BFing experience poll

mrshudson618

This came up in discussion on another board, and I was curious how it was for J13
For anyone who has/is BF even a little bit, how was the experience for you?

bumpuser8571475

I never hated it, but it really hurt in the beginning. Like really hurt. Then after 6 weeks, all the pain went away and it was pretty awesome. Then her teeth came in... ouch! But overall it was a good experience.

Lelo2006

Didn't like it when I was doing it 12-16 times a day. Love our snuggle time now & don't want to stop, even though I think he's pretty much over it. ( ( (

KateJuly2013

No magic

cuterusaurus

Magic. Pure magic. I think it helped that I was on heavy narcotics when I started. :-P

[Deleted User]

I was never able to BF. I pumped for 6 months and hated every minute of it. I don't think I even want to try BFing with a second kid because of how much I hated pumping. I was so happy to have my body back.

Stacey099

Super painful in the begining. I remember feeling so helpless. Thankfully we fought through it. Loved the bond and it was magic once we got through the pain. Hope my next time around goes smoother but who knows!

jemasa33

I hated the whole process and quit early on. I did feel the bond people mentioned while bottle feeding. I have no regrets.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

theuntaggablek

I remember a friend of my MIL going on and on about how beautiful and amazng bf-ing was and I nearly rolled my eyes. I did it to 16 mo. but It was all about duty and obligation with ds1.,and it HURT.

With this little cuddle bug, though, I love having time to bond and to have calm moments to put my feet up. I am wistful for these moments the closer he gets to weaning.

Unknown

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DenverBride2005

Pretty much loved it, for the most part. Cracked nipples early on weren't fun but those healed pretty quickly and both boys nursed well. I definitely stressed more about supply the second time, but that was mostly due to Caleb going to DC, and my being made to feel like I wasn't giving him enough in his bottles, etc. I think if I were nursing full time without having to pump while working, I would have liked it a lot more. Pumping sucks

redhead610

I wouldn't go so far as saying hated the whole time, but I disliked it the entire time.

martyn17

The first three weeks were rough and pumping wasn't fun but I enjoyed it. It was a very special connection and I'm grateful we made it to a year.

PrimRoseMama

Hated it with DD, & really hated myself at the time that I could not produce enough milk for her. That was a difficult time. (

Loved it right from the start with DS. I was more prepared & ready to fail. Thankfully I didn't & we are still going strong.

redrocksmama

For the most part I loved it. I mean, it wasn't rainbows and unicorns every day but I'm pretty lucky that I never had any big problems.

emandia

SS!

Hated it at first with #1 (had thrush) but learned to love it after I figured out what wrong.

Loved every second with my #2

Hated the whole experience with #3. He didn't like and it broke my heart.

dinomama13

SS. A whole mix of everything -.-

ashie624

It wasn't magical because I had so many issues. I really didn't have the support and help I needed. And I was stupid at the time and didn't go and find someone to really help me. It only lasted about 6 weeks and I was pumping and bfing and supplementing. It was a mess. I really wish I had gotten more help when I needed it. I think it could have been magical. I didn't hate it, didn't love it. But I truly wanted to get it to work and love it.

MRads

It was hard to get B to latch for the first three weeks, but even with that, BF was magical. I loved every single second of it.

Until I went back to work at two months. I lived for the moments that I could BF, but my body never responded well to the pump. I pumped twice at work for 6 oz total, then 5 times at home for the rest.

It was the single biggest source of stress in my life as a working mom and where a lot of my resentment of being a working mom came from.

Myrrhaj

The whole experience was a series of highs and lows, with no middle ground in between. I loved bonding with my son through the snuggles, and the fact that my body continued to nourish him outside of my womb in a very tangible way, not to mention the high praise from the growing BF/Natural Parenting communities/movements, and more recently- the AAP.

I loathed the sleepless nights, the painful let downs with no immediate relief, being bleary-eyed and tethered to a machine in the middle of the night when my son wouldn't feed, the fear of judgement and ensuing insecurities and personal hang-ups regarding modesty that I couldn't seem to get over during public feeds.

It was so much work, and I didn't manage to go a full year without supplementing, and then eventually switching over to formula entirely. Sometimes I feel slight regret, while overall I feel like I made the best choice for my sanity and therefore for my son. He's growing beautifully in every sense.

coco2787

ramy3695 said:

Hated it in the beginning with DS. Stuck it out until he weaned himself at 26 months and it was fine but never loved it. It's been much easier with Iris but I still don't love it.

