Question about breast feeding

[sadies93]

I dont know if this is the exact forum that i should be using but it sounded like the right one so if its not then im sorry. Anyway I am 26 Weeks pregnant with my first child and i am wanting to breast feed but i am afraid in a way. I am afraid that breast feeding is going to be really awkward for me. When i think about my baby breast feeding it just feels awkward to me and i dont know if i am going to be able to handle that feeling. Im afraid if i force myself to breast feed even if its extremely awkward for me then im not going to have a special bond with my baby. But im also afraid that if i dont breast feed then my child will be losing the better nutrients for him.

Did any of you experienced moms feel this way? How did you handle it?

[sadies93]

Thank you all again. I will look up the forum about breast feeding, im sure i will have questions in the future about it

[lpewitt44]

Thanks for clearing up the three hour thibg.i am definately going to try breastfeeding .hope it works out for me and all of you that want to breastfeed!!!

[trying43]

I have bf all three of mine.  I was worried and nervous with my first because I had no support system except my hubby.  After a long labor( I wont bore u with details) the hospital I had my son at was not supportive of breastfeeding at all and even gave my son a bottles but I stuck with it.  When I got home I took away the bottles and after a week he was nursing like a champ.  I was worried about feeding in public but I got a nursing cover that was basically like a big poncho so if I had to feed in public we were never exposed!  I am so glad I didn't give in to my fears and nervousness because I am able to give my kids something no one else can.  Read and take classes on breastfeeding and educate yourself.  That's what I did.  There is also a breastfeeding board if you have more questions or message me directly and I will be glad to answer.  Best of luck to you.

[lilpollywog]

You dont have to pump if you decide to breastfeed.  But some babies have problems switching from breast milk to formula and back.  So pumping is a better option for on the go feedings.  I bought the lansinol breast milk storage bags from walmart.  I put the milk in and labeled it, then placed it flat in the freezer.  After it was frozen solid the bags could be stacked to store easier.  To thaw, i would place them in a cup of hot tap water.  Do not microwave it.  I think it can be stored in the refrigerator for 48 hours, freezer for 2-3 months, and a commercial or deep freezer 6 months.

[specialmom]

I had plenty of friends that pumped and stored their milk.  There is a breast feeding community here at med help that I'm sure can help with details of how to do that.  (I pumped but used it same day with my first baby so don't know the particulars).  Anyway, you find that forum by going to forums on the above tool bar and pull up communities which is on the left hand side of the page.  then just find breast feeding and you are all set.  

someone probably knows here too.  But that seems like a helpful community.  good luck

[sadies93]

I agree, i really want to try it. I will be watching my child all the time, i am currently unemployed and my fiance wont let me get a job until the baby is atleast 5 months old, his exact words were "You are the momma, you need to be home with our child, worry about getting a job a little while after he is born" So i will be primary care giver so i dont have to worry about someone else needing my milk to watch my baby but i am worried about storing the milk for when we go out to places so i can bottle feed then.

I am going to talk to my doc about it at my next appt which is the 28th.

[smiley_one]

I have a magnet I got from the WIC office that says how to store it and how long you can store it. Maybe you could call them and ask them about getting information from it, or maybe your doctor might have some info on it. I want to breastfeed so bad, but I know I might end up pumping and using a bottle, especially since I am in school full time and my finace's mother will be babysitting. Her words exactly were "you can't leave me a breast, but you can leave me a bottle". But I still want to try it skin to skin for the first month until I start school back up.

[specialmom]

Oh, again, clarifying when I said I never pumped one time with my second baby---  I was answering the question of having to pump every 3 hours to make sure your milk doesn't dry up.  I didn't have that problem at all.  

[specialmom]

No, I never pumped one time with my second that was strictly breast fed.  He obviously went for intervals of longer than 3 hours especially as time went on.  I actually found the pumping I did with my first to be more awkward than breast feeding.  Hooked up to this machine making noises basically milking me, lol.  Once you are established breast feeding, the milk will usually be there.   In the hospital, they'll encourage you to try for another reason besides the baby and that is that it causes the uterus to shrink back.  I will say that you can feel that happening in the form of mild cramping the first week of breast feeding.  It didn't really hurt and needed to be done (I mean, who wants the big uterus to hang around with the baby already out???  I wanted to wear 'normal' clothes at SOME point, right?).  

It's not for everyone and sometimes doesn't work out no matter how hard you try, but I was just surprised how much I loved it.   It was a special time in my life and never have I really felt more 'motherly'.  

Good luck to all you ladies!

