- Balance
- Beware of Baby Trainers
- Belief in the Language Value of your Baby's Cry
- Bedding Close to Baby
- Babywearing
breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding is an exercise in babyreading. Breastfeeding helps you read your baby's cues, her body language, which is the first step in getting to know your baby. Breastfeeding gives baby and mother a smart start in life. Breastmilk contains unique brain-building nutrients that cannot be manufactured or bought. Breastfeeding promotes the right chemistry between mother and baby by stimulating your body to produce prolactin and oxytocin, hormones that give your mothering a boost.
This has been a pretty incredible weekend - Kale turned one year old, I celebrated by second mother's day, and Kale kicked his walking skills into high gear. All of these events made my heart soar, but nothing quite made my pride explode like this morning when I was nursing Kale and Kris wandered in and said "congratulations on one year of breastfeeding - you're officially extended breastfeeding!"
I always planned to breastfeed Kale for the first year, but I had no idea how challenging, how rewarding, and how amazing it would be. I can honestly say that breastfeeding has been one of the most humbling and joyful experiences of my life.
Before Kale was born, I just assumed that breastfeeding would come natural. I mean, is there anything more natural than a mother nursing her child? I see the naivety in this now, but pretty much every mom I talk to has told me they thought the same thing. And if it didn't come natural? Well I read Jack Newman's Guide to Breastfeeding from front to back at least twice when I was pregnant. I thought I was prepared.
I had wanted to nurse Kale immediately after he was born. In fact, I wanted to see him squirm from my belly to my breast, just like I'd read about. It was going to be magical. It was going to be so natural! Then, after 23 hours of labour and two hours of pushing, Kale arrived in that cool pool of water. While I was overjoyed and high on endorphins, I was also exhausted, depleted and freezing cold. What I really wanted was go get the placenta out, get the stitches in, and get my new family into bed for the night. So I didn't nurse Kale immediately, I nursed him about an hour after he was born. Or should I say, attempted to nurse him. Because guess what? Nothing about breastfeeding felt natural in that moment. I was so awkward, he was so tiny, and neither of us knew what the hell we were doing.
The next three days were torture in the breastfeeding department. Even though my nipples hurt like hell, I was so hesitant to admit it to my midwives and doula. Why couldn't I figure this out? Why wasn't it natural? Where was my milk? Am I starving my baby??? Oh god, it was stressful.
By day four my milk arrived in a big way. You'd think this would have made things easier. For awhile it did. The nipple soreness went away, Kale seemed satisfied, and I relaxed a little. We both seemed to be getting the hang of it.
Unfortunately, this did not last long. I had a lot of difficulties with an assertive let-down that I wrote about HERE. Dealing with this was incredibly challenging for me and Kale. It took until he was 10 weeks old before we had figured out how to deal and another four or five weeks to wean ourselves from pumping the let-down.
By the time he was four months old, we had it figured out. Finally, breastfeeding felt natural. We were on a nursing honeymoon. It was all going so well. Kale was an avid nurser, but he was fast. So we'd nurse every couple hours until he was 8 months old, but he would rarely nurse longer than four minutes. Thanks to my abundant milk supply I never had to nurse on both sides and had a very healthy freezer stash for when I returned to work.
When I went back to work, I had to deal with new challenges. Even though I was nursing Kale before I left for work (8:30am) and then at lunch and then when I got home (4:30pm), he still wanted milk when I wasn't around and my freezer stash couldn't keep up. I pumped at work, but because I'm often in meetings it became really hard to balance it all. I kept pumping when I could, but I knew my supply was going down. I started taking fengu greek and blessed thistle and calcium magnesium, but I didn't find it helped much.
So now Kale is one year old and I'm still pumping at work and we still nurse 4-5 during the day and 3-4 times at night, but I can tell he's not satisfied like he used to be. My goal was to nurse Kale until he turned 2, but I'm not sure we're going to make it. I'm sad about that, but happy we made it this far.
I'm happy we made it natural.
Before Kale was born, I just assumed that breastfeeding would come natural. I mean, is there anything more natural than a mother nursing her child? I see the naivety in this now, but pretty much every mom I talk to has told me they thought the same thing. And if it didn't come natural? Well I read Jack Newman's Guide to Breastfeeding from front to back at least twice when I was pregnant. I thought I was prepared.
