Breastfeeding 101

Breastfeeding is a beast all of its own. And there are soo many opinions on the topic. Everyone has a different outlook and different advice, even the experts.  I think I knew this going into it, but now I'm just having to put all of my words into action. I prepared a lot for breastfeeding before Preston's arrival, as I have watched many of friends kill themselves trying to breastfeed, or go into states of depression, or just give up in frustration. So I knew there must be a level of difficulty. I prayed heavily over Preston and I working well together before he was born so that we may find success in this arena.

I think we're finding success, but it doesn't come without some angst. The age old question: am I giving my baby enough to eat?


 I have reached out and spoken with lactation consultants many, many times since Preston's arrival and had a few consults so they could watch our technique and critique us. Preston and I always get good reports from the lactation consultants but that doesn't mean it's easy.

No two feedings seem to be a like. But we both are only two weeks into this. This is a whole new world for the both of us.  I was told this was normal in the early weeks, as your milk changes by the hour: fat content, volume, flow, etc. Sometimes he latches beautifully and feeds perfectly for 25 minutes, other times he doesn't seem to remember how to latch and wants to take many breaks during feeding and seems kinds fussy. ( I think maybe this is me feeding him when he is really not hungry and instead just wants to be soothed) I am just now getting to know Preston's preferences and habits so that I can nurse him more efficiently. Breastfeeding is so individualized that it's difficult for someone to tell you exactly what the issue is or explain why something is happening. But after today's latest lactation consult, I think I have some good answers. It appears as if my milk supply is in full force and I have a lot of it.  Sometimes a little too much for the little man, hence the latching and relatching, break taking, odd breathing when eating sometimes, gulping, and overeating.  She said this is transitional and he will adjust to my milk flow.

The good news is that he is having at least 8 wet diapers and 3 poop diapers per day,  is gaining weight appropriately, and is content between feedings. So all of these signs point to him being fed enough. Yea!! Another awesome aspect of breastfeeding: weight loss for Mom. When I went into labor I weighed 132#. The day I came home from the hospital I weighed 118#. I currently weigh 114#. This is two pounds heavier than I was when I get pregnant. Yea for not gaining a lot of weight during pregnancy and losing it quickly. Breastfeeding rocks!

He was born weighing 6.8 ounces. Shortly after birth he dropped to 6.3 ounces. Five days after birth at his first appointment with his pediatrician he was back to his birth weight of 6.8#. Apparently, this is excellent, as they like for newborns to be back to their birth weight by 2 weeks of age. He did this is five days. One week later we reweighed and he was only at 6.10 ounces. They are supposed to gain at least .5-1 ounce per day, so this lack of weight gain had me worried. The doc said he was not concerned as all he cared about at that point was just to see a gain from birth weight.

Today we went back in for another weigh in, which was five days after the last one, and he was up 6 ounces weighing in at 7.01 ounces. Yea!! This means he gained a little more than 1 ounce per day. This is great news! So I still don't fully have the breast feeding thing down, it's still a work in progress, and still frustrating and exhausting, but we're seeing all the right things to indicate that all is working as it should be.

Thank goodness! Being a self proclaimed " infertile" I always thought becoming pregnant was somewhat of a holy grail. It's AWESOME, but it's not. Your worries don't stop once you finally become pregnant, or have the baby. You just continually trade in old worries for new worries. You would think I would have learned by now: STOP WORRYING! You can't do anything about them and they are ever present. For the record,  I will say the worries of a wanna-be-mamma who is worrying over her latest cycle and follicle count is just as taxing as the worries of a new mom. They both equally hurt the heart, just in different ways.

So the plan from here is to keep doing what I'm doing and I'll start pumping some at 4 or five weeks--once breastfeeding is well established -- so we can introduce a bottle once a day so Kevin can enjoy feeding Mr. Preston.  I know it sounds odd, but this is going to be a sad day for me. Breastfeeding is so time consuming and taxing and I feel like a dairy cow who never gets to leave the stall--on total lock down--but at the same time it's all about me and Preston and bonding. I certainly know it doesn't mean I'm a bad mom to introduce a daily bottle, but it makes me a little sad to think of him not feeding from me. I know, sounds weird, right. I just don't want to miss a moment and I want to relish in doing things for him that only his mamma can do for as long as I can do it. Being 30 and having my first baby is awesome. I am faaaar more appreciative than I would have been at 22 for this little man. God always knows best.