My poor baby girl is sick with a cold and there is snot everywhere! Luckily, it is only her second cold (and if we don't count the one night that she puked a couple of times for no known reason a few months back), it is only the second time she has been sick since birth. Part of me wants to attribute it to the fact that I am still breastfeeding, but the research suggests my role in that department was over many months ago (around 6 months.) I can, however, take partial credit for the kick-ass immune system she has obviously inherited!
And when did I become okay with snot being smeared all over my clothing and using my shirt to wipe a nose other than my own? (Don't pretend to be grossed out because I know you have used your shirt to wipe your own nose at least once in your life.) I guess it was around the same time that I became okay with eating my daughter's leftover and smashed up food. It is one of those things that non-parents cringe at (as I once did), but now seems like second nature. It is just what we do!
Breastfeeding a very congested toddler is definitely a challenge! This afternoon when my daughter woke from her nap she was so congested that she couldn't breath through her nose at all and no matter whether she was lying beside me or elevated in my arms, nursing just wasn't working. I felt so bad for her because she cried and cried as all she wanted to do was nurse and be comforted. I finally decided to dig out my breast pump (which I hadn't used in over 2 months.) I wasn't keen on the idea of pumping again and considered warming some homo milk for her instead, but because the little voice in my head kept telling me over and over again "Breast is Best", I decided to bite the bullet.
As I haven't pumped since December, my daughter also hasn't had to drink from a bottle for that period of time. I wondered if giving her a bottle was even a good idea at this point and thought about giving her my milk in a cup instead. In the end, I opted for the bottle because I figured she would be more likely to drink from it and because it is such a rare occurrence there was no worry about her becoming attached (it is generally recommended that the bottle be given up at 12 months of age, 18 months at the latest and replaced with a cup.)She resisted the bottle at first, but soon decided that it was acceptable. I wasn't able to get very much milk when I pumped so she was still hungry when the bottle was empty at which point, I filled it with cold homo milk and she continued to drink happily. Never mind that it was over the course of the next half and hour while she toted the bottle around the apartment everywhere she went. It wasn't until she put it down to do something more exciting that I was able to get it away from her without a fuss. But, that was that and she didn't seem to give it a second for the rest of the day. Luckily, her congestion had cleared enough by the this evening that she was able to nurse before bed.
Here's hoping we have a good night and that Lilah wakes spry as a cricket in the morning!
Showing posts with label nursing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nursing. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
The Beginning of the End of Breastfeeding
I suppose that title sounds a little more dramatic than I intended, but that doesn't negate the fact that it is a pretty big deal to me that I have dropped one of Lilah's daytime nursing sessions. As I mentioned in my last post, it seemed to make sense to drop the mid-morning feeding that she normally would have had when she woke from her morning nap given that we have eliminated said nap. She is still nursing 3 times a day (and twice in the night... but that is a separate issue altogether) so we have plenty of opportunities to strengthen our mother-daughter bond, relax, and enjoy a few quiet moments together. Even so, it makes me sad to think that I only have a few more months left to enjoy it.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the breastfeeding experience and it will be quite a transition for me when I give it up (probably more so than for Lilah). I know I don't have to give it up because many people breastfeed for much longer than I plan to, but I am going to given that I would like to have another child at some point in the not-so-distant future and don't want to be nursing two children at the same time nor do I want to be breastfeeding a child that is old enough to ask to be nursed. I do plan on continuing to nurse first thing in the morning and at night before bedtime for an indefinite period of time (most likely until I am well into my next pregnancy unless Lilah gives them up on her own), but by the time Lilah is 18 months I will most likely have given up her mid-afternoon feeding and both night feedings.
I will be spending the next few months making the most of the nursing sessions Lilah and I have left and will look forward to starting the process all over again with our next child. At this point in time, I really can't foresee myself doing much of anything differently with the next child aside from perhaps trying to reduce night feedings down to one per night earlier such that it doesn't become as much of a habit as it has with Lilah (again, a completely separate issue that I will probably discuss in another post).