[sadies93]

I havent had the chance to talk to my WIC office about it yet, i only see them every 3 months, so i dont see them again till may. But thats another thing i thought about was if it is to awkward for me then i could just pump my milk and bottle feed but if i end up doing that then im worried about storing my milk because i dont know how to.
So far the breastfeeding topic is the most complicated and most overwhelming topic for me, i know it shouldnt be but it is lol

[smiley_one]

That's how I feel. I feel that it'll be awkward with a baby nursing off of my breast. I've been told that after the first few times you don't feel weird about it anymore because you start to feel a big connection with your child. I was told by the WIC office near my house that if it ever gets too akward that you can always purchase a breast pump and put the milk in bottles and bottle feed your baby. Breast milk can be stored very easily too.

[lpewitt44]

I too am thinking of breastfeeding....for all the pros that comes with it...of course im not sure if ill be able to and also i was told you had to pump every three hours or your milk would dry up.is that true? But i was also thinking of doing both formula and brrastfeeding...formula for the times (maybe in public) that i cant????

[sadies93]

Thats how I am, I want to breast feed soo bad, im just afraid itll be too awkward

[sadies93]

Thanks that story was very nice to read. I was afraid I was the only one that felt it was a ucky thing lol.
Thanks for both your answers, I think I will try and see how it goes.

[mrssandefur]

I wanted to breastfeed.I was so excited about it had everything to do so took classes to "practice" and when baby came.I was so doped up the nurse and.my.mom.had to latch him on and my husband at the time (my now ex) had to stand and keep an eye on him.because I was literally passed out and couldn't stay awake long enough. Anyway he didn't.latch very easily cause when he was born his blood sugar was low and they gave him.formula to bring it up. With my second I breastfed within the first few minutes. But I didn't produce enough milk with either to breastfeed long. My biggest issue was finding a comfortable way to feed outside of home. I suggest you try it at the hospital where you'll have the.most support and help and see how you like it, if its not for you you can also pump and just feed the baby with a bottle your breast milk and kind of hold baby close to your bear skin to still get that intimacy

[Morrisfamily2012]

Good story to read. (: sadies I haven't done it being that i'm pregnant with my first, but my suggestion would be to try to breastfeed and see how you like it and after trying for a week or so if you decide it's awkward then you could pump your breastmilk and feed it to your baby in a bottle that way baby still gets that yummy mommy milk and you don't have to feel like feeding your baby is causing a rift. I personally have never ever heard anyone talk bad about thier breastfeeding experiance.

[specialmom]

The reason I said to make sure to read all of it isn't because I think it is a fabulous and interesting story but because it starts out a bit negative on breast feeding and ends with my final verdict . . . for me, it was wonderful.

[specialmom]

Well, here is my own story----  but make sure you read all of it.  I come from a family that didn't breast feed.  Not my mom, aunts, sister or cousins.  They made it sound 'ucky' and socially unacceptable.  I then became pregnant and on my husband's side, his mother was all natural about everything.  Breast feeding was the norm on that side of the family.  At my baby shower, in front of everyone, my mother in law (that tended to overstep her bounds on a regular basis and got under my skin) asked me in front of everyone while I'm opening the presents "You are going to breast feed, aren't you?  It would be abuse not to."  Grrrr.  I was mortified as up until that point, I didn't have public conversations about what I did with my breasts . . . as well as annoyed that she was trying to insinuate herself into what I considered a personal decision.  It made me not really want to nurse.  

Then when I had my first baby, the lactation nurse came in and got me going.  Oh boy.  It hurt.  I gave it a try because my husband wanted me to.  It didn't go exactly as planned and I had bleeding and pain.  My husband called someone from La Leche group and handed me the phone without telling me they were on the other line.  Yeesh.  The big suggestion was to go topless around the house to let "them" air out even though it was January and I'm a bit of a modest gal (and needed blinds on a couple of windows still).  I stuck with it.  I did do a combo system of feeding formula and nursing.  It worked out okay, everyone was happy. My boy self weaned at 5 months.  No joke.  It happened in about two days time.  I was a little sad.

Then I found out two months later that I was pregnant with my second son.  When I had him, he latched right away.  He was very good at the whole thing and actually never would take a bottle.  and I didn't want him to.  I loved nursing.  Loved it.  I nursed for what is probably WAY too long.  But it was such a great thing between he and I.  When he did finally wean off, I was a little heartsick about it.  I missed our special time.  

Now this coming from a girl that thought breast feeding was 'yucky'----  all I can say is that it was one of the most surprisingly rewarding experiences of my entire life.  I would recommend it to anyone to at least try.  Once it is your own child, the 'strangeness' you think you might feel will probably go away and the beauty of it will set in.  

If you don't want to try it for the benefits of your baby . . . ha, try it for the benefits to you.  Good luck and happy baby days to you.