breastfeeding, part II: 0-3 months

In case you missed them, catch up by reading the intro post and part I.

Once I settled in at home and my milk came in, things got much better. I won't say everything was easy, as I was super sleep deprived, but nursing was really very intuitive for me and James Michael. I was sensitive at first, but thankfully never had cracked nipples or bleeding. I used Lahnisol every day or two during those first couple weeks when I began to feel slightly tender, and that seemed to work for me.

Nursing Techniques
Eight months into my pregnancy, I took a breastfeeding class that Northside Hospital offered. I learned various techniques and other useful tidbits of information. I was surprised that out of a class of 10 moms-to-be I was the only one asking questions. Let's just say I definitely got my money's worth. The lactation specialist highly recommended the football hold for nursing. I tried that for the first week or two, and it just wasn't ideal for me. It was hard to get a pillow propped up comfortably, and I wasn't sure what was supposed to happen to my baby's legs, because it seemed they always got scrunched up at the back of whatever chair I was sitting in.

So I switched to the cross-cradle and eventually the classic cradle position once JM had better head control. These were the most comfortable for me, and seemingly James Michael, and it was very easy to achieve the right angle.

Another technique that many women use is side lying. We did not co-sleep with JM, as I just didn't feel comfortable doing it, though I know many women who love it. For co-sleeping, side-lying nursing is very common. For me, I chose to use this technique a handful of times in the middle of the night, mainly when I was so tired that sitting up in a chair to nurse seemed like a lot of effort (crazy, I know!) This side-lying technique ensured I relaxed my shoulders more, but it was a little more effort to switch sides and to burp JM. Often, he would fall asleep after nursing, but because we didn't co-sleep, I had to get myself up and then pick him up, which oftentimes woke him back up.

One month old

Feeding Schedule
James Michael nursed every 2.5 to 3 hours for the first two months. Around 9 or 10 weeks, he would eat every three hours except for one feeding, which he would extend to 4 or sometimes 5 hours. This stretch typically occurred right when we put him down for bed, between 7 and 8pm. Unfortunately, I was rarely able to capitalize on 5 solid hours of sleep because I wasn't going to bed at 7pm.

One of the hardest parts of breastfeeding is that feeding your baby in the middle of the night is all dependent on you. On several occasions, I told my husband I wish he had boobs for night feedings :) Even if my husband were to give JM a bottle of pumped milk, I still needed to pump during that feeding so that it didn't affect my supply. I'm sure I could have gotten away with sleeping through a bottle feeding a couple times, but I wanted to feed on demand as much as possible the first couple months to help establish my supply.

Once James Michael was two month's old, we really found our groove. We didn't have a set schedule, but I was very in tune to his cues and patterns. When he was fussy, he was either hungry or tired. We got out and about much more, and I timed errands in between his feedings. I nursed at the gym, in bathroom stalls (on a bench, thank goodness) and in the back seat of the car. My mom and I traveled to visit my sister in Bluffton, S.C., when JM was 2.5 months old and I pumped in the back seat and then fed him that bottle directly afterwards. JM was good about nursing anywhere, and I was happy to oblige.

JM 4 weeks old

Supply and Supplements
Though I'm unsure of how much James Michael was eating during his nursing sessions his first couple months, I do believe that I produced just enough for him. I've been fortunate in that I've never had mastitis and have only been engorged once, which happened the one time I chose to sleep through a bottle feeding in the middle of the night. Luckily, it went away after a few feedings and I learned my lesson that it was better to just wake up and let JM nurse in the middle of the night. I never dealt with oversupply or had to worry about wearing nursing pads, and was never self conscious about leaking while working out (even when doing dozens of burpees!). It was really a great balance.

I've read about lots of supplements out there, from fenugreek to brewer's yeast to oatmeal. But I never went down those paths, as James Michael was always satiated.

I took 12 weeks of maternity leave, so I pumped occasionally (a few times a week), but finding time and figuring out the right timing to pump in those first couple months was hard. I normally had about one bottle built up in the fridge at all times. After nursing every 3 hours throughout the night those first couple months, James would feed JM an early morning bottle around 8 or 9am so that I could sleep a three hour stretch or take two-hour nap (on the mornings that James had to be at the gym at 6am). I didn't skip that feeding, but I delayed pumping for an hour or so after JM ate so I could rest. This worked great for us, and I learned that it didn't affect my supply. This little break was just enough to keep me going during the day; I was running on little sleep, a decent amount of adrenaline and a lot of love.

While I was pregnant, I had wanted to build up a decent freezer stash, but that never happened. So I found myself pumping between feedings like a mad woman to create JM's first day of bottles only days before I went back to work. For future babies, I plan to pump from the beginning to build up my stash. But being a new mom and not used to the exhaustion or the strategy of pumping, I cut myself some slack this time.

The week before I went back to work was bittersweet. I had finally perfected that balance of figuring out JM's tendencies, a loose schedule and how to actually get stuff done with a baby. Those first three months flew by at lightening speed, and in the blink of an eye I turned into a working mom.

Stay tuned for upcoming posts on pumping at work and breastfeeding 3-6 months.

breastfeeding, part I: the first 48 hours

In case you missed it, read the intro post here.

James Michael came into the world a hungry little fellow. I credit this predisposition to his daddy. They say that, on average, a mother's milk comes in at 3 or 4 days postpartum. Until then, babies nurse and get a small amount of colostrum, which is rich in nutrients and antibodies, and helps babies to pass meconium.