I have thoroughly enjoyed the breastfeeding experience and it will be quite a transition for me when I give it up (probably more so than for Lilah). I know I don't have to give it up because many people breastfeed for much longer than I plan to, but I am going to given that I would like to have another child at some point in the not-so-distant future and don't want to be nursing two children at the same time nor do I want to be breastfeeding a child that is old enough to ask to be nursed. I do plan on continuing to nurse first thing in the morning and at night before bedtime for an indefinite period of time (most likely until I am well into my next pregnancy unless Lilah gives them up on her own), but by the time Lilah is 18 months I will most likely have given up her mid-afternoon feeding and both night feedings.
I will be spending the next few months making the most of the nursing sessions Lilah and I have left and will look forward to starting the process all over again with our next child. At this point in time, I really can't foresee myself doing much of anything differently with the next child aside from perhaps trying to reduce night feedings down to one per night earlier such that it doesn't become as much of a habit as it has with Lilah (again, a completely separate issue that I will probably discuss in another post).
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Dropping a Night Feed
My daughter hit the 8 month mark. I can't believe it! Time is flying by so quickly! The lack of sleep is also finally catching up with me. I have been tired ever since I started having to get up to pee several times a night when I was pregnant...if we do the math that means I have been tired for the past 17 months! However, it was only recently that I started to feel truly exhausted! As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have never been a napper and have rarely taken naps since Lilah was born. Over the last few weeks, naps have been essential.
It is the case that nursing mothers tend to find they are more exhausted during their baby's second half of the first year. There are a number of reasons for this:
1) Our baby's become more active and, therefore, we become more active, but we don't make up for it by resting any more than we had been resting.
2) Menstruation returns for many women in the second half of the first year when baby becomes more reliant on solid foods and is nursing less. I was lucky to have 8 period-free months, but alas this is now contributing to my lack of energy!
3) Many mothers pay less attention to what they are eating as time goes on and/or decide it is time to lose some weight and eat less. However, because we are still nursing, we need to continue to fuel our bodies properly so that milk production does not drop off.
As an aside...in a recent post I talked about the common drop in milk production many women experience around the 7 month mark. Shortly after writing that post, I started menstruating again which helped explain why I was having trouble producing enough milk. I failed to mention in that post that the return of menses is a very common cause of low milk production. It tends to be the case that your milk supply will drop most drastically before your first cycle and for some women it many continue to drop before each cycle.
Anyway, back to the main reason for my exhaustion...My daughter was still waking 3 times a night to nurse. She goes to bed at 7:00pm and would wake to nurse around 10:00pm, 1:00am, and 4:00am and then wake for the day between 6:00am and 7:00am. I was fine continuing with this schedule up until a few weeks ago when the extreme exhaustion set in.
As I mentioned in a previous post, it is completely normal for a breastfed baby to wake 1-3 times per night well into the second year of life if they continue to breastfeed. Now that my daughter has been eating 3 solid meals a day, however, I decided that I would like to attempt to get her to drop one of her night feedings. I am happy to continue nursing her 1-2 times a night for the time being, but I no longer feel 3 feedings is necessary given that she is a good eater during the day (nursing 4-5 times and eating 3 solids meals and occasionally a small snack).
As I am not a fan of any kind of cry-it-out sleep approach, my husband and I decided that we would simply try to gradually stretch the time between feedings by comforting Lilah in other ways (ie. rocking her). I was prepared for this to take some time, but after only a few rough nights we have now had 2 nights in a row during which she only woke to nurse at 10:00pm and 2:30am! This is still a work in progress because she is still waking in the night at other times, but she is getting better at putting herself back to sleep (we are now trying to eliminate the rocking and letting her try to fall back asleep on her own which has been successful).
I think that after a few weeks of nursing only twice a night, I would like to attempt to get Lilah to drop yet another feeding so that she is nursing only once each night ideally right before I head off to bed (10:00pm). As she consumes more and more solid foods, I will feel more comfortable doing this.
My ultimate goal is to continue to breastfeed until she is a year old. I may continue for longer, but at that point, I would only like to be nursing once in the morning and once before bed. This gives us a few months to gradually wean her off of night feedings altogether. Wish me luck and good luck to all of the parents out there that are feeling as exhausted as I am!
It is the case that nursing mothers tend to find they are more exhausted during their baby's second half of the first year. There are a number of reasons for this:
1) Our baby's become more active and, therefore, we become more active, but we don't make up for it by resting any more than we had been resting.
2) Menstruation returns for many women in the second half of the first year when baby becomes more reliant on solid foods and is nursing less. I was lucky to have 8 period-free months, but alas this is now contributing to my lack of energy!
