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I am so happy that I found your forum! I have 2 children (3 and 1) and attempted bfing with both of them but had no luck. My biggest problem was the nipple pain of those first few days... not only did I stop breathing each and every latch but it actually made me curl my toes and cringe. After about 4 days, I quit each time. I am now pg with baby #3 and insist that I will succeed this time (due in mid-April). I am hoping that your forum will help me through those difficult first days (expecially with two excited children at home already!!). I receive very little support from family as my parents and my husbands parents were "formula" folks. Thanks for listening and for any support you can give me to get through those painful, exhausting first days. (PS. With both babies, my latch was perfect, it just seems that the pain is on my end). ↓
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| Name: emilymccoy | Date: Sep 25th, 2006 2:27 AM |
| I don't know because I'm still working on my first babe, but I had planned to breastfeed and you're scaring me! LMAO J/K. I know the one thing I'm doing is just focusing on all the negatives...I really really wanna bf him for at least six months so I've already began telling myself "It's gonna hurt more than anything! It's gonna take so long to get a routine down! It's gonna be frustrating to get him to latch on!" See, I figure if I tell myself that the worse will happen, and prepare myself for that, then not only will I be less likely to give up easily, but I may even be a little surprised if it's easier than expected. Anywho, sorry I couldn't be of more assistance. I'm due in January, so maybe by the time you have Baby I will have found a nice trick to ease the pain. ↑ |
| Name: Stardreams | Date: Sep 25th, 2006 3:43 AM |
Hi Beckit~
Nipple pain is normal. Mine lasts for about a week or so and then it's gone. Often you do deal with cracked nipples, engorgement, and other items that make that first week very difficult. Once you make it through, you're usually well on your way to a successful nursing experience :D ↑ |
| Name: beckit | Date: Sep 25th, 2006 2:51 PM |
Thank you for the advice so far! I am determined to have a successful bfing experience this time around! Hence the reason for my research so early in my pregnancy. I figured that if I arm myself with as much info as possible and as much support as possible, I know that I can make it through that first week and have a successful experience!
To Emilymccoy- definitely focus on the positives for bfing! If there is one thing I regret, it's that I didn't stick it out with my first two children and that I gave in to the negative energy surrounding me (ex: the opinions of my negative family members, etc... LOL). any, honestly, out of everyone I know that bf'ed their babies (dozens of positives), I only have a handful of friends who had negative experiences (one had inverted nipples; one had to pump all of the time for a preemie; and stories of the such). if it's any consolation, i don't even let my HUSBAND touch my nipples due to their extreme sensitivity! so i'm not a good story to judge by!!!! best of luck to you and you're new little one!! keep me posted on your story!!! it may be my source of inspiration come mid-April!!!!! ↑ |
| Name: debbie_dettner | Date: Sep 25th, 2006 11:05 PM |
Hi beckit! I too am on my third! I breastfed both my boys a full year plus and making it through the first week or two is definitely the most challenging. Yes, your nipples are sore at first and I'm sure you also noticed that the uterine contractions that accompany breastfeeding are a lot more intense on the second as well (I hear they are even worse on the third--can you say, Motrin?!!!) Here's the good news--after the first week, it's smooth sailing and one of the best times you will ever remember in your life!
I also had parents of "that" generation. You know, when formula companies came around and were telling Moms how crappy it was to be "attached" to their children via breastfeeding and how formula gave them "freedom" and "status"! I could also add the words, "selfishness", "misconceptions" and "breast sexualization", but that's another topic. The best part about breast feeding--aside from the freedom of bottles, formula, extra crap to clean, always readily available, etc., is the amazing quality of time you spend with your child. I cannot imagine giving that up. I know, I know, everybody argues you do that with a bottle too. Well, no, you probably won't. You have two toddlers at home and propping a bottle with a blanket is too tempting for us Moms who look around at the dishes, vacuuming, etc. that needs to be done. Why not let our bottle fed babies do it on their own--they won't know the difference. But you will and I guarantee so will they. Now is the time to be selfish for both of you--take the time that breastfeeding takes to enjoy your baby. Your children will watch and learn to understand the time--and probably surprise you. I don't know about you, but this will be my last. I've seen how quickly children grow up and I want to savour every possible moment. The truth is in the blink of an eye they will be leaving your home for college.
