Breastfeeding may be the most natural thing on Earth, but does it always come naturally? Unfortunately, for the majority of breastfeeding women there will be some obstacles to deal with. The question is: Do you have the "tits" to overcome those hurdles?
As a mother of three, I have had my share of trials and tribulations with my breasts lactation capabilities. I always knew I wanted to nurse my babies, even back when I was just a kid myself playing house with my friends. Ask them. lol. I loved putting a ball under my shirt pretending to be pregnant, my husband would ALWAYS be Zach Morris (eat your heart out ladies... my imaginary hubby was a hawtie). Ok that's an exaggeration. The hubby decision was a toss up between Zach Morris and Brian Littrel from Back Street Boys haha! Back to what I was saying though, just because you want to nurse doesn't mean it will come easy. It's a learning process between you and your baby, and even though you're both designed for it, it will take a bit of practice and patience. With my first baby we both spent a week in the hospital due to some complications at birth, and unfortunately I was extremely uneducated about breast feeding. I thought once the baby came my tits would be like soda fountains...right? Wrong. I didn't actually get to hold my first baby until they were a couple days old, and they had to stay in the NICU. We didn't really have the opportunity to nurse since my baby had to be hooked up to so many different things, and on top of it all they had a feeding tube for a short period in the beginning. I did pump my milk the first few days, but I didn't really know I had to be so precise about it. Instead of pumping like every couple hours I just did it sporadically, and that did not bring my milk in. I actually don't even remember becoming engorged. Once my baby was able to leave the NICU they had already had a bottle, and when we tried to nurse the whole situation was so stressful I gave up and decided to give my baby formula. At the time it seemed like the right thing to do, and now, in retrospect I wish I'd have done more to bring my milk in to nurse. With my second child I was ABSOLUTELY DETERMINED to make breastfeeding work. Again though, like my first child, my second baby had to stay in the NICU. We were both in the hospital a week, but this time I pumped religiously every 2-3 hours. Eureka! My milk began to come in. I would collect all I could, and with a smile from ear to ear I would transport this magical golden treat down the hall to the NICU for my baby to eat through a bottle. My second child didn't have to stay in the NICU as long as my first baby, so after several days they were allowed to stay with my husband and I in our room, and since we had been able to nurse in the NICU, and I had done all I could to bring my milk in, I thought our breast feeding journey was on the right track. Once we got home I felt like all I did was nurse, and with another small child running around I have to say those first few days were very trying while I was healing myself. After a few weeks of nursing pretty much around the clock I decided to contact the lactation consultant at my pediatricians office, and we both went there for a little visit to see how we were doing with breast feeding. I was told we were doing fine. To keep it up. Do what you've been doing. I was not aware that breast fed babies don't gain weight as fast as formula fed babies, and didn't know that it was normal for new babies to nurse A LOT. I finally decided to give my baby formula, because I felt like they weren't getting enough to eat. I didn't quit nursing though, we just supplemented with formula. With my most recent pregnancy I began to do more research about breastfeeding, and looking back I thought maybe my second baby had been "cluster feeding", because they were getting ready for a growth spurt. Yes that had to be it, because my friends who breast feed said that any woman can breastfeed. It's a supply and demand thing they said. So I trudged on, reading everything about breastfeeding I could. I found several breastfeeding pages on facebook and read away! It was so interesting to read about all the other mothers experiences with nursing their babies, and I felt like this time I could really do this! I had been silly in the past thinking I couldn't make enough milk. With my third baby delivery went much smoother than with my other two children, and thankfully my youngest baby didn't have to go into the NICU. We were on a great start to our breastfeeding journey. I nursed on demand, and yes my nipples got so sore! They bled a bit, and I cringed every time my baby latched on (just as I had with my second child). I was in terrible pain while healing, and still I took care of two older children, and nursed my new baby on demand. I thought I nursed a lot with my second baby, but it didn't compare with this time around. My baby was never really happy the first few weeks, wouldn't really rest very well, and wasn't gaining weight appropriately. I finally decided to supplement after baby's 2 month checkup. After we began supplementing baby became happier, slept better, and began gaining weight good! I tried everything I knew to make my milk supply increase. I pumped (which hurt my nips), took Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle, drank mother's milk tea, ate oatmeal, drank alot of water, nursed on demand, and STILL my supply did not increase. I don't care what people say...my baby demands milk and my tits can not supply enough! I'm kind of sad that I can't exclusively breast feed my baby, but baby does get my breast milk first, and then we supplement as needed with formula. Sometimes baby takes more formula, and sometimes a bit less. I'm just happy that my baby is happy, and I love the bond we share with nursing. It's the sweetest thing, and I know that my milk is best for my baby. For all of you mother's out there who are having supply issues with your breast milk, if you have to supplement don't beat yourself up about it. Continue to nurse! Offer breast first, and if baby is still hungry then offer formula. You're doing the best you can for your baby, and that's what is important!
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