3) Many mothers pay less attention to what they are eating as time goes on and/or decide it is time to lose some weight and eat less. However, because we are still nursing, we need to continue to fuel our bodies properly so that milk production does not drop off.
As an aside...in a recent post I talked about the common drop in milk production many women experience around the 7 month mark. Shortly after writing that post, I started menstruating again which helped explain why I was having trouble producing enough milk. I failed to mention in that post that the return of menses is a very common cause of low milk production. It tends to be the case that your milk supply will drop most drastically before your first cycle and for some women it many continue to drop before each cycle.
Anyway, back to the main reason for my exhaustion...My daughter was still waking 3 times a night to nurse. She goes to bed at 7:00pm and would wake to nurse around 10:00pm, 1:00am, and 4:00am and then wake for the day between 6:00am and 7:00am. I was fine continuing with this schedule up until a few weeks ago when the extreme exhaustion set in.
As I mentioned in a previous post, it is completely normal for a breastfed baby to wake 1-3 times per night well into the second year of life if they continue to breastfeed. Now that my daughter has been eating 3 solid meals a day, however, I decided that I would like to attempt to get her to drop one of her night feedings. I am happy to continue nursing her 1-2 times a night for the time being, but I no longer feel 3 feedings is necessary given that she is a good eater during the day (nursing 4-5 times and eating 3 solids meals and occasionally a small snack).
As I am not a fan of any kind of cry-it-out sleep approach, my husband and I decided that we would simply try to gradually stretch the time between feedings by comforting Lilah in other ways (ie. rocking her). I was prepared for this to take some time, but after only a few rough nights we have now had 2 nights in a row during which she only woke to nurse at 10:00pm and 2:30am! This is still a work in progress because she is still waking in the night at other times, but she is getting better at putting herself back to sleep (we are now trying to eliminate the rocking and letting her try to fall back asleep on her own which has been successful).
I think that after a few weeks of nursing only twice a night, I would like to attempt to get Lilah to drop yet another feeding so that she is nursing only once each night ideally right before I head off to bed (10:00pm). As she consumes more and more solid foods, I will feel more comfortable doing this.
My ultimate goal is to continue to breastfeed until she is a year old. I may continue for longer, but at that point, I would only like to be nursing once in the morning and once before bed. This gives us a few months to gradually wean her off of night feedings altogether. Wish me luck and good luck to all of the parents out there that are feeling as exhausted as I am!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Travelling with Baby
My daughter has been on more flights in the first six months of her life than I was on in the first 20 years of mine! How crazy is that!
We live in Baltimore, Maryland, but call Ontario, Canada home. Before Lilah was born, my husband and I would drive the roughly 10 hours back and forth. Lilah was born in Ontario so we drove when we came back to Baltimore when she was just a month old, but at that time she was still sleeping more than she was awake and slept most of the way (we also stayed the night in a hotel and did the drive over two days). Since then, we have yet to brave the trip in the car because Lilah is older and more active and would need more frequent stops making the 10 hour drive significantly longer. Instead, we have been flying back and forth when we travel home.
Lilah and I flew alone for the first trip back when she was about 4.5 months old. I was a little stressed out about travelling alone with an infant. I was worried about whether or not she would sleep, if and when she would eat and where I was going to feed her, if she would have trouble with her ears on the plane, if she would cry on the plane...and the list went on. Looking back, I really didn't need to worry so much (which is the way it usually plays out).
It was an exhausting day...30 minute drive to the airport, 1.5 hours waiting for our flight, 1.5 hour flight, 30 minutes waiting for baggage, 2 hour drive home. Despite the fact that it was a long day for both of us, Lilah was FANTASTIC! She stuck fairly closely to her normal eating and sleeping schedule which was great. On our first flight, I was lucky enough to find a seat between two very nice women who were helpful and accommodating. I wanted to breastfeed as the plane was taking off to make sure Lilah didn't have any problems with her ears. The woman to my left was more than happy to have Lilah's feet dangling over her lap and the woman to my right was great about trying to shield me a little so I didn't expose myself to the other passengers.
