Breastfeeding 101--maybe too much info.

I saw a book titled "Breastfeeding Sucks"

On many levels that is SO True.

Like i said--this might be way more info than some of you want, so please close the blog page now. :)

for the rest of you with me still--here we go

I hate breastfeeding

*GASP*

I know women always talk about how wonderful it is and how they feel so close to their child and it is a almost heavenly experience. Personally I think it is more in line with OTHER location--think further south (no not Mexico--hell!).

Really it is the WORST part of having a child. The whole natural child birth thing was HORRIBLE, but it ends. It only lasts so many hours and then it is over and you forget AND you have a wonderful new baby after. BUT breastfeeding is not like that-it never ends and you don't really get to see any results from it.

If you don't know how breastfeeding works--here is a crash course (But really those who read my blog are mostly mommy's so I am preaching to the choir).

The nipple is like a big sponge and when sucked on it squeezes out milk--not like a nipple which has one point, but like a sponge, with many places that leak (or shoot) out the milk.

Between feedings your "milk comes in" which just means your body produces milk which is stored in milk ducts. Different things can make your milk come in--for me, exercise, hearing my baby cry, hearing other new Born's cry, sometimes stress, thinking about feeding Wheeler, and then time--your body will just naturally produce milk after a certain amount of time. The actual fatty part of the breast has milk ducts in it. Like storage containers for milk. Not really sure how that works, but I just pretend I have lots of little milk cartons in my breast, each with a straw that leads to the nipple--I am so scientific!

Then the baby has to Latch on--which means put their mouth in the correct position to connect to the nipple. The upper and lower lip can't be folded under, and the tongue is covering the bottom gums. If you ever have a chance to watch a baby suck on a see through pacifiers--you will see what I mean. Newborns eat every 2-3 hours, some a little more, some a little less, and they are suppose to eat for a minimum of 15 mins on each side, Don't count the cat nap time, just the time they are actually eating.

If you have ever watched animals feed their young, many you have noticed first time moms pushing their babies away when they are trying to eat. There is a reason for that.

PAIN.

It is pain that you know is coming every 2-3 hours (or less!). It is a constant pain for 15 minutes on each side until you "toughen up". For those who have never breast feed--toughening up is a nice term for waiting till your nipples are stripped of their first layer of skin, and then slowly grow callouses, but it is a long process, because their is little time to heal between feedings so every 2-3 hours you are almost starting over. Yep--it is so fun! Then if you are lucky--your nipples crack...Everyone says "oh baby is latching on wrong if you are cracking"--

BUT the truth for me is that now with 4 laction consultants (fancy name for women who help you learn to breastfeed) have all watched me latch my babies on and each one said--'you are doing it perfectly, not sure what the problem is'--finally this last one, waited till Wheeler was done--and looked at my nipple after he finished eating and said "OH--he doesn't suck right. He is latched on right, but it is the way he sucks--not much you can do about that." UGGG. Each one of my children has sucked liked that. No their tongues are not tied (short tongues because of the flappy piece of skin that attaches the tongue to the mouth.), and they have no other mouth issues--just "lucky" I guess. I actually think it is genetic, because my sisters kids are the same way. She latches on right, but still lots of pain!

So lets go back--Not only is there pain with breastfeeding, but some stranger comes in and watches you try to teach your newborn how to latch on (which means attach to the nipple)--so you have a total stranger looking at your breast AND OFTEN helping you move your breast (yes, they just reach on in and move your boob around for you, so baby latches on correctly. Kind of strange to have that happen to say the least. Also newborns instincts tell them to latch, but just like any skill, it can take them a while to figure it out, which can make them frustrated, which makes them cry, which makes your milk come in, which makes it harder for them to latch on, and the cycle continues.

When you produce too much milk you get engorged. Your breast get painfully full, and the part around the nipple gets hard, which makes it almost impossible for baby to latch on.

Then when baby is done eating--they really examine your nipple. again, very strange.

Also you never know when the pain will end. Some women feel pain for a few days, others the first month. Some feel pain only when the first latch on happens--and others, like me, feel it the whole time you are feeding.

Not sure if you can read this, but it is the dad, sounding like a waiter, saying things like "your meal tonight will be heated to perfection, prepared personally by the chef, along with a back rub, and for dessert, a good night sleep--Enjoy your meal"

BUT in all fairness, after given the childbirth experience, you kind of feel detached from your body. I was a little weirded out by the whole breast touching, but your breasts no longer look, feel, or act like they did a few days ago, so it wasn't such a big deal...

I give my baby ONLY pacifiers with rounded tops, no slanted pacifiers for me, it teaches them to suck that way which is the WRONG way.

I have been total luck (blessed) to not have a clogged duct or any thing worse. BUT when your milk comes in it hurts. Image when your foot is asleep and the painful tingle of it waking up. My milk might come in about 3 times between feedings and each time it feels painfully tingly, mostly in my nipples.

With Sedona it was so painful I couldn't breastfeed in public for 3 months because I would have to stomp the floor, bite on something, or just really focus so I wouldn't cry--With Pepper, it only lasted about 2 1/2 months, and with Wheeler I haven't been breastfeeding even 3 weeks and while it still hurts like crazy to latch on--the pain soon goes away. I have cracked a little with Wheeler, which makes the pain more then it was even 3 days ago, but I only have a few small cracks that don't bleed when he eats so I am doing better than the other two!

I have found a few things that have helped me this time. Something to help hold baby up, like a boppy or a pillow, helps. I used Lanion like crazy! I put a good amount on after every feeding. I make sure my nipples are never dry--But my friend told me so had to be 100% dry or else it would hurt, but I am the opposite. Also my sister got me these Gel packs (expensive) which you put on your nipples before you feed and they help. And she also gave me some nipple cleaning pads which also help. I also couldn't live with out my breast pump. It is a small hand held pump, but when I get engorged, I just pump out about 1/4 to 1/2 an ounce and then I feel relief and Wheeler can latch on better. Plus the more relaxed and comfortable you are the easier it will be. I think I was in so much stress and worry everytime I fed Sedona it made it worse, plus I seriously would worry about feeding her alot, so it made it hard to accomplish anything, because I was always thinking about the next feeding.

So if someone tells you they are not breastfeeding, don't judge. You have no idea the Pain and lots of times other medical, emotion, issues going on in their life--

BUT I will say--I am 100% a believer in Breastfeeding, or else I wouldn't have made it past the 2nd day. I breastfeed my kids until they are a year old, and I encourage everyone to do the same.