Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

Now mind you I am only 1week 2 days into it....but here is my experience and I hope it helps someone get through the first few days!

For starters, what you experience in the hospital is only a taste of reality. Sure they wake you in the middle of the night for feedings, but you don't do the chaning, fussing, etc.

Once I got home the first few nights were rough to say the least! She was constantly feeding and often just 5 minutes, then try to get her to sleep and then she would feed again for 5 minutes, change a diaper, feed, fuss, etc....This went on for sometimes 4 hours!

My DH & I we like spies trying to creep into bed to not wake her...doesn't work - if they are asleep they won't wake, but if they are up, you will know it!

Being tired, sore from L&D, and stressed does not make it easier. When it happens during the day though, it seems a little easier, I guess the sun shining makes it seem less harsh.

Finally I was told wake her every 2 hours during the day and fill her up. So there I am the "mean mommy" waking her sleeping child, who all I want to do was sleep. And waking is a struggle, I undress, tickle her back, sit her up, talk to her, put on cold compress etc.
But it works and for 3 nights now she wakes 1 time about 3:30am for a feeding. I have been getting sleep and all are happy!!!!!

I took a BF class and read books and every thing talks about "the bonding experience"
Nothing mentions the soreness or the engorgement, the worrying, the pooping & peeing everytime she eats, the cluster feedings, etc. We got to the point one night that my DH got a pacifier to sooth her. I was almost in tears cause I felt like I failed her. Luckily she did not know what to do with it and we threw it out. She just wanted to eat. You can't over feed her and that is what I did not get. I just kept thinking, "you can't be hungry, you just ate...but she was and she was helping me to produce more milk - it's a system between you and your child
If you change, burp, and swaddle them and still they cry.....the probably want food.

In the end the cluster feeding was a godsent and it REALLY relieved my engorgement. My boobs are big, but finally soft and not sore (massage and ice works wonders too (pour 1 cup of water into a NB diaper and freeze it).

Definitely watch your latch-on and don't let them pull and comp on you. I got a little lazy during the night and paid for it while they healed. But again they are all better now. Lanolin, it really works wonders!!!!

Here in NC they have consultants from the county who will come to your house and weight and give assistance.
That was great too, cause I actually got better info from her than my seminar and books read!

I hope this helps someone through their frustration......It will get better! You will hear it often.....get your rest where you can or you WILL hit a fatigueing wall at 4am, and be patient. Listen to your baby.

If it was not for Kailey, I would not have made it through. She latches like a champ, from birth, and lets me know when she wants more and has hard enough!

Good luck!

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

Thank you so much for sharing your experience!

Everyone keeps telling me how tough its going to be, but it definitely helps to know that it does get easier after a few days!!

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

This is soo helpful!!

One question - what is cluster feeding?

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

Thanks for the info!!!! Congrats again on your and the gains you have made BFing.

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

Thank you so much for sharing! I'm so nervous about BF but want to give to really try it. It was so thoughtful of you to share your experience with us!! What are cluster feedings though?

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

thanks for posting this!!

Message edited 12/7/2009 9:58:58 AM.

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

I agree with so much of what you said. I BF Kiera and I plan on BF for this baby as well. We took a class and they said in that class after the first 2 weeks get them on a schedule. Don't listen to the old "Never wake a sleeping baby" because then they dictate the schedule and they quite often get their days and nights confused. She told us to never let the baby go more than 3-4 hours without eating (unless it's during the night).

I know your frustration from those first couple of days. I felt like I was just a milk machine and my sole purpose in life was to feed her and change her. What a lot of people don't understand is that they need to eat every 2-3 hours and each feeding session/changing could last an easy hour. So by the time you get set up, nurse, change and put the baby back down you only have about an hour before you do it all again. I think this leads to a lot of frustration for many new moms.

Glad to hear you were able to get through it and stay with it. I know it's very hard but in the end it is so worth it. The bonding experience is amazing and the health benefits for both you and the baby are great as well.

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

Thank you both for your insight and experience. As a first time mom who WANTS to breast feed but still nervous about the whole thing this post helps so much. It is great to hear other people's experience with it and I always hear the don't wake a baby thing...it's really not true?
Thank you for your stories!!!