I started to feed Lilah a little too early and she was actually finished nursing before the plane took off. Even though she has never had a pacifier before, I gave one to her just as added assurance. She sucked on it a little, but was soon fast asleep. She slept for just over half of the flight and when she woke up, she was perfectly content to play on my lap for the duration. She did start to get a little antsy toward the end of the flight because it is pretty tight quarters when you are travelling with a lap baby (as a side note, make sure you do a diaper change before you board because there is NO space to do it once you are on the plane unless you are travelling with another person that can help).
On the way back, I wasn't as lucky in my seat choice. I ended up sitting beside a rather antisocial man who seemed slightly annoyed that he was seated next to a baby. I attempted to nurse as the plane was taking off, but again, Lilah was finished before lift-off. She took the pacifier a little more eagerly the second time and again didn't seem to have any problems with her ears. She did cry more during this flight because she was a little overtired and was having trouble falling asleep. She did eventually sleep and the rest of the trip was a breeze.
We recently took the same trip as a family which was much more relaxing! Having a second pair of hands was great! I had the same game plan for this trip (to nurse during take-off, then offer a pacifier) which worked about the same as the last time. Lilah slept during both flights, but had a lot of trouble falling asleep during the flight back to Baltimore which was a little stressful for my husband and I. I was trying not to be stressed out and kept telling myself that it didn't matter what anyone else thought, but it was a challenge never the less (I am not sure which was more stressful for my husband...the crying or having to watch Lilah as she stood on my lap with her hands on either side of the window looking like she was going to jump out of the plane. It was really quite amusing to see my husband squirm in his seat as if she could actually fall out of the plane).
Funny story...
As we were sitting on the plane waiting to take off on our way to Detroit, we noticed a beeping noise. We didn't think much of it until other people on the plane started to ask "What is that beeping?" Everyone started checking their phones and other electronic devices. We don't have a cell phone so didn't think it could possibly be us, but my husband picked up his carry on bag just to check. Sure enough, the beeping was coming from our carry on bag! We had packed Lilah's baby monitor in our carry on bag so that it wouldn't get broken in our checked luggage. It is set to sense her movements when she is sleeping and alarm us when there is none. The switch had accidentally been flipped when we boarded the plane and because it was not hooked up to the sensor pad, the alarm was going off. It was quite funny, but a little alarming to the other passengers on the plane, especially because in the midst of the searching for the mysterious beeping noise, my husband blurts out "It sounds like it is coming from the wing!" Nice one dear!
We live in Baltimore, Maryland, but call Ontario, Canada home. Before Lilah was born, my husband and I would drive the roughly 10 hours back and forth. Lilah was born in Ontario so we drove when we came back to Baltimore when she was just a month old, but at that time she was still sleeping more than she was awake and slept most of the way (we also stayed the night in a hotel and did the drive over two days). Since then, we have yet to brave the trip in the car because Lilah is older and more active and would need more frequent stops making the 10 hour drive significantly longer. Instead, we have been flying back and forth when we travel home.
Lilah and I flew alone for the first trip back when she was about 4.5 months old. I was a little stressed out about travelling alone with an infant. I was worried about whether or not she would sleep, if and when she would eat and where I was going to feed her, if she would have trouble with her ears on the plane, if she would cry on the plane...and the list went on. Looking back, I really didn't need to worry so much (which is the way it usually plays out).
It was an exhausting day...30 minute drive to the airport, 1.5 hours waiting for our flight, 1.5 hour flight, 30 minutes waiting for baggage, 2 hour drive home. Despite the fact that it was a long day for both of us, Lilah was FANTASTIC! She stuck fairly closely to her normal eating and sleeping schedule which was great. On our first flight, I was lucky enough to find a seat between two very nice women who were helpful and accommodating. I wanted to breastfeed as the plane was taking off to make sure Lilah didn't have any problems with her ears. The woman to my left was more than happy to have Lilah's feet dangling over her lap and the woman to my right was great about trying to shield me a little so I didn't expose myself to the other passengers.
I started to feed Lilah a little too early and she was actually finished nursing before the plane took off. Even though she has never had a pacifier before, I gave one to her just as added assurance. She sucked on it a little, but was soon fast asleep. She slept for just over half of the flight and when she woke up, she was perfectly content to play on my lap for the duration. She did start to get a little antsy toward the end of the flight because it is pretty tight quarters when you are travelling with a lap baby (as a side note, make sure you do a diaper change before you board because there is NO space to do it once you are on the plane unless you are travelling with another person that can help).
