Learning to compromise

kescalera

It started with labor & delivery, wanted to go med-free but due to unexpected pain levels & baby positioning, made it to 8cm dilated before getting the epidural. All things considered I actually enjoyed labor at the end. I can say that I experienced true labor without the meds but thanks to the fabulous epidural, I was also able to be coherent and aware during the actual pushing.

We have no moved on to breastfeeding. I started saying that I was going to breastfeed for a full year. We're exactly a month into it and, thanks to Mr. Chompers & my need to go back to work, we introduced the bottle and my boobs are loving the break. I am still pumping every 3 hours to build up our stock pile & be able to feed breast-milk as well as offering a boob at night until he starts biting and then, after a 5 min "timeout" away from Mommy, offering the bottle. So far, I'm loving not having super sore, bruised nipples while still being able to feed my baby the best food source possible. While I still feel a little bad about giving up that bonding time, I'm supplementing extra cuddle time to make up for it.

Anyone else finding their plans being adjusted to accommodate reality? 

velazquezk1

I feel you on the sore nipples. I called my DH crying telling him I didn't want to FF but my nipples couldn't take it anymore. I've been giving 1 - 2 bottles (try to keep it to 1) a day of pumped milk usually around our 2-3 am feeding just so we are used to a bottle. For me, it's such a nice break to either tell DH to feed her so I can catch 2 more hours of shut eye or just to have a break from something on my boob. I end up totally leaking all over the place by 7 am but I'll take that.

Life is about compromises. Silly as it sounds, one of mine was the way we spelled our baby's name. But I won by being team green. 

Take it one day at a time - with EVERYTHING! 

JessAnnJ

Same things with me except breastfeeding has gone much worse.  She is getting about 50/50 breast milk and formula.  I can't seem to fill her up with BF and it causes so much pain that I can only do it a couple times per day.  Pumping hurts, BF hurts.  I have been to see my doctor who prescribed nipple cream and two different lactation consultants (I'm going back on Monday).  I really do not think my breasts are supposed to hurt 24/7.  It's not just an incomfortable ache it is pain.  It has been difficult coming to terms with the fact that I have not been successful at something my body was designed to do.

Regarding the pumping, how to do you coordinate pumping and feeding?  It is hard to time things so that I can feed her and pump.  She always seems to time her meltdowns for when I am pumping and even with a pump bra there is only so much I can do to comfort her without turning the pump off.

S & R + r

JessAnnJ:

Same things with me except breastfeeding has gone much worse.nbsp; She is getting about 50/50 breast milk and formula.nbsp; I can't seem to fill her up with BF and it causes so much pain that I can only do it a couple times per day.nbsp; Pumping hurts, BF hurts.nbsp; I have been to see my doctor who prescribed nipple cream and two different lactation consultants I'm going back on Monday.nbsp; I really do not think my breasts are supposed to hurt 24/7.nbsp; It's not just an incomfortable ache it is pain.nbsp; It has been difficult coming to terms with the fact that I have not been successful at something my body was designed to do.Regarding the pumping, how to do you coordinate pumping and feeding?nbsp; It is hard to time things so that I can feed her and pump.nbsp; She always seems to time her meltdowns for when I am pumping and even with a pump bra there is only so much I can do to comfort her without turning the pump off.

This is so my situation! First I nurse my LO and then once he's content and getting sleepy I'll start to pump. I also power pump.. 10 minutes of pumping, 10 minute break, repeat. This works great for me. I do it for an hour. So by every next feeding I have enough breast milk to supplement.

kescalera

S & R + r:

JessAnnJ:

Same things with me except breastfeeding has gone much worse.nbsp; She is getting about 50/50 breast milk and formula.nbsp; I can't seem to fill her up with BF and it causes so much pain that I can only do it a couple times per day.nbsp; Pumping hurts, BF hurts.nbsp; I have been to see my doctor who prescribed nipple cream and two different lactation consultants I'm going back on Monday.nbsp; I really do not think my breasts are supposed to hurt 24/7.nbsp; It's not just an incomfortable ache it is pain.nbsp; It has been difficult coming to terms with the fact that I have not been successful at something my body was designed to do.Regarding the pumping, how to do you coordinate pumping and feeding?nbsp; It is hard to time things so that I can feed her and pump.nbsp; She always seems to time her meltdowns for when I am pumping and even with a pump bra there is only so much I can do to comfort her without turning the pump off.

This is so my situation! First I nurse my LO and then once he's content and getting sleepy I'll start to pump. I also power pump.. 10 minutes of pumping, 10 minute break, repeat. This works great for me. I do it for an hour. So by every next feeding I have enough breast milk to supplement.

At this point, LO is not getting the breast directly at all. He likes to chew his food too much. As for timing feeding vs pumping, I'll feed him, cuddle him and either give him to DH (if he's awake) or in the middle of the night when DH is sleeping, I'll just put LO in his crib (on the other side of the house from our room where we're all sleeping currently) and close the door. If he cries for the 15 minutes I pump (double breast electric pump) then he cries. It took me a few days to accept that letting him cry wasn't going to hurt him any. Last night he only cried for 5 minutes then was pretty calm when I went to get him to go back to bed. I do have to shut the door though or I just can't handle it.