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Babies: 0 - 3 Months
ashy22lou
member
Breastfeeding
ashy22lou
member
I just need some positive thoughts. I am sort of hating breastfeeding. Not the actual process, but I feel like a 24-hour cafeteria. LO is eating, like, every hour and a half (she only eats once through the night) & I feel like I can't go anywhere or do anything, because only the breast will calm her when she gets worked up (which I'm assuming is hunger). We live about a 1/2 hour away from town, so by the time I get anywhere, it's time to go home if I were to go somewhere alone. Today I NIP in the walgreens parking lot---my first time in public, and I despised it. Plus, I'm sick of my boobs being out all the time. I'm certain DH will never find me attractive again.
I know this is so good for her. I want to do it for her, but please someone tell me it gets easier...
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Re: Breastfeeding
It will get better. The first month or two are the worst. Eventually you'll be able to go longer stretches without your LO eating.
She may be eating SO frequently also because of going so long without it at night. Maybe you could sneak in a dream feed or two if it will help.
NIP is something I'm still working on conquering!
Over time it got easier for me. I don't know if maybe feeding her for longer at one feeding would help. My DD eats every 3-4 hours during the day, so I'm not sure about the feeding longer. But I guess it wouldn't hurt to try.
As for getting used to NIP, I know it took time for me. I took a trip with DD and had to nurse in car a couple times. So that helped me some. And then this weekend I nursed on the Marta (a subway type transportation)...which was something I never thought I would do. But when they are hungry you gotta do what you gotta do.
And I don't believe for one second your DH won't find you attractive anymore. I know I've felt that way from time to time (and still do quite a bit). But its just that our bodies aren't the same and we still have some hormones going wild in us.
Guess what. Gianna is eating practically every hour and a half , I can't put her down and she's 10 weeks old. I am having a horrible day BFing but I think it's an off day. A 1 1/2 hour car ride took me 4 hours and she freaked out most of the way. I had to pull over and feed her, one stop took an hour and a half.
You're going to have ups and downs but it's all worth it because breastmilk is the best thing you can do for your LO right now.
Missed m/c 10/25/10 @ 11.5 weeks
I am right there with you sister.... I don't know why but I feel like nobody told me that breastfeeding would be this hard. It has been the most physically and emotionally draining experience. I feel like a walking boob and a prisoner of my house when his feedings are ALL THE TIME . I am uncomfortable nursing in public and like your baby the ONLY thing that calms him down when he gets upset is the boob.
I have been having thoughts about going to formula and I feel so guilty but at the same time I don't know how much longer I can keep this up.
It is the hardest thing I have ever done. NIP is a breeze now.You get to a point when you don't care. Def get a hooter hider. I would sit for 4 hours and nurse LO and cry! Get a book and read while LO eats.
So rewarding when they look up at you and smile!
I agree with everything you wrote - breastfeeding was the hardest thing I have ever done. But now LO is almost 8 weeks and I'm so glad I stuck with it (although I still have moments where I hate it, mostly because I never know how much he's getting and if it's enough).
Now at 8 weeks, we're nursing about every 2.5-3 hours with a stretch of 5 or 6 at night, which is great. Make sure you're not misinterpreting her tired cries for hunger cries and feeding her when she actually needs to sleep. I was doing that for a long while and DS was spitting up everything and still crying - I just always solved his fussing by slapping him on the boob and half the time, that's not what he wanted.
It WILL get better, I promise you! I never thought it would, but around 5-6 weeks I started really enjoying it.
Have you thought about pumping? My pedi suggested it b/c my LO wasn't gaining weight and he wanted me to work on my supply. The hugest weight was lifted off my shoulder once I bought my pump. I know a lot of people hate pumping, but I actually don't mind the 10 or so minutes it takes. I find it very rewarding to see the results and have been busy building my mini-stash. Plus, my H can now feed our guy. We have been leaving the house since I started pumping, too, b/c I can take the milk with us and not worry about when he gets hungry. My hospital gave us a little bag and it has ice packs and a section that is insulated. I pop the ice packs and one of my bags of BM in there and we are good to go. Before we would stress about timing things around his eating schedule. We would go out, run home to feed him and then go out again. I was miserable and pretty depressed. I still nurse him pretty often, but it's nice knowing that he will get fed if I am not around or if I cannot nurse him. It's also nice b/c my H can play a bigger part and can also feed him at night.
Please don't give the poster more to worry about - it is perfectly NORMAL for a 2 week old to eat every 1 1/2 hours. Some eat every hour, or every half hour, or even cluster feed and seem like they are eating constantly. I've also never heard of "10 minutes each side and then pump for 15 and feed her the pumped milk. If she is still hungry give her some formula to top her off." Unless there is a weigh gain issue (which she didn't post about), there is absolutely no need to supplement with formula. She should consult with her own LC or pedi before doing this.
It does get better! It might take awhile, but it will!