On the way back, I wasn't as lucky in my seat choice. I ended up sitting beside a rather antisocial man who seemed slightly annoyed that he was seated next to a baby. I attempted to nurse as the plane was taking off, but again, Lilah was finished before lift-off. She took the pacifier a little more eagerly the second time and again didn't seem to have any problems with her ears. She did cry more during this flight because she was a little overtired and was having trouble falling asleep. She did eventually sleep and the rest of the trip was a breeze.
We recently took the same trip as a family which was much more relaxing! Having a second pair of hands was great! I had the same game plan for this trip (to nurse during take-off, then offer a pacifier) which worked about the same as the last time. Lilah slept during both flights, but had a lot of trouble falling asleep during the flight back to Baltimore which was a little stressful for my husband and I. I was trying not to be stressed out and kept telling myself that it didn't matter what anyone else thought, but it was a challenge never the less (I am not sure which was more stressful for my husband...the crying or having to watch Lilah as she stood on my lap with her hands on either side of the window looking like she was going to jump out of the plane. It was really quite amusing to see my husband squirm in his seat as if she could actually fall out of the plane).
Funny story...
As we were sitting on the plane waiting to take off on our way to Detroit, we noticed a beeping noise. We didn't think much of it until other people on the plane started to ask "What is that beeping?" Everyone started checking their phones and other electronic devices. We don't have a cell phone so didn't think it could possibly be us, but my husband picked up his carry on bag just to check. Sure enough, the beeping was coming from our carry on bag! We had packed Lilah's baby monitor in our carry on bag so that it wouldn't get broken in our checked luggage. It is set to sense her movements when she is sleeping and alarm us when there is none. The switch had accidentally been flipped when we boarded the plane and because it was not hooked up to the sensor pad, the alarm was going off. It was quite funny, but a little alarming to the other passengers on the plane, especially because in the midst of the searching for the mysterious beeping noise, my husband blurts out "It sounds like it is coming from the wing!" Nice one dear!
Leaving Baby for the First Time
I recently left my baby with someone other than her father for the first time to attend my sister's wedding. It was one of the hardest things I have done as a parent to date. She was with my husband's parents so she was in good hands, but I thought about her all afternoon and evening and checked in more times than was necessary to see how she was doing. After all, it was the first time that she was being given a bottle by someone other than my husband, that she was being put to sleep by someone other than us, that she was being driven around by someone else and that she was apart from us! That is a lot of 'firsts' for one afternoon/evening.
I am sure it will come as no surprise that she was just fine. Her nap schedule was a little screwed up and she went to bed later than usual, but that is just par for the course. She was happy and that is all that really matters. Luckily, she was just around the corner and I was able to slip away from the wedding between dinner and the first dance to nurse her. The last time I had nursed her was in the early afternoon so I was starting to feel a little 'full'. I didn't have a chance to pump at all while I was away from her so I was worried about being engorged, leaking, and screwing up my milk supply (I know, I do seem to worry a lot). In the end, there were no adverse affects on my milk supply nor did I leak, but my breasts were full (although not painfully or uncomfortable so).
We picked her up at about midnight and transported her back to my parent's house. She must have been wondering what the heck was going on; it is not everyday we rouse her from a deep sleep and pack her up in her car seat. When we arrived home, I nursed her and she went right back to sleep. Everything seemed to be back to normal the next day and the anxiety I had been experiencing about leaving her had disappeared. Mind you, I am no hurry to leave her again and don't plan on doing so unless it is absolutely necessary (at least until she is a little older).
I am sure it will come as no surprise that she was just fine. Her nap schedule was a little screwed up and she went to bed later than usual, but that is just par for the course. She was happy and that is all that really matters. Luckily, she was just around the corner and I was able to slip away from the wedding between dinner and the first dance to nurse her. The last time I had nursed her was in the early afternoon so I was starting to feel a little 'full'. I didn't have a chance to pump at all while I was away from her so I was worried about being engorged, leaking, and screwing up my milk supply (I know, I do seem to worry a lot). In the end, there were no adverse affects on my milk supply nor did I leak, but my breasts were full (although not painfully or uncomfortable so).