Please, please fight through the first week--for both of you! If you need someone to talk to or get advice from or just to call so they can tell you it's okay to pop a Vicadin or whatever in those first weeks, please let me know! Here's my [email protected] ↑ |
| Name: Melissa | Date: Sep 26th, 2006 4:17 AM |
| one of the places that have helped me the most is breastfeeding.com the ladies there are great and your questions get answered much faster. nothing against the ladies here but sometimes it takes a while for anyone to answer. i also would suggest seeing a lactation consultant, right before the baby is born and get some tips from him/her and then see her once the babe is born. also putting lanolin on your nipples after every feeding and after showers helps. also once your baby comes off the breast rub some of the milk on your nipples and let them air dry. this also helps alot on the sore nipples. if the pain lasts longer than 1 week then you really need to get checked out. it shouldn't be that painful. yes your nipples get sore but it should hurt as much as you have described. hope some of this helps. and good luck ↑ |
| Name: Melissa | Date: Sep 26th, 2006 4:18 AM |
| opps i meant shouldn't hurt as much as you described. it is hard to type when you have a 11 month old "helping" you ↑ |
| Name: beckit | Date: Sep 26th, 2006 3:04 PM |
Thank you, THANK YOU to all of you for your support! Debbie, it is so refreshing to hear such positive feedback from someone in the same boat! I agree that my other two have grown so quickly, and now I look back and feel regret that those first two weeks seemed (at the time) to be an ETERNITY! This will be our last as well, and I am going to fight through the pain and discomfort of those first few weeks with everything I've got! Before my first was born, I had promised that I would bf for at least the first 6 months. Of course, I went back to work after 6 short weeks (my job is VERY flexible but very high stress- I work from home now but, back with my first, I had to go into the office WITH baby 2 times a week. Now I live in another state but keep the same job so I get to be home all of the time.). Plus I suffered from PPD and my first had severe reflux that required medication. I think all of those things combined made for a very difficult bf'ing experience. The second time around, I nursed for almost a week but, like you said, it's so much easier to pop a bottle of formula in them so that you can get the clothes washed, dishes done, and play with Play Doh with the first!!! Both times I really beat myself up for giving in to the ease of formula and I still regret now that I didn't stick to my initial plan of 6 months.
THANK YOU again to everyone for your advice and support!! Please keep it coming!!! And to anyone new who is reading this, don't take my story in a negative sense. If there is anything I would do differently, it would have been to take more time out for me and my babies... you can't get that time back later on!!! And I know now that those first few days may seem like forever at the time, but they go by so fast. ↑ |
| Name: debbie_dettner | Date: Sep 27th, 2006 12:56 AM |
| Hi beckit--you are too cute! I can completely understand with the experience you had with your first--how stressful! Thank God for the wisdom that comes to us from experience! I'm glad for you that you get to work from home this time--hopefully that still means you are going to take time off (push for at least 3 months--all of your family deserves it!!!) You sound like a strong, determined person who can do whatever you set your mind to. I'm glad your committing to the breastfeeding! Again, e-mail me if you ever need to "talk"! Deb ↑ |
| Name: KarenM | Date: Oct 1st, 2006 7:22 AM |
| Hiya Beckit! I had my boy in June and have been bf'ing since the first day. Strangely, only my left nipple hurt for the first week or so while we were working out the glitches of proper latching and such, after which it became smooth sailing. During this painful, toe-curling week, I used Lansinoh (spelling?) cream and it really helped a bunch. My sis-in-law gave me a good book also, Dr. Jack Newman's "Guide to Breastfeeding". It's got some great info on common problems and bf'ing myths and truths. I wish you the best of luck! ↑ |
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