby now.” It’s handy if you want that to be known (like when I was at a family get-together. I wanted a little space).
I think eventually, I was able to latch and nurse without a cover and without drawing too much attention to myself. I don’t *think* I ever flashed anyone too badly, but if I did, oh well. I’m sure they can get over it.
After all, you see more cleavage and boobs on network TV or at a swimming pool than you do with most nursing moms.
No one ever said anything to me, and I’m glad. The law and common sense are on my side. Nursing moms shouldn’t be sent to the bathroom to nurse (ew!) or made to cover up with a blanket if they don’t want to. Most older babies (and by older, I mean just a few months old!) will usually protest pretty hard if you try to cover them up.
Other problems? During the two-foot snowstorm we had in February, I got self-diagnosed mastitis, which is an infection in the boob. I had a fever, there was a hard, warm lump, I couldn’t express milk to make it go away and I felt awful.
I really wanted to go to a clinic to get an antibiotic, it was that lousy of a feeling. And yes, there was two feet of snow outside. The roads hadn’t been plowed yet and I don’t think the walk-in clinic was actually open.
I used heat pads, took warm showers and nursed like crazy and wouldn’t you know it, but it went away! I could actually feel the lump dissolve and honestly within minutes my fever was gone. What a relief!
Some people think you should wean when the baby gets teeth. Not so. Johnny didn’t bite. You can’t really bite if you are nursing. If he’s bored and not actually nursing then I think you’re more likely to get bitten. I didn’t really have that issue, but also he didn’t get teeth until around his birthday (which is pretty late!) so I might have missed out on that.
I did have a few, “You’re still breastfeeding!?” comments. Some thought it was weird that I nursed him as long as I did. Some thought it was weird he didn’t take a bottle or pacifier. Whatever. It’s not weird! It’s what worked for us.
Lastly, almost immediately after I became pregnant, my milk supply really tanked. He wasn’t nursing much at that point anyway (around 2-3 times per day or so, if that) and it just wasn’t enough to keep my supply going. That caused frustration with us both.
Nursing started to hurt once again. He was clamping down with the initial latch, and that hurt. He was frustrated that there wasn’t much milk. I was frustrated at it all. It was time to wean.
He was nutritionally ready, though he would have still benefited from extended nursing. He was sort of emotionally ready, though sometimes telling him “no” would result in the most devastated look and cry.
But it was time. Next up — our weaning experience.
On breastfeeding
When I was pregnant with Johnny, I knew I wanted to breastfeed. It was cheap. It had numerous health benefits. And that’s all I knew about it.
The more I researched, the more I knew we had to make it work. Here’s a bunch of good reasons right here: http://www.promom.org/101/ (again, sorry I can’t hyperlink).
For me, I knew that it would be more convenient, I would recover from birth easier, I’d lose the baby weight faster, and I’d lower my own risks of certain cancers — just to name a few. Johnny would be protected against numerous diseases, he’d be less likely to get sick (and quicker to recover if he did), and much more.
That seems to be true. He’s never had an ear infection. He’s never had to take a prescription med (except for a prescription diaper cream). At his 18-month check-up, the pediatrician was impressed that he’d never had an antibiotic.
His one cold was just a runny nose and general cruddy feeling, and it was over in a few days. Looking back, it could have been teething-related but I don’t know for sure.
Last fall, we were exposed to two families who had H1N1. We didn’t get sick. My own immune system might have been working harder since I was nursing.
He’s a healthy guy and I want to credit part of that to breastfeeding.
The health benefits are great, but there are others.
Like I said, it’s cheap! I had to eat a little more per day than I otherwise would have, so there is probably an expense with that. But minimal. I didn’t have to buy bottles or bottle gear. Formula is pricey. I didn’t buy a pump. I got a manual one from a friend (which I used just once — ugh) and I borrowed an electric for a time (also didn’t like it). Not sure I could hack it if I had to pump often.
It was so incredibly convenient to just pull him onto my lap or lay down next to him or whatever, adjust my shirt and nurse. Once he figured out how to latch without my help, I got to be really lazy with it. It’s nice to have that built-in relaxation time several times per day!
I didn’t have any bottles to make, which probably takes a little bit of time. A screaming baby wouldn’t likely appreciate those extra moments when they want fed NOW.
At night, I didn’t have to completely wake up. I could just pull him into bed with me or just roll over and go back to sleep immediately. (Side note — co-sleeping must be done safely. When he was really little, I made sure to sit up and stay more awake to keep him safe. But when he was bigger, I knew that I wouldn’t smoosh him.)
Some people think it would be more convenient to pump milk so someone else could give him a bottle. For me, I didn’t think so. It would be more work for me to pump than it would be to just feed him myself. I didn’t feel the need to have a “break” from him. I could leave him with Shane and go run errands or something and come back later to feed him. Not so bad.