We picked her up at about midnight and transported her back to my parent's house. She must have been wondering what the heck was going on; it is not everyday we rouse her from a deep sleep and pack her up in her car seat. When we arrived home, I nursed her and she went right back to sleep. Everything seemed to be back to normal the next day and the anxiety I had been experiencing about leaving her had disappeared. Mind you, I am no hurry to leave her again and don't plan on doing so unless it is absolutely necessary (at least until she is a little older).
Sunday, June 13, 2010
When the milk comes in...
In my last post on breastfeeding I talked about the early days of breastfeeding. I left off on the topic of ENGORGEMENT; the wonderfully painful experience you will have when your milk comes in!
As I mentioned in my last post, your milk will come in 2-4 days postpartum. This can be a very painful 24-48 hours, but push through because, just like labor, the pain of engorgement won't last and the reward is huge!
Engorgement is best described as a period of time in which your breasts feel very full and tender and your nipples are very sensitive. If fact, when you baby latches on, it will literally make your toes curl and you will want to scream. Don't worry, this sensation does go away after a few minutes of nursing! The absolute best treatment for engorgement is to nurse. Letting your nipples air dry and applying a nipple cream after nursing will also help. There are many old wives tales regarding things you can do to relieve engorgement, but nursing every 2-3 hours is the best and recommended solution. (It is actually the case that hot packs, warm showers and many other suggested treatments actually make engorgement worse rather than better.) I can't stress enough how important it is to make sure you are feeding baby frequently during this time. Milk production works by supply and demand and if you are not feeding baby (or pumping) every 2-3 hours during this time, your body will not produce enough milk.
During this time, your areola may be hard which makes it difficult for baby to latch on properly. If baby does not latch on properly, you will end up with traumatized nipples. If you need to express a little milk to soften the areola before feeding to make latching on easier for baby, do so! If you are experiencing pain in your nipples after the first few minutes of nursing and/or are experiencing any kind of pain in your breasts make sure you consult your doctor because there are a number of things that could be wrong (plugged milk ducts, breast infection).
Make sure you buy some breast pads before you deliver. Chances are pretty good that you are going to need them although some lucky women never d0. I used them day and night for the first few months. I was eventually able to stop using them because I no longer leaked during the day. I still occasionally leak at night, but not often enough to wear breast pads to bed. There have been nights when I have woken up and had to change my shirt, but that usually corresponded with times when my daughter went longer than normal between feedings.
I would love to be able to tell you that you are in the clear after the engorgement period is over, but that most likely will not be the case. Breastfeeding is hard work and it requires dedication on your part. I had been breastfeeding for 4 months or so before my body and daughter finally "figured it out". Mind you, I have never experienced anything like the pain of engorgement and things have definitely gotten MUCH easier, but there have still been a few bumps in the road which I will talk about in my next post.
As I mentioned in my last post, your milk will come in 2-4 days postpartum. This can be a very painful 24-48 hours, but push through because, just like labor, the pain of engorgement won't last and the reward is huge!
Engorgement is best described as a period of time in which your breasts feel very full and tender and your nipples are very sensitive. If fact, when you baby latches on, it will literally make your toes curl and you will want to scream. Don't worry, this sensation does go away after a few minutes of nursing! The absolute best treatment for engorgement is to nurse. Letting your nipples air dry and applying a nipple cream after nursing will also help. There are many old wives tales regarding things you can do to relieve engorgement, but nursing every 2-3 hours is the best and recommended solution. (It is actually the case that hot packs, warm showers and many other suggested treatments actually make engorgement worse rather than better.) I can't stress enough how important it is to make sure you are feeding baby frequently during this time. Milk production works by supply and demand and if you are not feeding baby (or pumping) every 2-3 hours during this time, your body will not produce enough milk.
During this time, your areola may be hard which makes it difficult for baby to latch on properly. If baby does not latch on properly, you will end up with traumatized nipples. If you need to express a little milk to soften the areola before feeding to make latching on easier for baby, do so! If you are experiencing pain in your nipples after the first few minutes of nursing and/or are experiencing any kind of pain in your breasts make sure you consult your doctor because there are a number of things that could be wrong (plugged milk ducts, breast infection).
Make sure you buy some breast pads before you deliver. Chances are pretty good that you are going to need them although some lucky women never d0. I used them day and night for the first few months. I was eventually able to stop using them because I no longer leaked during the day. I still occasionally leak at night, but not often enough to wear breast pads to bed. There have been nights when I have woken up and had to change my shirt, but that usually corresponded with times when my daughter went longer than normal between feedings.