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

Cluster feeding is when they eat...you put them down....they eat again in just minutes. for me it can go on every hour, some times just 30 or 45 minutes.

As far as waking the sleeping baby.... My Pediatrician said as long as they are up to weight you do not have to wake them at night (my baby is up over 11oz from her birth wt.).....granted they probably won't let you go too too long. So far the longest I have gotten is about 4.5 hours. It's worked out great for me to shower in the AM.

I do wake her during the day, because her days and night are confused.

I really do hope it helped you girls. I did not know anyone who personally breastfeed, so I had no personal experiences and those who did never gave me the real deal.....until now that I am BF

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

thank you so much for posting this! it is very informative, honest, realistic, and hopeful for those of us planning to try out breastfeeding. congrats again on your

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

Hi girls. I thought I'd add in my two cents.

My experience hasn't been quite so smooth as NewlyMrs. DS is two weeks and three days old today. The first two weeks were insanely hard. It took five days for my milk to come in so until then he was feeding pretty much hourly. Then he started fighting against nursing. He had latched on great since day one and then fought me every time I tried to feed him. My SIL had the same experience with my nephew. No idea what caused it but it went away as quick as it came. It took us till the end of week two for him to start nursing well, but now things are a lot easier. He still gets up a few times a night. I am looking forward to a good 5-6 hour stretch of sleep. But if you can stick it out two weeks BFing gets much easier.

Also, another tip. If you can get the gel soothie pads they help enormously at the beginning when your nipples are sore. They gave them to me at the hospital and I loved them. You can reuse them for about a week and put them in the fridge if you want. They keep your sore nips from rubbing against your clothes.

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

Thanks so much for the info!! Congrats again!

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

To all you mamas working through the kinks of breastfeeding. I've BF DS for over a year and hearing your stories brings back those memories of the first days. You guys are doing great.

The good news is that once you get past the first few weeks it gets so much easier. Then after a few months -- it is insanely easy and you won't even think about it.

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

i am not expecting but just wanted to commend your post! i just stopped BFing @ 9 months and it was the best decision i made. the first few weeks were tough but well worth hanging in there as it go so much easier! i loved the quiet time and bonding experience it gave me with DD. good luck to all of you and all the best!

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

Thank you Ladies for posting this information.

I plan on BF and I have to say,I feel so much better knowing I can come on here for advice and support.

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

you are doing great!!! I swear there is a pot of gold waiting at the end of the rainbow for you...once you pass this hump, it gets to be so easy and effortless.

you are doing incredible!

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

Thanks for the info...I too have been worried about BF and though I'm reading a book It is not as honest as those in the trenches! I am determined when my time comes this July not to give up.

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

Thanks ladies for posting!!

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

I just wanted to pop on and say that Newlymrs is defiantly right, it does get easier. I only BF for 1 month as it just didnt work for me and DS but after about 1 week it got easier, at 2 weeks alittle more so and by 3 it was like okay no biggie.

My advice is do what is best for you and your DC and if you are having any issues contact a LC. My friend had some issues and had she contacted an LC she would have been able to work through them instead she stopped which is fine but it was not what she wanted to do.

I also took a class before hand that really did help, I felt more confident and knowledgeable and I think if it wasnt for that class, I would have given up after day 1!

Good Luck!

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

thank u so much for posting all this info, and for sharing your personal experience!

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

I am glad that you are working everything out in regard to breastfeeding. I just wanted to remind you that some of the things that you have discussed are not unique to breastfed babies. I had to stop BFing early on due to a medical condition, so I feel like I have insight into both forms of feeding. I'd hate to see anyone give up on BFing only to find out that formula fed babies also cluster feed and poop while they eat, etc. You are doing great!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Girls thinking about Breastfeeding......(Very long)

Wow, YAY that's awesome that BFing is going so well!!! I wish I had read this a few weeks ago when Mikey was born...we did BFing for only a few days before I grew frustrated, exhausted, stressed, and all of the other things you've mentioned and after 2 full days of crying switched him to formula(my tears, not his). It was such a hard decision for me to make, but it was the right one.

PS-I wish someone had told me how painful engorgement truly is, in the end that pain was my deciding factor. I think if I had been better prepared for it, I could have handled it better