I'm sure you expected this, but I'm going to talk about breastfeeding. Since this blog is all about me (you knew that when you found it), it'll be about my experiences with it. I know she's only six days old, and I have no expectation that any pattern she gets into will be one she continues, but... For the last two days, Evelyn had been nursing for two hours at a stretch, almost every single time she nursed. Yesterday I spent a total of eight or ten hours nursing. The previous day was even more because those two-hour periods were interspersed with shorter cluster feeds. Having never breastfed exclusively before, I never realized what a total drain it is. Yeah, I got sleepy with Ragsy, but I didn't feel like I'd been fed off of by a vampire. Thank God for lactation consultants.
I had been concerned that I was having a latching issue, but apparently the issue was that she had lost enough weight after birth that she was making up for lost time and just needs to become more efficient. Today was a vast improvement - she spent an hour at a stretch, but that's a heck of a lot more doable than two, particularly given that her nursing sessions were interspersed with an hour of naptime and quiet wakefulness where she lay fascinated by the patterns of sunlight and shadow on the walls. So, basically textbook breastfed baby behavior. I can handle that. And so can my boobs. Ta-dah!
7 comments:
I think as far as breastfeeding goes, as long as the baby's gaining weight its normal :) (
And the marathon nursing sessions will coerce your body into producing more milk and faster, so she'll be able to eat faster. When she starts cluster feeding or nursing for longer, she's probably getting ready to grow and is telling your body to up its production again.
I had to pump for 2 weeks with Trystan in the NICU unable to breastfeed right after birth, and the fancy hospital-grade pumps convineced my body I was feeding twins (or more).
So when Trystan started eating again, at first he'd nurse for like 5-10 minutes, tops, because the twin firehoses were filling him with 3-4 ounces each in that amount of time. He got really chubby for about 2 months until the system evened out again.
BTW, I have a Kangaroo Kids sling which can be helpful for breastfeeding in public (or while walking, should the need arise..). Or for just carrying the baby in a cuddly position. If you don't have one and would like it, just email me.
I'm just glad there's an end in sight. She nursed for three hours this afternoon - from about 1:15 to nearly 4:30! And that's not including the feeding at 1:30 this morning and the three others.
Anyway, I've been pumping like crazy in between marathon feedings to get my supply up and manage to store some milk. Hopefully my supply will meet her demand in the next couple of days.
I actually have a sling from Kangaroo Kids, but I've never nursed in it. I'd love some tips on what hold you use, though - I have no idea how to nurse discreetly in public. I've been sitting around the house practically topless in front of my mom and husband all week. I'm sure everyone would appreciate it if I would stop flashing them.
I offhandedly stated this evening, "I don't have any ideas for my NaBloPoMo post. Any ideas?" His response, of course:
"Boobies."
I was able to tell him, quite truthfully, that you already had that one covered, and I couldn't poach that bad. HeeHee.
Now off to think of something esle to post...
That reminds me - I took Ragsy to Target the other day. We were walking past the lingerie section near the racks of bras. He immediately yelled, "Look mommy! Boobies!" He's seen me topless more times this week than he has since he was seven months and weaned himself from the breast.
For nursing in public, I usually just did a regular cradle hold. I'm nicely short-waisted, so I could slouch a little, tuck the baby up and under my shirt, and he or she would cover any bare skin. Nursing tanks worn as undershirts (with or without a real nursing bra) were also great. Wearing a second layer (a cardigan or an open button-up shirt or jacket) in general was helpful, as the outer shirt/sweater would cover bare skin on the back, and the baby would cover any bare tummy.
With both kids, I was more comfortable with that cradle hold, so it made it less awkward. I think I did the football thing on backless chairs (set the diaper bag by your hip and use it to help support the baby and your arm, since you can't lean back)
If you need nursing tops, check with Pam. There was a nice stash of them that's been passed around in a variety of sizes. I can double-check my closet, too, to see if any of them hung around.
Most of my currently nursing friends LURVE the Bebe au Lait (formerly Hooter Hider, fortunately now renamed).
http://www.bebeaulait.com/
Elizabeth kept hers tucked into her diaper bag at all times until AJ spontaneously self-weaned ("cold turkey," she says, hah hah) on Thanksgiving day.
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