Millie and I have had a rough go at nursing. Not from lack of effort though.
We nursed and nursed and nursed with lots of frustration during her first two months.
She had an undiagnosed tongue tie that was making nursing very difficult and keeping her from transferring enough milk. Here are some things I've learned over the past 8 months.
1. I'm a little freaked out that my baby is either very visually impaired or has TERRIBLE eye-boob coordination. She will stare at my boob and get very excited. She flings her self forward like a catapult and then hits the middle of my chest and starts trying to latch. WHAT!? She is always way off target. Concerned a bit.
2. My family has very mixed thoughts on nursing in public. I don't mind doing it. I do like to put a cover on because showing others my boob doesn't promote modesty for my girls. I don't care if anyone else nurses without a cover. Go for it. Some family members would prefer I go lock myself in my car, but that doesn't appeal to me. Nursing in public doesn't freak out my children (anymore), and I'm hopeful that it will teach them that nursing in public is okay.
The first time I nursed Millie in a restaurant (McDonalds), they were very concerned about it. They were so scared someone would see my boobs. I showed them that I could do it discreetly. Now they don't even notice when I'm doing it.
3. Eric calls me a cow. He actually calls us a dairy farm. During Millie's tongue and lip tie problems, we were constantly pumping, cleaning pump parts, making bottles, and keeping the cow full of supplements to make more milk. It was exhausting. It was worth it though. Millie is now 8 months old and loves to nurse and is successful at it. I did lots of pumping and Eric did lots of bottle and pump cleaning. Eric said, "We are running a dairy operation and one of the workers is the cow."
He was always busy doing something related to pumping.
4. Speaking of feeling like a cow. It is hard to feel otherwise when one child keeps trying to milk you. SERIOUSLY, I'm trying to nurse Millie and I keep having to pop another kids hand off of my other teat. Eric is in the background talking about future therapy appointments and having a child that is scarred for life because she was trying to milk me.
5. I was so consumed with trying to get Millie to be a good nurser that I nursed her often. Eric began questioning my need for a shirt.
6. I used to get dressed in hiding because of Eric, now I do it to hide from Millie. While I'm getting dressed, Eric will walk in with her and I'll scream, "Don't let her see my boobs!" Sometimes we just don't have time.
7. I got lots of strange looks when I told people Millie had a speech therapy appointment. The therapist, Laura, helped her with sucking and strengthening her mouth muscles to help her suck better. She also helped with nursing positions. Laura wanted me to video myself nursing her at home so she could see Millie in a more relaxed environment. During the 3 minute video, Hattie was filming and asked many times if Millie was done yet, Emogene kept trying to kiss Millie on the head, and Lydda told me 5-10 times that she could count by 5s. She then proceeded to unsuccessfully count by fives. Eric and I decided not to send in the video because it was basically three minutes of my nipple with very strange commentary.
8. Millie and I saw a lactation consultant many times. I highly recommend you do that at the hospital and after going home if you have ANY concerns. I was really embarrassed that I wasn't getting the hang of nursing while in the hospital and kept trying to convince the LC that I knew what I was doing. I wish I would have swallowed my pride and gotten all the help I needed. They might would have caught her lip and tongue tie then instead of having to wait until she was almost 4 months old to get it fixed with a laser procedure.
Millie and I went through a lot of tears and hard work to have a nursing relationship. At her 6 month visit, her pediatrician said we no longer needed to supplement. She was gaining so well and looking great. I am so thankful and I don't even get upset with the several middle of the night feedings. I've even told God many times in my middle of the night groggy state, "I asked/begged You for this and I am ever so grateful."
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7. I got lots of strange looks when I told people Millie had a speech therapy appointment. The therapist, Laura, helped her with sucking and strengthening her mouth muscles to help her suck better. She also helped with nursing positions. Laura wanted me to video myself nursing her at home so she could see Millie in a more relaxed environment. During the 3 minute video, Hattie was filming and asked many times if Millie was done yet, Emogene kept trying to kiss Millie on the head, and Lydda told me 5-10 times that she could count by 5s. She then proceeded to unsuccessfully count by fives. Eric and I decided not to send in the video because it was basically three minutes of my nipple with very strange commentary.
8. Millie and I saw a lactation consultant many times. I highly recommend you do that at the hospital and after going home if you have ANY concerns. I was really embarrassed that I wasn't getting the hang of nursing while in the hospital and kept trying to convince the LC that I knew what I was doing. I wish I would have swallowed my pride and gotten all the help I needed. They might would have caught her lip and tongue tie then instead of having to wait until she was almost 4 months old to get it fixed with a laser procedure.
Millie and I went through a lot of tears and hard work to have a nursing relationship. At her 6 month visit, her pediatrician said we no longer needed to supplement. She was gaining so well and looking great. I am so thankful and I don't even get upset with the several middle of the night feedings. I've even told God many times in my middle of the night groggy state, "I asked/begged You for this and I am ever so grateful."
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Big Pig