I'm not sure if I produced less colostrum than the average woman or if it was more the wacky horomones. But when James Michael nursed the two days we were in the hospital, he seemed downright mad that he didn't end up with a full belly (despite the fact that his belly was only the size of a walnut). As a new mother, this left me frazzled and second guessing myself as to whether I could satisfy his needs. If only I could give a few words of nursing advice to myself those first 48 hours post delivery: Relax. Breathe. Rest. It will all work out. My mom, of course, tried to reassure me of this multiple times, but in the moment, I was so focused on James Michael that relaxing was the last thing on my mind.

My nurse tried to help James Michael latch on. But latching wasn't the issue. As soon as he realized all that work wasn't getting him anywhere, he stopping nursing and got upset. So I used the pump the hospital provided to try and jumpstart my milk. Many women will tell you that nursing is painful. To me, pumping before your milk comes in was the most painful part of my nursing experience.

By the middle of the second night in the hospital, as James Michael's frustration grew, I decided I would reach out to the lactation specialist the next day before we were discharged. The specialist was very helpful at reminding me that what I was going through was quite normal. She also noticed that James Michael had a slightly high pallet, and said that nursing was a bit of work for him right now. Obviously, it was much easier for him in the womb :) She gave me tips for angling him when he nursed, and also noticed that he was hungry and not satisfied by my colostrum.

So to satisfy James Michael, I did something I hadn't planned on doing at all. I gave my baby formula.

The specialist gave me this little contraption called a supplemental nursing system that basically allows a baby to take in formula while still nursing at the breast. It also helps to stimulate the breast so that you can breastfeed once your milk comes in. James Michael took roughly 20-30 mL of formula each feeding using this method, which we only used for 24 hours because my milk came in at 3 days postpartum, exactly 72 hours after his birth.

Even though he only ate one to two tablespoons at a feeding, James Michael ate the formula heartily. As much as I hated that my body wasn't providing for him during those 24 hours, his appetite reiterated the fact that I had made the right decision by supplementing.

Some alternative mamas might turn up their noses up at what I did. Others might think I'm making a bigger deal of it than needed. When it comes down to it, I did what I thought was best for my baby. He was hungry, and I was tired of making him wait it out. It was a big deal for me because I had a plan in my mind as to how I wanted things to go. But life didn't happen exactly as I had planned, and that was and is ok.

Knowing what I know today about nursing, if I could do redo those first 48 hours, I wouldn't change a thing. I would have still given James Michael formula until my milk came in.

I now understand that colloquialism "mama knows best." It doesn't matter what your family or friends think is best for your baby. Motherhood is instinctual, and you are so deeply connnected to your baby that you really do know more than you want to give yourself credit for. Trust me on this one.

By revealing my breastfeeding experiences, I truly hope that I never come off as a breastfeeding snob. There are many women out there with that attitude, and I hate how it makes other women feel inferior--including myself who actually breastfeeds. Whether a woman breastfeeds, formula feeds or does a mixture of both, ultimately, it's her decision. I think we would all see the world differently if we walked a day in someone else's shoes.

Next up: Breastfeeding from 0-3 months...

breastfeeding series

Before I got pregnant, when I was researching pregnancy and babies like a mad woman, I knew I wanted to breastfeed. At that time, I didn't know the ins and outs of nursing, but I knew that my breastmilk would be specially formulated for my child and nursing was also beneficial for me as far as leveling out horomones, bonding with baby and getting my body back.

I intentionally wanted to wait until James Michael was 6 months old to write about breastfeeding. I wanted to have a little experience under my belt before sharing my thoughts on it. As I began writing the intial post, I realized I have quite a lot to say on the subject, so I've decided to do a series of breastfeeding posts. I hope that they provide insight to any pregnant mamas out there looking for personal breastfeeding experiences.

If I have any male readers, this might be a topic series you'll want to skip. Then again, if your wife is pregnant or you're wanting a child soon, this might prove insightful for you.

If you have any topics you'd like me to cover in the series, reply in the comments or email me at hobsonhomestead@gmail.com. I'm definitely no expert, but I am willing to share my experiences and what's worked for me.

At this point, I'm planning to focus on these topics:

• The first 48 hours
• 0-3 months
• 3-6 months
• pumping at work
• breastfeeding gear

And I'll leave you with a couple pieces of advice that I found helpful:

Set a goal.
Set a breastfeeding goal now, before you get pregnant or before you deliver. Despite hoping to nurse my child for the first year, when I was pregnant, I set a personal goal to breastfeed for 6 months. I told myself that once I reached that goal, I could reset the goal to a year. (And that's exactly what I've done now that James Michael is 6 months old.) But by making my initial goal attainable, it took a lot of the pressure off me, especially knowing that half of those first 6 months I'd be on maternity leave.

Find a circle of support.
James and I were the first of our group of friends to have a baby, so I didn't have any close girlfriends I could reach out to for advice. But luckily, I found support from other women. One mother of a toddler at James' gym has let me ask her all sorts of questions about babies and breastfeeding. Also, a woman I graduated high school with has offered me great support and encouragement via Facebook. We were friendly in high school, but not close friends. But there's something about becoming a mother that makes you do everything you can to see that all mothers succeed in accomplishing their goals. Whether they realize it or not, these two women have helped me get through tough days.

If you can't find women for support in your personal circle, there are plenty online who you can look to for advice and encouragement. Baby Center offers some great discussion boards, especially for breastfeeding moms. Recently, I saw a post from a mom with a newborn who questioned if she could continue nursing. Many of the members rallied around her in support, letting her know what she's feeling is normal and offering her tips and encouragement.

Stay tuned for a post on my experience breastfeeding during the first 48 hours after birth.