I would love to be able to tell you that you are in the clear after the engorgement period is over, but that most likely will not be the case. Breastfeeding is hard work and it requires dedication on your part. I had been breastfeeding for 4 months or so before my body and daughter finally "figured it out". Mind you, I have never experienced anything like the pain of engorgement and things have definitely gotten MUCH easier, but there have still been a few bumps in the road which I will talk about in my next post.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
The Early Days of Breastfeeding
There a several myths out there regarding things you can do to get your nipples ready for breastfeeding. Myths are exactly what they are. There is nothing you can or need to do to get your nipples ready for breastfeeding. The only recommended steps are:
1) Wear a supportive bra (nursing or otherwise) without underwire. Bras with underwire have been known to lead to plugged milk ducts and breast infections. I personally found any bra with underwire to be very uncomfortable in the last months of pregnancy anyway and could not imagine having worn one in the early weeks of breastfeeding. I found cotton nursing bras without any bells and whistles to be the most comfortable. As I mentioned in an earlier post, you may want to buy at least one nursing bra ahead of time. It is generally safe to buy one towards the end of your pregnancy because your breast size will not significantly change any more. You will eventually need more than one, but you can hold off buying more until you decided which ones you like.
2) Avoid washing your nipples with soap when you are in the shower as this can dry them out.
That's it! There isn't anything else you can/should do.
One of the most important things you can do to get ready for breastfeeding is educate yourself about what to expect and what is normal and abnormal. The more educated you are, the more enjoyable your breastfeeding experience will be. I highly recommend the book The Nursing Mother's Companion by Kathleen Huggins.
It is also a good idea to attend a prenatal breastfeeding class. I did a lot of reading beforehand so I didn't really learn anything new from the class, but they provide you will a ton of resources in your community that you can access of you have any questions or problems.
Breastfeeding can be one the most amazing experiences of your life. The bond that it creates between you and your baby is incredibly rewarding. I have had a wonderful experience and absolutely love it. That being said, breastfeeding is by no means easy and it requires a huge commitment on your part.
The first few days are particularly hard. Initially, just getting baby to latch on properly is a big challenge. Although babies are born with the rooting reflex, both you and your baby have to learn how to breastfeed. The nurses in the hospital should help you with this because it is really difficult to manage holding your newborn baby and getting him or her to latch on to your nipple all at the same time (I would recommend a Boppy pillow). Don't get frustrated because after only a few nursing, things start to get easier.
As a side note, make sure you let the nurses know that you want to breastfeed for the first time as soon as possible after giving birth. Infants are usually incredibly eager to suck within the first two hours after birth and this is a perfect time to get the learning ball rolling. Studies have shown that the longer you wait, the less successful breastfeeding will be. Also be sure to avoid giving your baby a pacifier in the early days of nursing. This can lead to all kinds of nursing problems such as latching problems and early weaning and ear infections down the road (more on pacifier use later).
Until your milk comes in (generally 3-4 days postpartum), your baby will be drinking colostrum. This is thick and yellow and it is the most important substance you will ever feed your baby. It provides your newborn with all kinds of antibodies, prevents bacteria from entering baby's intestines, stimulates baby's bowels and can reduce jaundice just to name a few of the benefits. It may not seem like your newborn is eating very much, but know that a newborn's stomach is very small and they are getting what they need.
Newborn babies need anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes to complete a feeding. There is a lot of misinformation out there about this topic. Do not restrict your nursing time. Many people believe this helps to reduce nipple soreness, but that is not the case. Sore nipples are caused by improper positioning. There is no truth to the myth that it takes the a certain amount of time for the breast to empty either. You should let your baby nurse for as long as he/she wants. Not doing so will frustrate your baby and can lead to more engorgement down the road. When your baby is finished, he or she will let you know by letting go of your nipple. This is the absolute best way to end a feeding. If you do need to break the suction for some reason, make sure you do it properly by sliding your baby finger into the corner of your baby's mouth until you hear the release. You will be amazed at how strong the latch can be and if you don't break suction properly it will hurt!
