Breastfeeding Discussion

[kele1129]

I saw a few questions and/or comments about breastfeeding on the Monday updates and decided to start a thread devoted to the topic.

[tea_berries]

amy... I am sorry about all the pain you have to go through but I admire your perseverance in breastfeeding.. It was hard for me too in the first weeks but it got better in a month.  I had to take antibiotics too but did not finish them because I heard they can cause yeast infection.... but my pain was taken cared of with pain killers.  My pain is nothing compared to yours but you still did it for your baby... ahhh mommy love... anyway at least now you know she will be happier and you will have lesser worries and I do hope she gains weight now

[ovaz129]

AMY.... that is horrible!!!  What a story!  Your breastfeeding experience is like the chaos I went through during labor!  hahaha...

Glad to hear you have Blake on what she needs.  Breastfeeding is hard anyway, but to go through all that... WOW!

[Whitneylauren]

Amy- You poor thing! My sister got Mastitis when she was nursing her newborn and her breast looked so terrible- I swear it made me cry when she showed me! Good for you for trying to breast feed through that!

As for me, I love nursing my little one, but then again I have never had any problems occur with both my babies so it has been easy for me. I would imagine that for many women it is much harder because they encounter so many difficulties.
I have to admit, though, that at 3 AM when my husband is sleeping with a pillow over his head to block out the sound and I am nursing I do get pretty jealous and wish that he was feeding Mark.

[AmyC311]

Well...I have officially stopped breastfeeding. I had some major issues though... :(
I breastfed Blake for about a month..so I figure that is good that she got at least that long of my milk!

I got mastitis twice which seriously hurt my milk supply. Then I started to pump more to increase my milk supply and things were getting better. Also I got a yeast infection on my breasts, and Blake got Thrush, from my antibiotics for mastitis so that made feeding her BURN so badly! ugh but I still kept on. THEN Blake started having bloody stools and they kept getting worse and worse so we finally took her into the ER and they checked her out and said that she more than likely had a severe milk allergy and I had to cut out all dairy (which I thought I already did because I read that too) so I ended up switching her to Alimentum formula and giving her a little breast milk here and there but she still had a little blood so I cut out my milk all together and she is fine!

Ahh! :( To be honest, while I miss the special bonding I had with Blake during the feedings I now know that she is getting what she needs and she is doing just great! Also she probably sleeps better and she is finally gaining weight!

[ovaz129]

I **PLAN** (whatever that word means anymore) breastfeeding for 6 months.  But, who knows... I change my mind on a day/hourly basis, depending on my mood!  haha... its crazy.

I have just started to enjoy breastfeeding.  Here we are... 5 weeks into it and I am just now going "Okay... maybe this isn't so bad."  But, we had a hellacious first 2-3 weeks.  I struggled with it.  

My milk didn't come in until 5 days after she was born and it was minimal at best.  So, I felt guilty and was soooo confused on if I was "made" to breastfeed and so on.  (Of course, I kept thinking "Women have been doing this since humans were created... I CAN do it.")  Anyway... things are getting better and I am starting to enjoy it.  

But, I most definitely LOVE LOVE LOVE seeing Leighton's eyes peeping up at me while she is eating.  It is BY FAR the most wonderful look!!

[kele1129]

Phin is on a liquid vitamin as well for vitamin D. Ours is cherry flavored...? really flavored for a newborn? It made him throw up the first time but now he is getting used to it.

[Jules31981]

Thanks Kele I feel like I have been the question queen lately.  ON week 2 and thngs are not as easy as last week.  

I plan on breastfeeding between 6 months and a year.   I go back to work in 5 months so well see how things go with that.  

I do like breastfeeding I just feel like it is al I do but reading Kele comments bring it all into prospective.

Jem I havent heard of taking the multi vitamin at all I will ask the ped next time I go.  

[kele1129]

-How long do I inted on breastfeeding: I plan on at least 6 months would love to go longer if Phin still wants it.

-Do I enjoy breastfeeding: I personally do enjoy it greatly. For me it is time that only I have with Phin. I love knowing that I provide him with what he needs to make his cheeks chubby and his legs chunky. ^_^ I don't mind getting up with him because quite honestly even with a newborn I still get more sleep now than the last month of pregnancy.

I love holding him and watching him feed, and I really love that once he is in my arms he instantly calms down...it's like I soothe him simply by being me.