I have experienced a million different phases of breastfeeding over the past 6 months. Let's start from the beginning.
Phase one: Before Lilly was born Mike and I attended a breastfeeding class. I HIGHLY recommend this. It gave me a starting point and provided us with so much information. YouTube videos are helpful too. They show you tricks on how to get a good latch during those first few days. This is super important for you and your nipples!!
Phase two: Shortly after Lilly was born we had our first successful feed. You have to wait for the baby to open their mouth very wide to get a successful latch. Lilly did perfect. We fed on demand every 2 hours. This means that I fed Lilly every 2 hours or less depending on if she was acting hungry our not. So every 2 hours the nurse would come in and write down her feedings. At first you can be a little sore but breastfeeding is not suppose to hurt. I repeat, breastfeeding is NOT suppose to hurt. A bad latch will make you cringe so it's important to pull the baby off and relatch. You might have to do this 3 or 4 times until the baby is latched properly. Newborn babies tummies are so tiny that all they need is colostrum
(what you produce before your milk comes in) so formula is not needed as a supplement. Babies need to feed on demand to help up your milk supply. This does not mean that they are starving. It is just their way to help you produce milk. Aren't they smart!?
Wow, this seems like a lot of work doesn't it!? Was I exhausted after the first night? Yes. But I knew this was what I wanted to do for Lilly. Sleep is overrated anyways. ;-)
Phase three: After leaving the hospital I quickly realized that I missed that nurse coming in every two hours to keep me on track. I had to start using my own brain. My milk came in the day we came home. This is when I downloaded the greatest app in the world. It's called ibreastfeed. You can time your feedings and document which side the baby fed off of last. It was a lifesaver. Don't try to remember all of this stuff on your own. Just download the app. Seriously, do it now! So, every time Lilly was ready to eat I had to have the boppy pillow, a huge glass of cold water, and my ibreastfeed app. Thank you hubby!
Phase four: Lilly was a pro at breastfeeding. I loved it. I didn't leave the house much but if I did it was only quick trips here and there. If we wanted to go out for dinner I had to plan it just right so Lilly wouldn't want to eat while we were out. I had messed around with the pump a little bit but it was hard to pump and breastfeed so I just stuck with breastfeeding. I had a small stash in the freezer. I remember feeling anxious if Lilly went longer than 2 hours between feedings.
Phase five: Ok, screw that! I was now more comfortable going out and about and not worrying about Lilly's schedule. If she got hungry I would feed her in the car or in a dressing room at the store. It was fine for her to go longer than 2 hours. She would let me know if she was hungry. I no longer needed the ibreastfeed app to survive.
Phase six: Around 4 months old Lilly really started to recognize the world around her. This made breastfeeding more of a challenge. She would latch on and off. She liked to take breaks and look around. If I needed her to nurse faster, a nice quiet room worked the best. Even now she has her moments where she is a lazy nurser. She likes to play with my hair. She likes to smile at her daddy. She likes to laugh and talk. And I like to watch her.
Phase seven: Lilly takes a bottle just fine. Then after a month of not having a bottle she decided she hated them (a week before daycare). Mommy has a heart attack. Mommy feels guilty for not letting her practice more over the summer. We try all different types of bottles. Lilly starts daycare and drinks her bottles. Mommy aged 10 years in 1 week.
Phase eight: Pumping at work. It sucks. But I do it for Lilly!
Phase nine: OUCH!!!! She bit me!!! She doesn't have any teeth thank the lord! I cried. I think it hurt my feelings more than it hurt me. I got over it.
Phase ten: NIP (nursing in public) has begun. One of my friends made me a nursing cover. My first NIP experience happened at Chili's. Lilly was hungry. I was hungry. I nursed her and ate my food. Nobody noticed.
Phase eleven: I now nurse Lilly anywhere and everywhere. I look back on all of the many phases we have been through in just 6 short months and think about all of the many phases to come. We have come so far! Nursing Lilly is my favorite part of the day. I can sooth her instantly just by nursing. This has come in handy when she doesn't feel well. It's a cure all!
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