So the other day I was reading one of the blogs I follow and was inspired to write "OUR" story about our breast feeding journey. I feel like I should write it all down NOW before I soon forget and these days are behind us.
Hopefully that won't happen for about 6 more months.
If you have read my birth story you know that things did not actually go according to MY plan.
Therefore it was about 30-45 minutes before I got to hold my baby and nurse her.
I was VERY adamant that I be the first to hold her after she was born. Well, I was the second (after my husband). At least I think I was.
Anyway, once I got to hold her, I feel like I remember her latching right on.
Now I'm not so sure.
Maybe it was just my imagination.
I really don't even remember if I fed her during the night that first night.
I do know that I spent my last FULL day in the hospital with a lactation consultant.
She was SO VERY helpful.
If anyone remembers her name, please let me know.
I think she is the only one.
We tried ALL day to get her to latch on and stay latched on. About the last 2 hours my nurse talked to me about an SNS {supplemental nursing system}
Basically it's a tube that you attach to yourself and the milk {or formula} flows through and they realize that is where they are getting their food from.
Well Kerrville didn't have and actual SNS so my nurse created one.
Libby latched on RIGHT away and started nursing. It was the first time that I actually could tell what it was supposed to feel like.
We did this for a few feedings and then I didn't have to do it anymore.
She had caught on.
So we go home.
I think it was maybe the 1st or 2nd day I was home I texted my friend.
"SHE WILL NOT LATCH ON!"
I was so nervous that she wasn't going to get it. My milk had JUST come in that day. Literally the hour I texted her.
She said, "hold on, I'm sending you a video."
and she did.
She told/showed me EXACTLY what to do.
Libby successfully latched on that night!
For two weeks.
I felt like she is doing fine.
She's latching on.
She nurses.
She goes to sleep.
I try to wake her.
She nurses some more.
She goes back to sleep.
She doesn't cry unusually, at least I didn't think so.
I do remember Erik saying "I think she's still hungry."
Then I would say, well she just "nursed" for 30 minutes, surely she's just tired.
Plus "Do I even have anything left?"
Ha....I know what you are thinking! You DUMMY, you don't just run out of milk.
WELL, I KNOW that now!
I wish I would have called the lactation consultant back.
Whatever.
You know the story (if you have read it).
We go for her two week check up and end up in the Children's Hospital.
I researched things that would help produce more milk and started implementing them.
I took 3 Fenugreek and 3 Blessed Thistle 3 times a day.
I have oatmeal for breakfast every morning.
Other things they suggested:
Raw Carrots
Non-alcoholic Beer
Avacados
Avacados
LOTS AND LOTS of water
Pump after every feeding and in between feedings
It did help. I am now pumping between 2-4 ounces of Breast Milk 4-5 times a day.
Any-hoo.
For the last 2 months we have been supplementing with goats milk (adding an infant vitamin once a day).
I pump pretty much all day.
Up until about a week ago, Libby would basically scream her head off every time I tried to get her to nurse.
NO LIE.
It was like I was torturing her.
Finally, one day I had her at home with me all day.
Just the two of us.
I basically "forced" her to nurse.
I know it sounds mean, but that's what one of the nurses at the Children's Hospital suggested.
Just hold her head on there.
I didn't offer her a bottle.
She finally got the picture.
Since that day she has done fairly well.
I still mostly give her a bottle during the day, especially on the days I have the kids at home with me.
She mostly nurses in the evening and through the night.
I am okay with this.
After reading my friends blog (she has 5 kids), I am relieved that this could just be a one time thing.
Maybe the next go around will be easier.
Maybe this is JUST her temperament.
I think she just likes to be in control as well.
I am writing this so that maybe it will help someone else out.
It's amazing how many women out there actually have trouble breast feeding.
It's more common than you think.
JUST LIKE GETTING PREGNANT and INFERTILITY.
WHO KNEW??
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