In honor of it being World Breastfeeding week I wanted to make a post about my breastfeeding journey and some tips that helped me. I learned a lot in the year I breastfed Noah and am excited to start the journey all over again with baby #2.
I had my hubby take some photos of one of the last nursing sessions I shared with Noah before we fully weaned and I am so thankful to have them. Now I have a reason to share a few with you all :) There really is nothing like that special bond while you nourish your babe. Especially since Noah isn't a cuddler it was an extra special time.
When Noah was brand new (like literally just born) he latched perfectly. It was pure bliss and then he slept all night and woke up a new baby who just could not latch correctly. I was in PAIN. It took 3 weeks for me to perfect his latching.
So TIP #1: GET HELP! don't give up if you're having a hard time. That is what lactation consultants are for and they're a God send! Ours helped me figure out the best positions and how to get him to latch properly to where he was getting fed well. The first three weeks he was a cranky boy. Little did I know he was hungry! His latch was too shallow so he wasn't getting the good hind milk to fill him up well. My PED just shrugged it off as colic. Again, thank the Lord for good lactation consultants! Also, so thankful for my husband. He was my second set of eyes and hands. He would help me make sure his lip was down, my positioning was correct etc. Seriously without him and my lactation consultant I would not have been successful early on. A solid support system is so vital!
TIP #2- Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Remember fed is best not one way or the other. I made the goal to make it to a year and I am happy I stuck with it but honestly it was HARD! Noah was a funny baby because he didn't use breastfeeding as a sleep prop (other than the very early days), comfort and didn't have a crazy attachment to it. He was fine with a bottle as well. I nursed during the day and pumped for a bedtime bottle to get him nice and full for sleeping. However my body was extremely sensitive to his needs. As he got older and nursed less and less my supply would drop. I never had over supply and I was a slave to that pump to get enough milk for the bottle. It probably wasn't necessary! But I was determined so I drank tons of water, took the supplements and pumped at least 3 times a day. Ya'll that pump travelled all over the world with us! I remember being in Paris and they had different outlets and I didn't have a convertor so I couldn't even use it haha. Oh man was I engorged in the morning!! Around 10 months when I was really struggling I was able to get a supplement from the Italian pharmacy: Domperidone (I believe that is what it is called) and it allowed me to get thru those last few months with a good supply and even get a little bit of milk in the freezer which I had never done before.
Tip #3- Stick with it. It gets easier. I promise! Noah was a slow nurser at the beginning and I would get frustrated. By the time I would get him fed, changed and ready to leave the house it would be time to eat again! Nursing in public wasn't my jam. I needed to see what I was doing and hold him with one hand and my boob with the other (small chested probs haha) so I tried to feed at home or the car. Eventually he became very efficient and it was easier to quickly nurse him wherever we were and hands free too!! Even in the line for the eiffel tower! haha
Tip #4- Don't freak out if a nursing strike happens. At 9 months I probably could have weaned Noah with no problem. He just wasn't interested and would sometimes cry when I tried to nurse. I stuck it out tho and gave bottles when needed and eventually he was about it again. It's OK to supplement if you need. It doesn't make you a bad mom or your breastfeeding journey any less perfect.
I feel like when baby girl comes I will feel a lot more comfortable and experienced for our nursing journey but there is nothing like experiencing it for the first time with your first baby. Thankful for the support I had and reaching my goal. I hope a few of these tips helps you mamas out and lessens the pressure you feel if you had that feeling at all. You are enough and your baby is so lucky to have you!!
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