Practicing “ecological breastfeeding,” I didn’t have a post-partum period until he was 14 months old. Lemme tell you, it’s nice to go almost 2 years without a period! And yep — if you’re doing math then you might have figured that I only had one period between Johnny’s birth and getting pregnant with this little girl. It’s nice not to have to deal with that, but it also means I’m less likely to be anemic. And I’m also less at risk for other cancers because of it.
Especially once he became mobile (and that means falling down a lot!), nursing was so handy. He’d fall, I’d quickly let him latch and he’d be over his injury in no time. Much faster than any other remedy I could come up with. Not only the physical closeness of nursing is comforting to the baby, but the milk is healing for them, too.
I know some sleep experts caution against nursing a baby to sleep, but it worked for us. He’d conk out and I’d be pretty sleepy myself. Win-win.
There were so many benefits to breastfeeding that I discovered along the way. I’m really thankful for being given the opportunity, and I’m thankful for God’s brilliant design.
It wasn’t always easy, though. Next up — challenges I dealt with along the way.
Middle names?
Shane and I have 2 first name choices for our girl. We’re leaning about 85% toward one, 10% toward another, and 5% toward a third, yet-to-be-discovered option.
We’re having a hard time with middle names, though! I’d like a name that isn’t EVERY GIRL’S middle name. They are really nice names and they usually do work well as middle names, but I just would like something a little bit different.
Uncommon, harder-to-spell names are fine.
I think a 1 or 3-syllable name would probably sound best, or perhaps a 2-syllable iambic name.
I know actually telling you our name choices would help…but what’s the fun in that? 
Any ideas?
20-week update and stuff
Just got back from my 20-week appointment (well, I’m 20 weeks tomorrow). My weight is still hovering around where it was, and there was a note in my file to watch it. BUT the midwife today said that since Johnny recently weaned, that could be part of it.
With him, I didn’t really start gaining weight until toward the third trimester. It will come!
I got to ask a few questions about my previous birth and the one that’s coming up:
First, the Cervidil I had to augment my labor with Johnny supposedly made my contractions more frequent and more intense than they would have been otherwise. I did notice they were frequent!
Then, the magnesium sulfate I had for the pre-ecclampsia worked to relax my muscles and make it that much harder to have effective contractions, and possibly to push.
The combination of the two drugs likely made my labor much harder than it would have been otherwise. I did notice that once the IV of mag sulf. started, I was zapped of my energy and it was just hard to get comfortable. Plus, I was stuck in the bed.
And I got through it anyway! So this time will be even better.
As far as my birthing requests go…
She said I didn’t HAVE to wear the hospital gown, that there wasn’t any rule saying I needed to. I just needed to make sure they had access to me and stuff. Good.
The heplock/IV won’t be needed unless I need any type of drug (of course) including an antibiotic if I am positive for Group B Strep. She said they don’t do the Hibiclens instead of an antibiotic. Hmm. I need to think more about this one. I was negative with Johnny but it doesn’t mean I won’t be this time. For more interesting things on Group B Strep, read here: http://enjoybirth.wordpress.com/2010/07/25/group-b-strep-what-are-your-options/ . (Sorry I can’t hyperlink…this blog’s settings are doing weird things).
For eating/drinking — she said just bring some stuff and don’t ask/don’t tell if I’m eating or drinking . Haha. She said especially since I would decline the IV, I would need to keep hydrated.
She said the labor nurses sort of self-select and I may get a nurse that is friendly to natural childbirth, or I might not. It’s sort of the luck of the draw and might depend on how busy it is that night. I will just keep on praying for a nurse that will put up with me!
Lastly, she said she’s seen good things from moms who use Hypnobabies/Hypnobirthing. She didn’t seem to know the difference between the two, but when I said the Hypnobabies has CDs, that ringed a bell for her. She said the moms seem much more relaxed. Cool.
I’m feeling a tiny bit better about another hospital birth but there’s still some anxiety. It’ll be ok, though!
Oh, and I’m already feeling the Braxton-Hicks contractions. I love these! I think of them as my uterus getting some exercise (cuz it is). As long as they aren’t too frequent, we’re good. Plus, once I actually start my Hypnobabies course, I can use each one as a reminder to practice my techniques.
On the waiting list for a birth center :/
I thought my health insurance didn’t cover the area birth center here. Turns out, they do. I had to make calls to both the birth center and my insurance company to make sure — and yep! So I was really excited about switching.
But, I must have waited too long. They are at capacity for December due-date mothers. I am #3 on the waiting list. Phooey!
I realized that all of my birthing preferences (previous post) were standard procedure at the birth center. That would be much less stress on me and Shane!
I have a prenatal appointment with my original midwife group tomorrow and I will hopefully have time to discuss all of my preferences. I hope they will have a favorable reaction to all of them.
Still don’t want a home birth, and there are no other birth centers around. Oh well — we can make it work!
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