I'm probably as close to a lactivist as you can get without being obnoxious including planning to become an IBCLC in the near future but I don't love the act of breastfeeding. I think it's amazing and I'm incredibly proud of myself for sticking with it after the misery that was DS's newborn phase, but I still don't feel that complete euphoria that I've heard other women describe.

This. But then again, for me, nothing about motherhood has been the way people described. I plan to go at least another year if Silas wants it, but I will be glad when I'm finally done.

[Deleted User]

We had a rough start, but I'm so glad I stuck with it. I love the baby snuggles and being able to provide nutrition for my little guy. If I have another one I'm hoping to pump earlier on to hopefully start out with a better supply.

KTZ17

I picked the first choice, I do love BFing, but the journey has been extremely difficult. I EPed for the first month while she was in the NICU, then had to use a nipple shield to get her to latch, I'd BF her, then supplement with a bottle, then pump, then that routine caused me to never ever sleep so my LC had me start using a supplemental nursing system and i stopped pumping. I stopped using the SNS when dd turned one and now we just nurse in the morning, at nap time, and bedtime, and that has been nice. It's been a relief not worrying if she's getting enough milk since she eats and drinks WCM. I just hope my supply issues were caused by her prematurity and not being put to breast for weeks and it's not my body.

thegoodpotato

Meh for me (obviously).  I mean, there's that sense of accomplishment that you are feeding your child only from your own body... but it's not any kind of magical bonding experience for me.  And I hate, hate, hated that I was the sole food-source for the baby.  Things got so much easier when DH could just give her a bottle of formula.  Of course, that was at six months, so things tend to get easier around then anyway...

Another terrible side effect is that breastfeeding makes me terribly constipated.  It was a beautiful day after I weaned that I had a normal BM.  Especially considering I had been constipated throughout the entire pregnancy.  That's a LONG TIME to not have a good poop. 

karen0477

I have a love hate relationship with it. This lo probably got the most breast milk out of all 3. I stopped nursing and started pumping after a week. After almost losing dd1 at 2.5 weeks old due to very very low production, I am too stressed not knowing whether or not they are getting enough, I don't trust my body to produce enough, especially after a lactation doc telling me I probably wouldn't produce again this time.

After 3 or so more weeks of pumping I was getting next to nothing. I was already supplementing every feeding, so I gave up the stress and guilt and put fully on formula.

If and when we have #4, I will probably do the same....nurse as long as I can and pump and supplement....no magic here!!

EagleWife

I voted SS because none of the other options fit. Once we got the hang of it, it got a lot easier and I definitely enjoyed it. It has been great most of the time, with moments of magic throughout. 

But it was scary and very hard at first. Nipple pain, bloody nipples, nipple shield, waking her to eat every 3 hrs, in the beginning, fears of her not gaining, so much of it was a challenge. Managing outings and trying to NIP were hard after the physical adjustment. I'm not sure we would have gotten as far as we did with out all of the help and input from here. So thanks for all of that  >:D< 

I feel a crazy amount of pride when I look at her growth from birth to six months and realize that I fed her everything she needed from my body. She's mine and she grew while attached to my body, both inside and out.I feel a little guilty because I know so many other moms had trouble.  

 I'm very grateful that BFing worked out for us and would do it again if I could.

mrshudson618

I fall solidly in the "Meh" category, and I can't help but wonder if using a shield for the first few months could have anything to do with that. My mom wonders if the shield could be part of the reasons I got KU less tha 4 months PP. But I say that if my body was getting enough stimulation to keep producing an ample supply, then it was getting enough stimulation for all the homornal things BFing does, right?

opheliainwaders

So, I picked "wonderful, magical," but I want to caveat that - I love it NOW, but when she was tiny, and couldn't suck/swallow, the process of "nursing" then pumping, feeding her with an eyedropper, learning how to use a bottle, then learning how to nurse, and then FINALLY nursing...I did not love that. I'd say it was great starting around her EDD, but before that it was really hard.

[Deleted User]

mrshudson618 said:

I fall solidly in the "Meh" category, and I can't help but wonder if using a shield for the first few months could have anything to do with that. My mom wonders if the shield could be part of the reasons I got KU less tha 4 months PP. But I say that if my body was getting enough stimulation to keep producing an ample supply, then it was getting enough stimulation for all the homornal things BFing does, right?

