Well done Belfie
I am glad it is improving for you, i hope it continues.
i found it was easier to not think ahead and just concentrate on now and try and relax with it. Also finding the most comfortable way for you to feed was very important as i had alot of advice but when it comes down to it, do what feels right for you and bubs.
Once again well done you are doing a great job....
Hello! Just wanted to drop in and say hi. Hadn't seen a pic of Xander, and he is absolutely beautiful, Im so happy for you! Well done on surviving the first month, it can be sooo hard. Im glad the BF issues are getting better. I had all those probs with DD, and Im a bit concerned about a repeat this time. Am trying to go into the whole thing with an open mind, and positive attitude, Im sure it will help! Anyway, so glad you're both doing well. Take carexx
Thanks Beaksie
I'm slightly amazed to realised how long we've been BF'ing now... woo hoo. Just one feed at a time... one day at a time. All the very best for you - the support in here is brilliant & I'm sending you great feeding vibes - but sounds like you won't need them with the open mind & positive attitude - atta girl!
soooo we're back again! Last few days I'm having trouble getting him to attach well again. He attaches then arches back & pops off... cries.. is hungry... repeat ad infinitum! I've varied between persisting or doing a number of attempts before going to EBM.
I'm a bit torn... I'm worried that maybe he's doing this because the breast is too much like hard work, so I'm accidentally reinforcing him going to "easy-town" on the bottle... or if I persist, am I just giving him a negative association on the breast? Before we were able to do 20+ mins quite happily (on the left in partic)... but now i'm struggling to get him on for 10 mins (and it's less than that, or not at all for some feeds). On the bright side, I've switched to a football hold on the right, and he's now doing 10 mins where before I could barely get him on it. But where he WAS attaching well on the left, he's now often not attaching properly and I'm finding it painful so if he doesn't pop himself off, I take him off! He wants to slide up & down the nipple shield like it's a lollipop.. nuh-uh!!! I tried attaching without the shield and it wasn't brilliant (and I think I need my friendly LC to help us start attaching without the shield).
Should i persist with the breast even when he's getting very unhappy? Or should I do a number of attempts then go EBM (or formula when I'm out of EBM)?
I'm going to call my LC again tomorrow. But another question in my head... I'd been kinda wanting to get more settled feeding with the shield before we tried to get rid of it. Or should I just be trying to get rid of it now, and not worrying about whether the shield is going well?
And to add to my grumpiness, I've got an episiotomy that doesn't seem to be healing well, (sorry if TMI), hemorrhoids (I think!?) and a head cold. So when I'm struggling to attach him, all these things become my excuse to go to EBM. Am I being smart to cope or using these things as a cop-out?
note to self: 6 weeks on thursday... 6 weeks on thursday. I'm scared that I'll get to 6 weeks, and then be tempted to give up. Pls help me to not use it as a cop-out. i have SO many reasons to BF him it's not funny - allergies from both me & DH, significant food malabsorption issue from me, food sensitivities (inc dairy) from DH, plus I had GD and there's type II diabetes in the family.... so the breastmilk is sooooo good for him. And while he's had a bit of formula, 95% of his food has been breastmilk. Sorry I'm rambling now - this is my late-night pep-talk.
So far doing what the LC suggests has been pretty effective for you - so get another lesson and hop back on the bike!
I would just focus on getting BM into bub, and I didn't care how it happened - as bub got stronger, BF became easier, and expressing became more of a pain in the butt. You will be very lucky to get a screaming, unhappy baby to attach properly- so if some EBM calms him down once you are at that point then use it. But always try to attach first - sometimes he will surprise you and attach well, and other times it will be pretty ordinary.
And you must look after you as well - get the TMI looked at too!
Belfie, you are doing well, even though it sounds like you're doubting yourself. Try to give yourself a big pat on the back for how far you've come, despite all of your troubles. A lot of women give up when faced with the same obstacles, so it's a true testament to both your commitment and the great support you've built up around yourself that you're still going.
see your LC again. And phone the ABA hotline in the meantime, just to get a friendly voice on the end of the advice. Keep going, one day at a time. You will soon be looking back on this as an experience. 6 weeks is your first milestone, but like you I found it helpful to have others. I have heard of Mums who got to 12 weeks still experiencing difficutlies and then overcome them. So maybe think of your next goal - 3 mths?
Belfie you have done so well to even get this far with all the obsticles you have overcome. And i know you must be feeling crappy with the cold and other issues you need to look after yourself also. I am with jennifer give your lc a call and go from there, take one feed at a time and hopefully it will improve for you...
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