Thursday, May 21, 2009

Things I wish someone had told me about breastfeeding...

1. It doesn't always get better after two weeks. Sometimes it takes just a little bit longer. In my mind I only had to make it to the 2 week mark and then everything would be fine. Then I thought it would be easy. Much like everything that goes along with pregnancy, childbirth, and children it didn't happen quite the way I had imagined. It's a very individual process and for me it took about 3 and 1/2 weeks before it got easier. But, I'm so glad I waited.

2. Your breasts are capable of literally spraying your newborn in the face when they are too full. Which can make you feel a bit like a fire hose. Yeah, enough said.

3. Once you get the hang of it, it is actually super nice not to have to worry about bringing bottles with you everywhere you go. I'm one of those moms who could have 1 kid or 15 kids and still never quite get the hang of toting all the required supplies everywhere I go. At least with breastfeeding I know I won't be leaving the essentials at home!

4. Your kids might feel the need to let everyone they meet at the grocery store, church, Target, etc. know that their mommy makes milk in her BOOOOBIEEEES!! And also to specify to unsuspecting waiters and waitresses that they do not drink boobie milk thankyouverymuch.

5. Your dad probably won't be able to look you in the eye while you are breast feeding even if you are completely covered by your Hooter Hider and sitting across the room from him. Sorry, Dad.

You'd think that with three kids I would have been able to successfully breastfeed more than once, but I haven't. Trav is the first of my kids I've actually been able to get this far with. And now that it is going better I think we'll be in it for the long haul.

What about you? Is there anything you wish you'd been told about breastfeeding to make the process easier either emotionally or physically?

5 comments:

joolee said...

um, yeah. Totally get the first one. I had cracked and bleeding nipples a good four weeks after birthing my babies.......and oh, the pain! Just as the blood is about to dry into a safe lil protective scab, the babe would come suck the whole thing off again. TORTURE! Also to this day I don't know if it is safe to feed your baby your freshly pumped pink milk. pink=blood. But yes, I was able to work thru the toe-curling pain those first months and it WAS totally worth it in the end. Also, no one told me about the new relationship I would form with my breast pads.

StacieinAtlanta said...

OMG, #2 has me totally giggling. I could shoot six feet away on a "full" day.

The first time that I took my now six year old out for a while, I had the motherload of stuff with me. Changes of clothes? Check. Bottles? Check. Pacifier? Check. Wipes? Check. Diapers? Uh oh. WTH happened to the diapers? There was no room for them so my husband left them out. He intended to come back later and put them in another bag but that didn't happen.

We got by with a makeshift MacGyver type diaper out of paper towel, duct tape and some toilet paper. It was scary!!

Stacie

Katie said...

I wish someone had really told me what it was going to do to "the girls"

Pre-breastfeeding: 34B
Breastfeeding: 36D
Post-breastfeeding: 36Long.

Seriously.
Something has gone terribly awry.

Amanda Roper said...

That when the kid is latched onto one boob, milk may drip out of the other boob -- especially if you are too full.

Messy!

Tiffany @ Lattes And Life said...

I wish I had been told that sometimes (admittedly not that often), but sometimes...a woman just can't BF. I was so set on BF my son. After weeks of every intervention, numerous OBs, midwives, nurses, and lactation consultants....I still wasn't making milk. I was DEVASTATED and hysterical.....everyone talks about how it may be difficult, but nobody ever told me it might not happen. And the judgement....so any women accused me of not trying hard enough.

Anywhoo, this time I decided to wait and see what happened. We're on day 6 postpartum, and no sign of milk yet again.

Some boobies just don't work :-(