Breastfeeding

She, thankfully, slept through the night at 7 weeks. The first several weeks, because she was so little, she ate every hour, did you hear me EVERY HOUR. So if you can imagine just getting your head to the pillow after feeding, burping and changing your wee precious and then she is crying for more. There were times I thought about quitting breastfeeding because it was so difficult. It is! You assume your body just knows what to do, well it doesn't. You have to learn and you have to teach the baby all at the same time. Once you get the hang of things and baby latches on OK, then it is smooth sailing, but it can almost kill ya in the beginning. My advice, bug the heck out of the lactation consultant. That is their job and they are darn good - though not always gentle. I had someone in most feedings during the day, but due to my having a C-section, I was there for 4 days. My milk came in the last day and that is when I really needed their help and learned the most. Women of generations past had their Mothers and Grandmothers to help. Our parents generation and ours much less as we are all dispersed in different states. Many years ago, the whole family lived in the same village, and if you had severe trouble - you had a wet nurse. Those were the days of the past, now we have pumps (sucking your brains out of your nipples), a different bottle for each day of the month, creams/apparatus for various bumps (no pun intended) along the way and a society that looks down upon breastfeeding Moms. I say feed the baby and NOT in the stinken bathroom. Would you eat in the bathroom? I have had people tell me if you feel insecure just feed her in the bathroom - uh no, think of the germs in a public restroom. I will however give you a hint. The invention of the HOOTER HIDER. You heard me, you may laugh but it makes breastfeeding way less awkward for you and those around you. Check it out at mom4life.com. Also a must, LilyPadz. They are like lily pads that go over your nipple and somehow (Lord only knows) it stops your flow and hides your now Ginormous nipples! Ha ha! So I ended up breastfeeding until the day before my daughter turned one. One full year of breastfeeding. some of the worst minutes of my life, but most of the best! I would say if you can make past the first few weeks, you will do great. The closeness you feel is absolutely precious! The feed before bedtime when she would fall to sleep in my arms was beautiful...day after day after day!