I had wanted to nurse Kale immediately after he was born. In fact, I wanted to see him squirm from my belly to my breast, just like I'd read about. It was going to be magical. It was going to be so natural! Then, after 23 hours of labour and two hours of pushing, Kale arrived in that cool pool of water. While I was overjoyed and high on endorphins, I was also exhausted, depleted and freezing cold. What I really wanted was go get the placenta out, get the stitches in, and get my new family into bed for the night. So I didn't nurse Kale immediately, I nursed him about an hour after he was born. Or should I say, attempted to nurse him. Because guess what? Nothing about breastfeeding felt natural in that moment. I was so awkward, he was so tiny, and neither of us knew what the hell we were doing.
The next three days were torture in the breastfeeding department. Even though my nipples hurt like hell, I was so hesitant to admit it to my midwives and doula. Why couldn't I figure this out? Why wasn't it natural? Where was my milk? Am I starving my baby??? Oh god, it was stressful.
By day four my milk arrived in a big way. You'd think this would have made things easier. For awhile it did. The nipple soreness went away, Kale seemed satisfied, and I relaxed a little. We both seemed to be getting the hang of it.
Unfortunately, this did not last long. I had a lot of difficulties with an assertive let-down that I wrote about HERE. Dealing with this was incredibly challenging for me and Kale. It took until he was 10 weeks old before we had figured out how to deal and another four or five weeks to wean ourselves from pumping the let-down.
By the time he was four months old, we had it figured out. Finally, breastfeeding felt natural. We were on a nursing honeymoon. It was all going so well. Kale was an avid nurser, but he was fast. So we'd nurse every couple hours until he was 8 months old, but he would rarely nurse longer than four minutes. Thanks to my abundant milk supply I never had to nurse on both sides and had a very healthy freezer stash for when I returned to work.
When I went back to work, I had to deal with new challenges. Even though I was nursing Kale before I left for work (8:30am) and then at lunch and then when I got home (4:30pm), he still wanted milk when I wasn't around and my freezer stash couldn't keep up. I pumped at work, but because I'm often in meetings it became really hard to balance it all. I kept pumping when I could, but I knew my supply was going down. I started taking fengu greek and blessed thistle and calcium magnesium, but I didn't find it helped much.
So now Kale is one year old and I'm still pumping at work and we still nurse 4-5 during the day and 3-4 times at night, but I can tell he's not satisfied like he used to be. My goal was to nurse Kale until he turned 2, but I'm not sure we're going to make it. I'm sad about that, but happy we made it this far.
I'm happy we made it natural.
Beautiful pics! Beautiful story! Happy Birthday Kale, how has it been a year? <3
ReplyDeleteholy crap dude... you're still nursing 3-4x a night! that is dedication :) isn't it crazy all the mix of emotions you can feel about it? all the reward, the grief, the pain, the happiness?
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. I really don't think there is ANYTHING more beautiful that a baby getting what he needs from his mama. Good luck with your goal (I think you can do it- maybe not full time w/pumping and all, but a couple of times a day/night for sure)! I nursed Jackson until I was 4 months pregnant. Getting excited to start again!
ReplyDeleteRandalin - you're so awesome! and inspiring. Kale is lucky to have a mom as dedicated and determined (and as pretty) as you. Congratulations for the many milestones happening in your house.
ReplyDeleteI second what Emily says. I'm so glad you're doing this series, because it has enabled me to learn so much more about you and Kale. I had a strong let down too, and it's entirely possible it's what caused Cole to squirm like a crazyman whenever he would nurse in those early months.
ReplyDeleteI am in the same boat as you with low supply issues. I want to continue beyond the year as well, but I want to stop pumping. The more I think about it, the more I worry that could really do my supply in.
Thanks for all the lovely feedback! Having a cheering squad is kind of awesome.
ReplyDeleteI just love these posts so much, I find myself coming back to your blog weekly just to read them. Brees is 6 months old and still nursing 2 times a night. My oldest slept through the night from 5 weeks on so I knew we wouldn't be so lucky the second time around. Although I am exhausted, I love being close to her at night. As a working mom myself, I can only hope to make it as long as you did! You are such an inspiration!!!
ReplyDelete