Breastfeeding

(I wrote this almost two weeks ago and had formatting issues that couldn't be fixed on my iPad. This is the first time I have been able to get to a computer.)

Well, it seems like every new mom not only has a birth story posted, but also a post on breastfeeding. I might as well join the club.

I went into breastfeeding fully convinced that it was going to be HARD. Reading posts from Bits and Peaces and Esperanza along with getting advice from friends like "don't quit on your worst day" and "I cried for 6 weeks straight" made me nervous. When people asked if I was going to breastfeed, I would say "I hope so!" but I knew that there was a possibility that it wouldn't work out. I also talked with CP beforehand, telling him that I would need support and for him to not let me quit. We also went to a breastfeeding class together. I'm happy to say that even though Izzy and I have had our ups and downs, three weeks into being a milk machine, it is working out.

Izzy lost 10.4% of her birth weight in the hospital. She had a good latch with a wide mouth, but fell asleep quickly after latching on. Once I got home from the hospital my milk was in but because she would fall asleep, I would have to switch boobs 4-5 times a feeding. I didn't think that was normal, but she was feeding every three hours and didn't seem to starve inbetween. Now I'm pretty sure that she wasn't getting the more caloric milk that comes after nursing for 5 minutes and thus not gaining enough weight.

One week after birth she was at 7 lbs 7 oz (birth weight was 8 lbs 3 oz). Two weeks after birth (when a baby is supposed to be up to their birth weight) she was only up to 7 lbs 13 oz. To my doctor's credit, even at two weeks he didn't talk about supplementing with formula- yet. But I did start pumping once a day after a feeding and then giving that bottle to Izzy.

Tips in the hospital that were very helpful included tickling or tapping the bottom of Izzy's feet, touching her body with a wet washcloth, stroking her chin, and taking off all of her clothes- all of these in an effort to keep her awake. We also tried lots of "aids" while in the hospital- nipple shells, the pump (including a bottle to feed her the pumped milk), a syringe to put milk on/near her lips, and the nipple shield. I was worried about the use of these aids on whether it would lead to the dreaded nipple confusion, but one of the lactation consultants told me that in all of her years, she has only seen nipple confusion happen once. I'm pretty happy with the fact that we used so many aids as I learned how to use the pump before leaving the hospital and from feeding Izzy bottles of my pumped milk, she is already used to bottle feeding and that won't be a problem when she heads to daycare. Even using the nipple shields for the past two+ weeks hasn't been the end of the world. I have offered my naked nipples a couple of times and she has been fine eating from them- the shields help her stay awake longer though by stimulating the roof of her mouth when she eats. At some point I may get rid of them, but for now they are fine.

D day was yesterday (note: the Thursday before Christmas) when Izzy had a weight check at one day shy of 3 weeks old. She had to be above her birth weight or else. I told her to hold her pees and poos until after she got on the scale, but of course she had a massive diaper when we started to take her clothes off. In the end, it didn't matter as she weighed in at 8 lbs 8 oz and I could officially breathe a sigh of relief.

So what advice can I offer? I think that going into the breastfeeding experience knowing that both you and your baby need to learn and work together is key. It's not going to be easy, so having patience and not freaking out during the first couple of days makes a world of difference when it comes to your sanity. Know that breastfeeding is not painless- so far it hasn't been too painful, but my right nipple has a tendency to crack (as it is right now), and that doesn't exactly feel great...  My last tidbit of advice is to take advantage of any tips and aids offered in the hospital. Izzy and I would not be where we are without them.

(Since I wrote this Izzy and I have done even better. No more cracked nipples, no more using lanolin, and at her 1 month checkup Izzy weighed 9 lbs 4.7 oz.)