Sunday, August 1, 2010

World Breastfeeding Week

This week I am celebrating World Breastfeeding Week!
What a wonderful thing to recognize breastfeeding!

When I was pregnant with Sweet Thing, I read all the books about pregnancy and birth and even a little bit of parenting! One thing I didn't give a second look was breastfeeding. I knew I was going to breastfeed, I wasn't worried about getting my newborn to latch. I thought it would be a piece of cake.

How wrong was I?

Breastfeeding was a challenge for us from the beginning.

After giving birth, we tried to latch about an hour later, with not much luck, we didn't worry about it. She wasn't hungry anyway. Later on in the day we tried again, and it was painful, and the nurses were trrying to help, telling me she's got it, she's doing well. But it was still painful, after unlatching and relatching, I was still in pain, finally I gave up and kept my mouth shut because the nurses weren't helping. Sweet Husband helped me hand express the colostrom to spoon feed our newborn.

We went home the next day.
That night was awful our beautiful newborn screamed for what seemed like an eternity, we tried everything, rocking, bouncing, singing. Anything but nursing. I didn't want to, I was hurt.

Finally we had a nurse come to our house, she then gave me a pump and told me to pump every two hours and 'finger feed' Sweet Thing so I could heal.

I healed and we tried nursing again. It was still painful, like someone pinching my nipple as hard as they could. We tried different positions. Nothing helped. We were told she had a tongue tie and may need to clip it.

A new nurse came a few days later and fitted me for a nipple shield.
Finally after 10 days of pumps and tiny cups and syringes full of mommy milk Sweet Thing was able to nurse, and I was pain free!!
I was ecstatic, I felt like a real mommy!

We nursed successfully from then on with the shield, and only recently have we both been completely weaned from it now at 8 months.

Although the beginning was tough and I had more than my fair share of doubts and not wanting to do it anymore. I stuck it out and I am so glad I did. I now love breastfeeding, it is a nice quiet time for me and Sweet Thing, I love that I am the only one who can do this for her. I love that she was a tiny 6lb 9oz baby girl and and now she is a healthy 18lb 8 month old, all thanks to mamas milk. I am sad that our breastfeeding is slowing down now that Sweet Thing is on more and more solid foods lately. I will not wean her, this is her decision.

I urge every mother to breastfeed, and though you may think you just can't do it anymore, you can! You really can!

Check out what World Breastfeeding Week is all about.

9 lovely comments:

Amy said...

I posted our story today too. So glad you stuck with it! Congrats to you and your little one for making it work. So many people would have given up and it really is so rewarding.

Alicia said...

I had to use a nipple shield too! It was a life saver. She didn't like my texture for some reason, then one day when she was 2 months old I tried without it because I was too lazy to get upstairs. And she latched on! For the first time. I teared up a little.

I really had no idea how rewarding bfing would be!

Unknown said...

A great blog - wonderfully honest and supportive for other mothers. Plus a perspective that can only be provided by a mother.

I will post your blog on my facebook page for other mothers to read and enjoy.

www.facebook.com/drharryz

Regards, Harry.

Ron Cooper said...

Happy summer, Tenenda!

I’m following you from Making Friends Monday. Please follow me back on my blog “Inspire!”

Ron

http://inspiredbyron.blogspot.com/

Tanyia said...

Hi there, I am your newest follower from Making Friends Monday. :)

I would love to have you stop by:
http://xsurvivingmotherhoodx.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

New follower from admirer monday!
Andria
www.andrialake.blogspot.com

Jayne Doe-a-Deer said...

An excellent perspective! So many moms are surprised when breastfeeding is "hard work", and there is certainly a learning curve. How lovely for you to have been able to stick it out and be able to experience the blissful parts of breastfeeding, too.

Emily - faliLV said...

Following from WW. I love that you shared your story. Would you consider sharing it and re-posting it on my breastfeeding blog?
www.simplegiftstories.blogspot.com
you can email me at familyandlifeinLV(at)gmail(dot)com
www.familyandlifeinlasvegas.blogspot.com

JIll said...

I am your newest follower. I am currently breastfeeding my second baby and know how it can be a challenge. Check me out.

http://mastersandamom.blogspot.com/