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BR: Update
Thank you all for your kind words, advice and encouragement. I thought BFing was going to be easier than it is. I've decided to give myself 3 weeks to get it going and even if Kainlani latches back on on I will continue to pump and may even use formula and night. It really is the milk of the gods allowing me to get about 2 sessions of 2-3 hours of uninterupted sleep at night.
The LC's nurse gave me a great BFing handout and tips that helped bring in my and increase my milk supply. If any of you would like it please send me your e-mail address. It has also helped with getting Kailani into a deeper sleep mode. But most of all it has helped me relax at feeding time. Its no longer a struggle and I cna tell that my LO no longer has anxiety when its time to eat. I don't rush it anymore and allowed us to spend quality time to get to know each other better.
Lisa (redshoe girl) - I know what you mean about the nurses and LCs at the hospital. Kailani didn't have any trouble latching or sucking but I had a hard time relaxing. The second night there Kailani was hesterical all day long. I mean to the point of SCREAMING so much that she would sort of pass out. When she woke up an hour or so later she would be just as frantic. The nurses just dismissed it as the 'witching hour' I have a feeling she wasn't getting enough food and was hungry. If I only knew I would have started supplementing with formula earlier...I think they were giving it to her at the hospital any way when we took her to the nursry to get rest.
Heather and Mark | Lanikuhonua 8-14-08
Re: BR: Update
I'm so glad to hear that things are going better!
Ha! So did I! I suppose it was naive, but all the books make it sound so EASY, you know? "Breastfeeding your baby is natural..." Well, it might be natural but that doesn't mean it's easy - I wish more books/birth classes/etc would acknowledge this ahead of time. BFing was covered a little in our classes, but it was along the lines of "here are a few ways to hold the baby while nursing" and nothing acknowledging that a lot of women have difficulties or struggle initially. It would have been nice to know going into it that I wasn't alone!
I know exactly what you mean. I spent three days in the hospital listening to my little boys crying hysterically day and night (literally all day and all night). Eventually one of the nurses asked me if I would be OK with supplementing them with a small amount of formula since it was taking longer than usual for my milk to come in. I said yes and it was like magic - they immediately settled down and slept. I felt soooo bad - I hadn't realized that the reason they were crying was because they were starving. I know formula sometimes gets a bad rap, but I'm incredibly grateful for it - it's helped my sons (and me, to be honest) survive and thrive through a very difficult time.
P.S. I'm glad you're giving yourself 3 weeks, but if it's still not working at the end of it, please don't feel guilty. No matter how your baby is fed, the important thing is that they are fed, and that's all that really matters. (((hugs)))
I thought that too! I wish I had known that wasn't the case before he was born and I was all disappointed.