My nursing story
I can't remember thinking much about breastfeeding (as opposed to bottle-feeding) before seriously thinking about becoming pregnant, but once I started thinking about pregnancy, I just assumed I'd breastfeed. Once I became pregnant, it was clear to me that breastfeeding was what I wanted to do.
A friend of mine once told me that breastfeeding "wasn't as easy as [she] thought it was going to be," and did I know that a woman had to stuff her whole nipple into the baby's mouth, not just let the baby suck on the tip of it? I realized there was a lot about breastfeeding that I didn't know, and decided I needed to find out.
Whenever I undertake something I really care about, I do as much research as I can so I am prepared. I did this for my pregnancy and birth, and I wanted to be prepared for breastfeeding as well. So I applied for an adopt_a_mom as soon as I heard they existed. I read up on the web on kellymom and other sites. I read the section of "Our Bodies, Ourselves" that applied to breastfeeding. I talked with my own mother, who had breastfed myself and my sister. And I joined and read up in the livejournal breastfeeding community. I read every single post for my entire pregnancy, just in case it might apply to me in the future. I learned about thrush, nipple confusion, biting, cracked and bleeding nipples, lanolin, breastfeeding toddlers, benefits to women, benefits to children, "NIP"ing (nursing in public), "NAK"ing (nursing at keyboard), women with supportive and unsupportive parents and friends and significant others, introducing a bottle to a breastfed baby, what pumps are good and which to avoid, and so much more.
I wanted my and my son's breastfeeding relationship to get off on the right foot, so I planned to have a natural birth. I planned to labor at home as much as I could, then meet my midwife at a local birth center and give birth there. I wanted to bring my son to my breast as soon as possible after birth and try to feed him when he was ready. My biggest fear was that I would, for some reason, need an epidural and/or a C-section. I was terrified of a needle in my back, and I was terrified that I would feel the C-section, and I did not want to be recovering from major surgery while taking care of a new baby. I also didn't want my son affected by the drugs necessary for that kind of birth. Unfortunately, my biggest fears came to pass, and I was required to have both an epidural and a C-section (which I did feel for the last 10-15 minutes - I have an unfortunate problem of anaesthesia not working correctly on my body at times). My sister later told me that when she heard I'd had this kind of birth experience that she began to pray, "please, let [me] have a good breastfeeding experience with [my] son, so that SOMETHING can go right."
On December 12, 2006, when my son was less than half an hour old, I lay in the recovery room in the hospital and my midwife helped my son to latch on. Joseph was a pro to begin with - for the first time nursing, he nursed for a little over an hour total on both breasts!!
I learned the skillful art of pillow placement to avoid pressure or pain on my incision area. I learned the football and cradle holds and was lucky enough that a patient, kind nurse taught me how to nurse side-lying.
I originally thought I would have my son sleep in a co-sleeper next to the bed, but quickly discovered it was much easier, especially with my abdominal pain/weakness during healing, not to move him and just keep him in bed next to me. I was able to nurse him sidelying all night this way and barely had to wake, just to latch him on! I was the most well-rested new mom my family and inlaws had ever heard of.
I didn't have any set goals of "how long" to nurse my child while pregnant, but I am now sure that I will nurse my son as long as he wants. I hope that's until he's at least two years old, so that we can meet the recommendation of the World Health Organization.
Every time I nurse my son - oftentimes, especially in the middle of the night - I feel an incredible love for and bond with him. I fall in love a little more, and I feel so lucky to have him in my life and share this special relationship.
A friend of mine once told me that breastfeeding "wasn't as easy as [she] thought it was going to be," and did I know that a woman had to stuff her whole nipple into the baby's mouth, not just let the baby suck on the tip of it? I realized there was a lot about breastfeeding that I didn't know, and decided I needed to find out.
Whenever I undertake something I really care about, I do as much research as I can so I am prepared. I did this for my pregnancy and birth, and I wanted to be prepared for breastfeeding as well. So I applied for an adopt_a_mom as soon as I heard they existed. I read up on the web on kellymom and other sites. I read the section of "Our Bodies, Ourselves" that applied to breastfeeding. I talked with my own mother, who had breastfed myself and my sister. And I joined and read up in the livejournal breastfeeding community. I read every single post for my entire pregnancy, just in case it might apply to me in the future. I learned about thrush, nipple confusion, biting, cracked and bleeding nipples, lanolin, breastfeeding toddlers, benefits to women, benefits to children, "NIP"ing (nursing in public), "NAK"ing (nursing at keyboard), women with supportive and unsupportive parents and friends and significant others, introducing a bottle to a breastfed baby, what pumps are good and which to avoid, and so much more.
I wanted my and my son's breastfeeding relationship to get off on the right foot, so I planned to have a natural birth. I planned to labor at home as much as I could, then meet my midwife at a local birth center and give birth there. I wanted to bring my son to my breast as soon as possible after birth and try to feed him when he was ready. My biggest fear was that I would, for some reason, need an epidural and/or a C-section. I was terrified of a needle in my back, and I was terrified that I would feel the C-section, and I did not want to be recovering from major surgery while taking care of a new baby. I also didn't want my son affected by the drugs necessary for that kind of birth. Unfortunately, my biggest fears came to pass, and I was required to have both an epidural and a C-section (which I did feel for the last 10-15 minutes - I have an unfortunate problem of anaesthesia not working correctly on my body at times). My sister later told me that when she heard I'd had this kind of birth experience that she began to pray, "please, let [me] have a good breastfeeding experience with [my] son, so that SOMETHING can go right."
On December 12, 2006, when my son was less than half an hour old, I lay in the recovery room in the hospital and my midwife helped my son to latch on. Joseph was a pro to begin with - for the first time nursing, he nursed for a little over an hour total on both breasts!!
I learned the skillful art of pillow placement to avoid pressure or pain on my incision area. I learned the football and cradle holds and was lucky enough that a patient, kind nurse taught me how to nurse side-lying.
I originally thought I would have my son sleep in a co-sleeper next to the bed, but quickly discovered it was much easier, especially with my abdominal pain/weakness during healing, not to move him and just keep him in bed next to me. I was able to nurse him sidelying all night this way and barely had to wake, just to latch him on! I was the most well-rested new mom my family and inlaws had ever heard of.
I didn't have any set goals of "how long" to nurse my child while pregnant, but I am now sure that I will nurse my son as long as he wants. I hope that's until he's at least two years old, so that we can meet the recommendation of the World Health Organization.
Every time I nurse my son - oftentimes, especially in the middle of the night - I feel an incredible love for and bond with him. I fall in love a little more, and I feel so lucky to have him in my life and share this special relationship.