Got Milk?

So I think every mom-to-be who plans on breastfeeding has one question that comes into their mind over and over again..." will my boobs get the job done?" Having enough milk is something that had crossed my mind more then once and worried me. I know you read that every woman has the ablity to breastfeed, but do they have the abilty to breastfeed effectivly?

In the hospital Baby E was doing well, she took to my boobs early and I was on my way. However, she was losing weight, at the hospital they don't discharge you if they loose over 10% of their birth weight. I hated the idea of supplamenting with formula. I always thought I wanted to keep it natural, if my nature intended it to be that it will be. But this also meant I could bring Baby E home sooner if I did suplament the formula. So it was done. To my releif my milk supply came in the night we brought her home and all was well. She was eating regulalry and gaining weight...all was right in my breast feeding world.

Around 4 weeks I noticed my milk supply was low. Either that of baby E was clearing this all you can eat buffett out (she is a very good eater). Whatever the case I found that I didn't seem to have enough milk for her. Luckly, I had frozen some expressed milk from the first few weeks where I had lots. It's a horrible feeling to one day have ample milk to feed your baby and in a matter of days start to feel like you were running dry. I didn't want to crack open the formula ( I had some just in case) and I didn't want to confuse Baby E with going from breast milk to formula, back to breast milk if and when I did have more milk again. Worried that I wouldn't be able to keep up with my tiny eater I started to read up on what we as breast feeding mothers can do to increase our milk supply.

First there is the obvious, the more baby nurses the more your body will make. I found that this was a slow process, especially since feedings sometimes can happen every hour.

Then there is pumping, not as effective as baby but the next best thing. This way you have expressed milk to freeze for emergancy situations....this stuff is like liquid gold, so stock up! It also stimulates the breast telling your body to make more milk; do we feel like a factory yet?

But what I found that helped me the most...as simple as it sounds...rest and food (combined with the above two). Rest is not so easy to come by I know, but I found that when I got a nap in my milk supply was better. When I didn't nap, my supply was low and I Baby E would try to eat all the time since I guess she wan't getting enough at each feeding. I guess because it takes energy for your body to make milk, and at rest there is more engery available. Also feeding yourself allows for more energy. I mean think about it, you burn 200-500 calories a day breastfeeding (average 20 calories/ ounce) so you need to fuel your body because it needs it. I have heard a lot of mothers say, they loose weight really quickly by breastfeeding since these calories are being burned up. Also, if you breast feed your uterus goes back to normal quicker as well, that's what a nurse told me while in the hospital. But please note, I am not a doctor, nor am I a lactation consultant.

I will be honest though, sometimes I think about supplementing with formula (I know, I was the one who hated the idea at first when in the hospital). Breastfeeding is great, it's free and there are so many health benefits. But it can also be frustrating, tiring and emotionally taxing. Sometimes I think it would just be easier to bottle feed formula and be done with it. Then I think of all the breast milk I will waste, I mean some women want to breast feed but physically can't, so I feel like I would be wasting what I have and taking the "easy" way out. We'll see where this goes. Maybe I'll continue to exclusively breastfeed, maybe not...only time will tell.

Lessons Learned

So Baby E's one month birthday just passed, and it was full of tears, screams and all around chaos. I will never judge a new mom EVER again. I will not think that I could do a better job, that they complain too much or that they are being too protective of their little one. This past month I have been schooled. Schooled by a little person who can frustrate me to no end and in an instant make me melt with her smile.

I will admit, while preggos, I was looking forward to dressing up my little girl in little outfits, going to play dates, cleaning the house while she slept peacefully in her crib....HA! Silly me didn't realize you have to get through the newborn stage to get to that stuff. The first 3 months are like an initiation or something to make sure you are worthy...I'm working on it.

You've heard people say, babies should come with instructions, OMG should they ever. I think the most difficult thing I have experienced has been putting her to sleep. She hates to be swaddled, but can't sleep without it...do you see my dilemma? Let's just say the tears and freak outs occur around here maybe ever 3-4 hours (If anyone has any suggestions PLEASE comment below) My happiest moment however has been having her fall asleep on my chest after a nice long feeding. There is no greater joy then to look down and see your little one sleeping quietly on you.

They say it all gets better at 3 months, but that seems like a long ways away, and I don't want time to pass to fast because I want to enjoy these months. Here are a few things I've learned so far this month...

1. Diaper change does not necessarily mean only one diaper will be changed; when the new one goes on, the baby will likely poop as you close the tabs; and one wipe is never enough.

2. Have fast reflexes or you'll get peed on; so always have a clean onesie close by.

3. Because she has finished sucking does not mean the feeding is over. Your boobs are now property of your little one, she can eat when ever and as often as she pleases.

4. Crying is the most heart wrenching sound a mother can hear

5. Baby giggles is the most heart warming sound a mother can hear

6. Mommy guilt is a constant, deal with it.

7. Personal Hygiene in the mornings (showers, brushing your hair) are now a luxury

8. Tears that flow are not only those that belong to your baby

9. Everyone has advise, you can't please everyone.

10. If Breast feeding, doing it in public, even with a cover will sometimes get you looks. Screw them, you're feeding your baby!

I could go on since this whole month has been a learning experience, but I wont. I just hope that baby E will grade me on a curve and realize mommy is doing her best and is learning as she goes.

Not Without Sacrifice.

3 weeks in, 3 boxes of new born size diapers, 1 pack of size one diapers, 3 packs of wet wipes, numerous late night feedings, 1 emotional break-down. Yes, I said it, I broke. Holding a crying, fussy baby I found myself starting to cry. Maybe it was hormones, maybe it was the lack of sleep who knows. After composing myself with a nice little 2 hour nap and DH banishing me out of the house for an hour after he got home from work, I was right as rain again. All day Baby E was crying and wouldn't sleep when I put her down. I'd pick her up, she'd stop. I'd set her down, she'd cry...and so it went on all day, from 7am to 5 pm. I couldn't very well just leave her and let her cry in her crib, so there I was rocking a baby on and off for close to 10 hours, with small breaks to eat, pee and get in a 20 minute cat nap. I guess at that point I thought to myself "What was I doing wrong?"

24 hours later I realized that we as new first time mothers just have to step back sometimes and give in. After talking to other moms I see now that there are a number of factors that lead Baby down this road of excerising her lungs and super clingyness. Not that I was doing anything wrong, just had to listen to the her and not try to control the situation. Baby E is currently going through a growth spurt, which means her eating and sleeping patterens are all over the place, leaving her extra fussy. Also, since she is still only3 weeks old I have to keep in mind Baby E has no sense of time and or habit. Baby E is still in what they call they "4th trimester" where she is still used to the womb and all it's coushy comforts. My job is to make sure she feels that, even if it means making sacrafices. I will admit I have yet to fully come to grips with this adjustment. Maybe because my baby expiriance has not been with a newborn but with babies who were 3 months plus. With them, they already had sleep pattens and less fussiness.

I know there are books out there that tell mom's what to exspect int he first few weeks after birth. People tell you about it but if you are like me you take it with a grain of salt and think you can handle it. But honestly, nothing can prepare you for whats in store unless you actually live through it. Only then will you know that you have to really adjust rather then try to control the situation. But after taking some time away from the situation, I realize that no matter how fussy, how tired, how stressful things may be, once you look at your baby and he/she smiles at you (be it an intentional smile or just muscle movement) that momentary feeling of pure joy makes it all worth it and you would be willing to give up all the sleep in the world to make sure your baby is happy. I mean come on, if the train wrecks on MTV's Teen Mom can raise a healthy child, there is no reason in the world why I can't.