NURSING.
Wow. I knew it was supposed to be hard. Everyone says it doesn't usually come easily. But I read "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding"...practically cover to cover, so I thought I was prepared. I was WRONG. I knew that IF me and the baby struggle, I shouldn't take it personally. Just because he's not interested doesn't mean he doesn't like ME. I KNEW that. But as I attempted to nurse him and he just screamed and screamed and refused to latch for more than a minute or so, I DID take it personally. He cried. I cried. But I'm determined to make it work. I do NOT want to pump for the next year or so, I don't want to give him formula, and I'm SICK of washing bottles...so we HAVE to get this to work.
Up until this weekend we had only had a handful of successful nursing sessions so I contacted a lactation consultant and met up with her yesterday. She gave us some great tips to get him to latch properly and keep him awake while nursing. For the first time in 4 weeks I felt HOPEFUL that we might be able to do this. We've had relative success today. Brady still screams during some feedings, but so far he's eventually calmed down and had a good solid meal. I'm in a TON of pain, but I'm pushing through HOPING that in a week or so I'll be more used to it and I won't cringe during every feeding.
This has definitely been the hardest part of the motherhood so far, but we're making progress and I'm SO happy about that.
4 comments:
I'm sorry nursing has been hard for you two. But you definitely won't regret it later on, it is sooooo worth it! Good for you for not giving up!
When he is ready it will happen... Just get comfortable. The best thing I did when Eli was struggling and crying was hold him skin to skin until he.. and I .. calmed down and then tried again. But really it was all him and one day it just clicked and we have not needed to bottle feed since!
I am so glad that you posted this. Although I am not a mother...yet...it seems like every new mom tries to make everything seem blissful. Yay for you for seeking out a professional to help you. I am totally going to use all the resources I can when I'm a mom!
Don't give up! It was so different with all three of my kids. One thing that helped me at the beginning was when the doctor told me that when I was raw and cracked and bleeding, that if I could count to ten through the pain (similar to the first phase of labor breathing) and it still hurt, he was probably latched on wrong. If he is latched right, the pain should subside for the rest of the session. Once you are used to it and all healed, it doesn't hurt anymore. We went through all sorts of messes (mastitis, yeast infection, pumping because one wasn't getting enough, clogged milk ducts, cracked and bleeding, etc.) but it was so worth it in the end. I went to a lactation specialist with my second. You would think with the second you would know what you are doing, huh? Good luck!
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