Warning! This post is about breastfeeding. It can be a sensitive and sometimes controversial topic. I am not against formula feeding Mommas. I got formula as a baby and look how great I turned out! ;) In all seriousness though, this is a post to document my journey. Breast was best...for us! I realize it is not best for everyone. If you have something you want to talk about, feel free to comment or send me a private email!
During my pregnancy, I thought a lot about breastfeeding. I knew it was something I wanted to try. When I first got pregnant, I told people I was going to "at least try" to breastfeed. I figured if it worked, great. If not, no big deal! As I progressed in my pregnancy and started researching, I started to change my viewpoint. I decided I would do a little more than try. I would try hard. I read books. I visited online forums. I read information online. I took breastfeeding classes. I decided not to set a goal for myself. Just like most people, I hate to fail. I didn't want to set a goal and become devastated with myself when I didn't reach the goal. I knew breastfeeding was hard and I had no idea if it was going to work for us.
Fast forward to May 18, 2012. My nurses all knew that I was planning on breastfeeding and I wanted to have as much skin to skin time as possible (and right away). They were great and as soon as my son was born, onto my chest he went:
My son rooted and tried to latch right away. I was ecstatic! Maybe this would be easier than I thought! During my time in the hospital, breastfeeding was not easy. After that initial latch, Carson didn't latch so easily. He also wouldn't stay latched. I cried. I thought I was starving my son. I didn't want to give into formula because it was too easy. The hospital was very busy and it took a while to meet with a lactation consultant. Luckily my nurses were all very helpful and knowledgeable and helped me try different positions. My milk hadn't come in and all I remember is being told that Carson had lost weight. I felt like a failure!
When we arrived home, my milk arrived as well. (Whoa, huge boobs!) I was hoping this would help solve the problem but we still had some issues. I was getting engorged which was making it hard for my son to latch. Eventually I figured out a method that worked for us and everything was smooth sailing!
 |
| Cluster feeding throughout the night = we're both tired! |
Since everything was going so well, I decided I would try to set a small goal for myself. I would try to breastfeed for at least 3 months. Once I got to that 3 month mark, I would reevaluate. Guess what? We made it to 3 months!
Enter Fenugreek. I heard about this through my Mommy group and it was a lifesaver. I took 3 pills 3 times a day and basically smelled like I was sweating maple syrup. It was gross. BUT, it brought my supply back up! (Chugging water 24/7 also helped me.)
Carson was exclusively breastfed from the time he was born until he was 5.5 months old. At 5.5 months we tried some rice cereal with him and he didn't like it. We waited until 6 months to reevaluate and decided to try oatmeal. He loved the oatmeal and a few weeks later we started [pureed] solids. He continued with breastmilk until about 13 months when we started whole milk in straw sippies. Once he started whole milk he continued to nurse about 4 times a day. Eventually he weaned himself down to twice a day - mornings and evenings. By the time he was 17 months he quit asking to nurse in the morning and would only nurse before bed. (Not to sleep, just as part of our routine.) I'm happy to say that he self weaned right before his 18 month birthday. I'm glad I didn't have to take away something that he loved so much!
If you're pregnant and planning on breastfeeding, make sure to have some resources before you start your nursing journey. My hopsital had a breastfeeding group that met weekly with a lactaction consultant as well as a hotline you could call at any time! KellyMom was basically my breastfeeding bible...I can't begin to describe the amount of great information you'll find over there!
. Whether or not you're planning on bottle feeding, a breast pump is very helpful. I was very engorged in the early days and the pump provided some nice relief. We mostly nursed, but it was nice to pump a few bottles so that Daddy could get in some bonding time and give Mommy a break as well! I also slowly started building my freezer stash for when I returned to work. Even if you are planning on staying at home, it's nice to have a little stash of breastmilk in the freezer for times that arise unexpectedly. I used the 
. Read reviews before purchasing because although some pumps look similar, they do not all perform equally! 
. These were great for quickly cleaning my pump parts. I washed them in warm water with soap between pumping but if I was pumping somewhere other than my house (family's homes, work, etc.) these wipes were great! 
. Let's be honest, your nipples WILL be sore. Breastfeeding is hard and isn't comfortable at first. I would slather on this lanolin cream before every nursing session and it really helped. I had friends who got dry, cracked nipples (yikes) and luckily I never experienced that. I thank the cream!
. Just like I said in #3, your poor nips will be sore. These little hydrogel pads feel SO amazing. They give a cooling sensation and really help take away some of the pain that comes with your little bundle of joy trying to perfect his/her latch.
. Another fun side effect of nursing is leaky boobs. This is something you cannot control and it WILL happen when your supply is regulating itself. When my milk first came in, I was positive my boobs were going to explode. Even when Carson had just nursed, I would still sometimes leak just minutes later. These disposable pads slip right inside your bra and save your clothes and also save you from embarrassing moments. Don't be this lady:
. I didn't use these on a regular basis, but they were wonderful for trips to the pool! They pretty much suction (gently) to your breast so they will stay put even without a bra. Since they are not absorbent, a bit of milk may collect inside the pad but I never had any problems with these coming loose. The best part is that you can simply wash and re-use! I used the Lilypadz brand.
. This thing was my best friend for the longest time. Having a pillow to set your baby on while nursing really helps get them into the right position and brings them to the breast. This is ideal because you don't want to be slouched over them - it will get uncomfortable very quickly! I've heard great things about different nursing pillows, but I personally had the Boppy and had no problems at all! I would also suggest getting at least 2 covers for your pillow because it will get covered in breastmilk, spit-up, and other fun bodily fluids faster than you can blink your eyes. Hey, YOU are the one who chose to be a Mommy, remember?! ;)
. Just like I mentioned in #1, it is always great to have a stash of breastmilk. There are a lot of different brands of breastmilk storage bags on the market, but the Lansinoh were my favorite. I never had a bag break and they hold quite a bit of milk as well. I would suggest keeping a Sharpie by your bags so you can mark the date and number of ounces. I also suggest storing your bags FLAT because it will save space in your freezer and it is much easier to organize your milk supply that way! KellyMom has a great section on 