Breastfeeding/ The Beginning
When I went to meet our pediatrician when I was 30 weeks pregnant all I heard was you must breastfeed… I also come from a family of all doctors & was told this was best for my baby. Luckily- when Jake was born he latched on right away.. However, No one really explained to me how difficult breastfeeding would be- the latching was the easy part- it was painful for me when he would latch on. I cringed every time my mom would hand me Jake to feed. While I loved the bonding aspect I couldn’t get over how painful it was. Not to mention the crazy feeding schedule of every two to three hours. I never took a lactation class prior to Jake being born – & I don’t think it would have helped given the need to have a baby first to understand the process.
We hired a nurse after his circumcision and I noticed that my nurse wasn’t so pro breastfeeding because I believe they want to fill the babies tummies so they sleep better.. So I was dealing with my nurse who wasn’t so fond of breastfeeding and my family members with the pressure to continue. When Jake was about 6 weeks I became so frustrated that I hired a lactation specialist to come to my house.. $200 later, I didn’t learn too much. If anything it was just helpful to have someone talk to me about the process that wasn’t a family member. What I did end up purchasing was the Breast Friend, which is fab because it gives you back support.
I continued to breastfeed because of the benefits for Jake/ but for me breastfeeding didn’t feel normal until I reached about three months. My goal in the beginning was to reach three months, but after three months I decided to go to six since it became to easy and was such a no brainer.
Benefits of Breastfeeding
There are obviously many benefits of breastfeeding & I researched that for every ounce you burn about 20 calories. Also, breastfeeding makes your uterus contract & go back to its place and also helps reduce bleeding. Breastfeeding also helps reduce the risks of different illnesses to your child.
I don’t judge those who don’t breastfeed, as I realize it’s not for everybody- but I will say that it gets easier over time and gives you a unique relationship with your child. When we traveled on an airplane it was so convenient to be able to put Jake on my nipple- he didn’t cry at all & the sucking helped with his ears..
Aftermath of Breastfeeding
Once 6 months reached I stopped breastfeeding and those 10 days after were really hard. The let down process is painful because it causes clogged ducks. I am so thankful to my husband who researched and found out that cabbage leaves help with the letdown process. I used cabbage leaves and sage tea to help with the process. For those 10 days I also wore sport bras. My breasts were so engorged that when I held Jake close to me my breasts were so tender and achy that it would hurt. I can say now that it has been almost 2 weeks since I stopped that my breasts feel normal and small!
Today I am so excited to wear normal bras and off the shoulder tops with a strapless bra! I am really happy that I breastfed for as long as I did & I know Jake is too☺
If you have any further questions on my experience don’t hesitate to reach out!!
xo
Jenny