@mrshudson618 I used a nipple shield for almost 5 months (he wouldn't latch without it for that long).  Breastfeeding has been so much easier without it.  I'm sure it impacted my supply and how LO latched/latches. If we have another child I'm going to try my hardest to go without the shield.   

KKinATX

There are have been rough patches but overall I have really loved it.  I have enjoyed it with the second baby more than the first, I guess because I knew what to expect and was prepared for the challenging times.  I am planning to BF longer than I did with DS (weaned him at 15 mo) because I am enjoying it still.

rondosa

I picked "hated at first but grew to love it"

I was so worried about bfing before he was born....would it feel weird? Would it hurt? Would he figure it out? Would I produce enough for him? I wanted it to work so badly but it hurt like HELL I was so surprised. Vasospasms and a tongue tie meant I'd literally dread every feeding. Hard when they are every two hours. I remember crying with tears streaming silently down my face as he'd latch and feed for 45mins

Once I finally saw Dr Newman and learned about the tongue tie and had it clipped right away, at 5 weeks, things got so much easier. As he spaced feedings out after 6months it was even better. I've definitely experienced the euphoria feeling, but not always. It was strongest around 7-10months.

I'm curious, for working moms that still bf, are there any of you that don't feed WCM? If so, are you still pumping at work?

queenbone

I enjoy nursing, and love how easy it is (no bottles or clean up or formula to pack. But nursing has been so hard the first few weeks all. three. times.  

I was just thinking about what a difference a year makes. This time last year I was taking DD to upwards of 6 apts a week trying to fix her latch issues, the lactation clinic referred me to a baby chiropractor, the pedi referred me to an occupational therapist. It was a freaking nightmare! Eventually she learned to/got big enough to open her mouth and all was right with the world. But, man, it sucks in the beginning! 

lancomechica

It was THE most stressful thing I can recall doing in my whole life. 

The first weeks were hell due to latching issues and weight loss.  So many people were encouraging me to stop...but I had you guys and I continued and we did amazing the first 5 months...we had to supplement but still the majority was from me. Then I started getting sick and had to go on meds.  That was the downfall for me.  I was very depressed and stressed about it.  It was very hard to stop but I had no choice.

I had such a love/hate relationship with it.  I loved it and loved the time with him and the bond we were creating but I hated pumping and carrying milk across the country and all the leaky coolers and taking all the supplements...oh god did I take everything and the non stop lactation cookies.  Jesus on a bike...I did so much to try to keep this train moving. 

I had so much jealousy for people who had it "easy" or who had an oversupply.  It made me sick. I am hoping with the next one...if there is one...that I have all the milk

rondosa

Thanks @casey78 that helps...I'm just confused as I am not giving Adrian WCM, though he does get other dairy (yogurt is daily). I never built much of a freezer stash so when I went back to work at 1yr, I just figured I'd see how it goes. 

I pump once per day but only get 2-4oz, which I leave for the next day. The nanny splits it into two teeny servings for him after each nap. When I am home, I nurse him after each nap. He still seems genuinely excited when I strap on the BF pillow so I guess I'll keep going. I'm pretty sure he'd be fine if I didn't pump the small bottles but I'm afraid my supply will dwindle if I only nurse morning and night (and MOTN) during the work week. Ugh I dunno what to do. He does eat a super balanced diet so I am not too worried about him eating enough. 

 @ladyblue07 yes!! His clinic is here in Toronto and when I was struggling so much with pain, I came across his site and realized I could make an appt and visit. It's in the Naturopathic College (they have a killer cafeteria of the healthiest most delicious foods!!) and is pretty unassuming. But it was pretty busy when I was there. Everyone was really nice. 

 Dr. Newman came in after the student practitioners and LCs assessed us and chatted with me, he's pretty matter of fact actually. I expected him to be...I dunno...soft spoken and "kind", kwim? He was pretty doctor like actually, very frank, but obviously helpful. He actually saw the soft spot in Adrian's head and asked me immediately if he could take a video of it. I was like "ok sure?"...he wanted to use it in the clinic to show other moms what is "normal". I guess Adrian's was pretty visible with his pulse and Dr Newman thought it was a good example of newborn soft spots and not to freak out if it looks like this. I've emailed him a couple of times and he's always been super helpful and prompt