Until your milk comes, your newborn will be nursing very frequently. At a minimum you should make sure you are nursing at least 8 times in a 24 hour period. The general rule of thumb is don't let your baby go more than 3 hours between feedings during the day and more than 4 hours during the night. This means you may have to wake your baby if he or she is very sleepy which newborns tend to be in the early days. When your milk comes in it is very important to make sure you are nursing every couple of hours to ensure a good milk supply. When your milk comes in, be prepared. This can be an rough 24-48 hour period. More on that in my next post!
1) Wear a supportive bra (nursing or otherwise) without underwire. Bras with underwire have been known to lead to plugged milk ducts and breast infections. I personally found any bra with underwire to be very uncomfortable in the last months of pregnancy anyway and could not imagine having worn one in the early weeks of breastfeeding. I found cotton nursing bras without any bells and whistles to be the most comfortable. As I mentioned in an earlier post, you may want to buy at least one nursing bra ahead of time. It is generally safe to buy one towards the end of your pregnancy because your breast size will not significantly change any more. You will eventually need more than one, but you can hold off buying more until you decided which ones you like.
2) Avoid washing your nipples with soap when you are in the shower as this can dry them out.
That's it! There isn't anything else you can/should do.
One of the most important things you can do to get ready for breastfeeding is educate yourself about what to expect and what is normal and abnormal. The more educated you are, the more enjoyable your breastfeeding experience will be. I highly recommend the book The Nursing Mother's Companion by Kathleen Huggins.
It is also a good idea to attend a prenatal breastfeeding class. I did a lot of reading beforehand so I didn't really learn anything new from the class, but they provide you will a ton of resources in your community that you can access of you have any questions or problems.
Breastfeeding can be one the most amazing experiences of your life. The bond that it creates between you and your baby is incredibly rewarding. I have had a wonderful experience and absolutely love it. That being said, breastfeeding is by no means easy and it requires a huge commitment on your part.
The first few days are particularly hard. Initially, just getting baby to latch on properly is a big challenge. Although babies are born with the rooting reflex, both you and your baby have to learn how to breastfeed. The nurses in the hospital should help you with this because it is really difficult to manage holding your newborn baby and getting him or her to latch on to your nipple all at the same time (I would recommend a Boppy pillow). Don't get frustrated because after only a few nursing, things start to get easier.
As a side note, make sure you let the nurses know that you want to breastfeed for the first time as soon as possible after giving birth. Infants are usually incredibly eager to suck within the first two hours after birth and this is a perfect time to get the learning ball rolling. Studies have shown that the longer you wait, the less successful breastfeeding will be. Also be sure to avoid giving your baby a pacifier in the early days of nursing. This can lead to all kinds of nursing problems such as latching problems and early weaning and ear infections down the road (more on pacifier use later).
Until your milk comes in (generally 3-4 days postpartum), your baby will be drinking colostrum. This is thick and yellow and it is the most important substance you will ever feed your baby. It provides your newborn with all kinds of antibodies, prevents bacteria from entering baby's intestines, stimulates baby's bowels and can reduce jaundice just to name a few of the benefits. It may not seem like your newborn is eating very much, but know that a newborn's stomach is very small and they are getting what they need.
Newborn babies need anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes to complete a feeding. There is a lot of misinformation out there about this topic. Do not restrict your nursing time. Many people believe this helps to reduce nipple soreness, but that is not the case. Sore nipples are caused by improper positioning. There is no truth to the myth that it takes the a certain amount of time for the breast to empty either. You should let your baby nurse for as long as he/she wants. Not doing so will frustrate your baby and can lead to more engorgement down the road. When your baby is finished, he or she will let you know by letting go of your nipple. This is the absolute best way to end a feeding. If you do need to break the suction for some reason, make sure you do it properly by sliding your baby finger into the corner of your baby's mouth until you hear the release. You will be amazed at how strong the latch can be and if you don't break suction properly it will hurt!
Until your milk comes, your newborn will be nursing very frequently. At a minimum you should make sure you are nursing at least 8 times in a 24 hour period. The general rule of thumb is don't let your baby go more than 3 hours between feedings during the day and more than 4 hours during the night. This means you may have to wake your baby if he or she is very sleepy which newborns tend to be in the early days. When your milk comes in it is very important to make sure you are nursing every couple of hours to ensure a good milk supply. When your milk comes in, be prepared. This can be an rough 24-48 hour period. More on that in my next post!
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