EmyB
07-10-2010, 23:20
So I've come here instead! Hahaha.
My DS's first birthday is this weekend. :eek: And among buying party hats and cake decorations I've been feeling really proud of making it to 12 months breastfeeding! I get quite emotional about it for some reason.
Anyways I had as my status "Just wanted to share am very proud of me and DS for making 12 months breastfeeding!" and have had a resounding NOTHING in response. :(
So I'm putting it out here instead. I don't mind if I don't get any replies. Cyberspace can be very cathartic.
Our BF story (for those interested):
My wonderful Mum BF us for a few months each, but she found formula to be the best choice for her, for various reasons. However she was very poorly supported by CHN and always felt guilted and pressured. Hence I grew up with the terms "breast-feeding Nazi" and stuff like that. A general view of BF-ders as "goody-two-shoes".
So part of my birthplan for DS was "to try to BF but not to let myself feel guilty if it doesn't work for whatever reason".
Problem was... as soon as I held my DS in my arms, suddenly successfully breastfeeding became the most important thing in the world to me! :D I had nourished him for 9 months and I knew I could keep on doing it. I was desperate to be everything for him, the way he was everything to me! (You know those crazy first few weeks... :rolleyes: Thank God that feeling hasn't faded anyway, just gotten a lot less manic).
I found BF really uncomfortable for some reason and could not get my posture right. I fed him leaning forward for the first few months as that was the only way I could get my hold right! It took me til about 5 months before I could support him one-handed. I was definitely not a natural at it. :doh: Although I really do believe his attachment was fine from the get-go we ended up with a nipple crack (I suspect it was my strong letdown and him pulling off repeatedly). This led to terrible mastitis at 5 weeks old (4 nights in hosp on intravenous antibiotics). Then struggled along with strong letdown and oversupply. Bub was always pulling off and screaming etc. I had to use a nipple shield on one side for about a month or two. That was a very difficult period, looking back..... Luckily it never occured to me to give up! This all sounds very doom and gloom but I really enjoyed breastfeeding throughout, even on days I had my toes curled, and cried through feeding and was stressed to the max. Sounds crazy but I was on :cloud9:. There's nothing like it.
Things settled right down as they do and we even made it through a 3 month period of me working (from necessity) 12 hour days for 5 days a week! The pump and I were very close. :p
Luckily now I am working 3 days a week. We BF 3-4 times a day when I am home, and morning and evening when I am working. I planned to wean about now and I would still like to, but DS is just NOT taking cow's milk in any way, shape or form, and I feel bad letting him be without milk completely! :detective: Hmmm have yet to figure that one out.
Anyways, thankyou for reading if you've got this far.
:goodvibes: I love my DS. :goodvibes:
The end. :p
My DS's first birthday is this weekend. :eek: And among buying party hats and cake decorations I've been feeling really proud of making it to 12 months breastfeeding! I get quite emotional about it for some reason.
Anyways I had as my status "Just wanted to share am very proud of me and DS for making 12 months breastfeeding!" and have had a resounding NOTHING in response. :(
So I'm putting it out here instead. I don't mind if I don't get any replies. Cyberspace can be very cathartic.
Our BF story (for those interested):
My wonderful Mum BF us for a few months each, but she found formula to be the best choice for her, for various reasons. However she was very poorly supported by CHN and always felt guilted and pressured. Hence I grew up with the terms "breast-feeding Nazi" and stuff like that. A general view of BF-ders as "goody-two-shoes".
So part of my birthplan for DS was "to try to BF but not to let myself feel guilty if it doesn't work for whatever reason".
Problem was... as soon as I held my DS in my arms, suddenly successfully breastfeeding became the most important thing in the world to me! :D I had nourished him for 9 months and I knew I could keep on doing it. I was desperate to be everything for him, the way he was everything to me! (You know those crazy first few weeks... :rolleyes: Thank God that feeling hasn't faded anyway, just gotten a lot less manic).
I found BF really uncomfortable for some reason and could not get my posture right. I fed him leaning forward for the first few months as that was the only way I could get my hold right! It took me til about 5 months before I could support him one-handed. I was definitely not a natural at it. :doh: Although I really do believe his attachment was fine from the get-go we ended up with a nipple crack (I suspect it was my strong letdown and him pulling off repeatedly). This led to terrible mastitis at 5 weeks old (4 nights in hosp on intravenous antibiotics). Then struggled along with strong letdown and oversupply. Bub was always pulling off and screaming etc. I had to use a nipple shield on one side for about a month or two. That was a very difficult period, looking back..... Luckily it never occured to me to give up! This all sounds very doom and gloom but I really enjoyed breastfeeding throughout, even on days I had my toes curled, and cried through feeding and was stressed to the max. Sounds crazy but I was on :cloud9:. There's nothing like it.
Things settled right down as they do and we even made it through a 3 month period of me working (from necessity) 12 hour days for 5 days a week! The pump and I were very close. :p
Luckily now I am working 3 days a week. We BF 3-4 times a day when I am home, and morning and evening when I am working. I planned to wean about now and I would still like to, but DS is just NOT taking cow's milk in any way, shape or form, and I feel bad letting him be without milk completely! :detective: Hmmm have yet to figure that one out.
Anyways, thankyou for reading if you've got this far.
:goodvibes: I love my DS. :goodvibes:
The end. :p