Okay...so when I was pregnant, I was a bit of a space cadet. Seriously! I could not think about or focus on more than one thing at a time. For some reason, I also thought I didn't needed to research breastfeeding. This clearly did not work well in my favor. When my baby wasn't getting enough to eat and crying out of frustration for a bottle, I caved into the dark side, AKA formula, and cried. Matters only got worse when I returned to work and had little to no time available to pump. Again, I cried. After 3 months of feeling helpless, inadequate, and stressed, I made the decision to stop nursing/pumping altogether. I cried a little bit more, but then things started to return to some level of normalcy.
Now, 4 months later, I'm doing the research I should have done 8-9 months ago. I have found great resources with invaluable information. (See the pages/blogs listed on the right.) I find myself wishing I could turn back the clocks to 7 months ago when my son was just born. I would have done so many things differently. Once again, I can feel tears welling up at just the thought of, "If only I did this, then I could still be nursing my son."
When I was nursing, I
loved it! I loved bonding with him. I loved the feeling of pride I had of being able to produce milk for my baby. Man, that was amazing! I also enjoyed the appetite I had, and, yet I kept losing weight regardless of how much I wanted to and did eat.
Before you judge or criticize me for giving up and for feeding my child formula, just know that I already judge myself. Although, I feel less stressed, it is clear that I still have feelings of regret and doubt about my early actions/decisions and about my lack of education on the topic. So, here are my suggestions for anyone who is pregnant and wants to breastfeed her infant:
In the 8th month of pregnancy:
- Read the "Breastfeeding" chapter in Expecting 411.
- Buy Baby 411 and read the breast milk section in the "Liquids" chapter.
- Go to KellyMom. Hover the mouse over the "Pregnancy" tab, click "Preparing to breastfeed", and read as many articles as your brain can process.
- Make sure you've registered for or have a breast pump & have bought a few nursing tanks/bras.
- "Stock up" on Fenugreek, an herbal supplement that increases milk production. Just buy 1 bottle of capsules. You may need it, or you may not. If you do, however, at least you will have it on hand. Always check with your doctor first before taking a supplement, however.
- Take a breastfeeding class through your local hospital or watch an online video like this one from Baby Center.
- Start prepping your nursing station. Find a spot, perhaps in your living room, and fill a bag with things you'll need at your fingertips while nursing. I'll write what to include in another post.
In the hospital/during the 1st 6 weeks:
- Consult with a lactation consultant and don't be afraid to ask questions if you are feeling any discomfort.
- Keep baby on you (skin-to-skin) as much as possible in the first few days. Continue skin-to-skin for 1 uninterrupted hour at least once a day. Check out this new carrier to help you with this.
- Join a local support group.
- Keep referring to breastfeeding resources listed above.
- Breathe!
