Breastfeeding my personal history

Alison and Lisa were born 6 weeks early. The had the tiniest little mouths. I didn't seem them until 6 hours after they were born. I didn't try nursing them until 12 hours after they were born. I will never forget the first moment I latched my little baby on. My mom was standing in the room and my eyes must have lite up like Christmas morning. She said to me, it's an amazing feeling isn't it. It certainly was. I had to leave them in the hospital for 13 days. I really wanted to nurse them but the nursery staff wasn't supportive, at all. They were so concerned with them maintaining their body temp. that they would only let one of them come to my room every three hours. After I left the hospital I pumped, and came diligently the first morning to visit them. The nurses in the nursery quickly put a screen up for my "privacy" and left me alone with my 3 day old tiny baby who didn't know what was going on. I silently cried, feeling ashamed that I didn't know how to do this, assuming it was suppose to just happen. I desperately wanted help but didn't know how to ask and I think even if I had I wouldn't have gotten to far. I pumped for 6 weeks for them. I didn't know anything about how the body and breast work I thought I had to pump every three hours or I wouldn't have enough milk. After 6 weeks I felt like I had triplets 2 babies and 1 breast pump. I called it quits. It was formula from there on out for my babies. At 11 months they were switched to Pediasure, the pediatrician was so concerned with their size they were only 16 pounds. After some time on this we switched to whole milk. They never liked formula, Pediasure, or milk. The only time they ever liked cow's milk was to dip cookies into. They don't drink cow's milk now but that's an different post for a different day.

Annika I was dedicated to doing it this time. She was a good size, had a good latch, and things were going well. Two weeks in a got a cause of mastitis. I thought I was going to die. I pumped a little for a few days, she was still willing to latch on, but my heart wasn't in it. Formula until 13 months. Tried whole milk, CONSTIPATION!!! She couldn't tolerate the stuff. Switched her to soy until she was twoish. Nothing since. She doesn't drink cow's milk and if she eats ice cream she gets diarrhea, she does not tolerate the stuff.

Nathan I was dedicated to nursing Nathan until he was at least two. So much had changed in our lives between having Annika and him. I read this article and was committed whatever it took it was going to happen. I had Nathan via surprise c-section. My milk didn't come in for almost 5 days. They were telling me at the hospital that he needed to be supplemented. I said no way. The first 6 weeks were HELL. I had a crack the size of the grand canyon on my nipple, it felt like I was being kicked in the teeth when he latched on. After some serious time on the internet I determined he was latching on right. After correcting this, and using ALOT of Calendula cream to heal the crack we were on our way. I thought I was feeding him on demand. I wasn't he was on a schedule of every 3 hours. He was nursed 10 minutes on each side, until he got efficient enough that it took about 4 minutes on each side. After which I plunked the pacifier in his mouth. At 4 months old he went through a nursing strike. If I had formula and a bottle in the house he may have had some. I purposely didn't have it in the house so I wouldn't be tempted if it got hard. For two weeks I would have to rock him until he fell asleep and then switch his pacifier out for the boob. He would then nurse it took about an hour. If that didn't work I would have to pump until my milk let down and then get him latched on. I knew because of all the reading that I did this wasn't him being "done" it was called a nursing strike. When I started my period a month later I realized that the change in my hormones must have effected the taste and or my milk supply. For the next few months I always knew I was going to get my period because he would fuss a little for a few days when I would feed him. I didn't offer solids to him until he was 8 months old. He wasn't interested until he was about 11 months old. At which point he suddenly wanted 3 meals a day 2 snacks and continued nursing every 3 hours. At night he would sleep from 8-2 am nurse and sleep until 8. At 13 months old he slept through the night. At 15 months old he weaned, I was 4 months pregnant with Katelyn and it didn't feel good.

Katelyn, I had learned so much by the time I had her that nursing was enjoyable from the start. I finally knew what on demand meant, anytime she acted like she might want to nurse I offered. If it had been 5 minutes or 2 hours or anything in between. She took to it well, because of nursing on demand I didn't get engorged the way I had before, I understood proper latch so I didn't get cracks. I knew how to avoid mastitis. She didn't have a pacifier (my other 4 did) I was (am) the pacifier. There have been several times where I wish that she did, being the human pacifier is a lot of work BUT I know that we wouldn't be having such success and a good nursing relationship if she did. I co-sleep with her, and though she may get up a lot at night I don't know because I am able to switch sides, do the whole song and dance in my sleep. I am committed to making it to 20 months with her. Strange timing, but I have some places I want to go this fall. If not completely weaned I would like to know she can make it a day or two without. If I can do that then we will continue until one of us says enough. I would like to reduce the number of night nursing sessions because although I mostly sleep through it I know I am not getting all the sleep that I need. At 12 months I am going to start working towards this, I am hoping to gain at least a 6 hour stretch. She is going to be 1 in two weeks and in the past week started to eat solids. I have loved watching nature takes it's course with her, I offered solids earlier and beside pretzels and bread she hasn't wanted to eat anything else. I started to offer things at 8 months and occasionally she would eat a little of this or that but not much else. Now she loves avocados, bananas, rice, lo mien noodles, bread, cereal, and water in a sippy cup.
I have to just say it again read this article it certainly changed my life, and I think it is one of the greatest breastfeeding articles out there.