Kendra's Breastfeeding Story.
When I was pregnant with my first child, a friend of mine mentioned that I ought to give
nursing a try, (she had nursed her 2nd daughter, and thought it was the most wonderful
experience in the world). Well for my part, at that time I thought no way that's not for me! But as the pregnancy progressed, and I started to read more about newborns and baby's, I began to have a change of heart. By the time my 7 month rolled around and my
husband and I were taking prenatal classes, (our teacher was a big breast feeding advocate) I thought that for sure I was going to try this out. If it didn't work out for me
well then I could always resort to formula and bottles, but I couldn't do it the other way
around.
When my daughter was finally born, I nursed her right on the delivery bed, the nurses in the hospital were very helpful with showing me the proper latch, and listening for the distinctive "k" sound as the baby drank. Lots of meconium and passed in her first diapers were a good indication too that she was getting all the important colostrum, the nurses told me. The only problem with all the nurses advice in the hospital was that each one had
a different suggestion!
When I finally got out of hospital, which was actually only two days stay, I was on my own, so to speak. My milk came in at home, and talk about uncomfortable! Hot towels on them helped immensely! Nursing often did too, but the only trouble with the nursing part was that my little angel kept falling asleep everytime she was put too the breast. Thankfully, the local Health Unit had a nursing helpline staffed for an hour a day for nursing questions! I burned the phone lines up calling with my inquiries, mainly they would state to make sure the baby was having at least 6 wet diapers a day. I thought she was, but being so inexperienced I could never be sure what was wet and what wasn't.
(The hazards of stay dry liners!) Finally someone told me too wake the baby every two hours to nurse if this was really a big concern, a Health Unit nurse also came out to my house to ease my mind, and encourage me through nursing. A good friend and neighbor who had had her baby a month previous to me, was also a great support to me, she was also nursing and experiencing no difficulties ( if you could call mine difficulties!)
Finally about 4 weeks had passed and I noticed that I was becoming more confident and relaxed. The baby was doing real well, although some people thought I was nuts to wake a sleeping baby to feed it, I found she nursed better this way and would always go immediately back to sleep for me. It also had the advantage of my body producing more milk for the baby ( supply and demand!)
I nursed my first child for 6 months and enjoyed every minute of it! The convenience, the cost factor, the satisfaction, the actual time I sat down and relaxed while holding my child close to me. Not too many people will sit for 20 minute periods throughout the day to relax, well this forced me too! I gave it up because of summer allergy's and I new that I would have to take allergy medicine and didn't want to take the risk of nursing while on it. But if I had known then what I knew when the second child came along I would have continued.
Which brings me to the experience of nursing my second daughter. One of the things I was so looking forward to when we were planning a second child was to be able to nurse again! Thinking I was an "expert" from my first experience, I didn't even bother to "brush up" on reading about nursing or anything! I just figured it would be like riding
a bike, something you never forget how to do!
My second daughter proved my theory wrong right off the bat! She nursed with such force and utter vengeance it seemed, that I suffered sore cracked bleeding nipples! Ouch! She was so eager that it was difficult to get a proper latch. With the help of ointment for the cracked nipples a breast pump and determination we overcame this dilemma in about two weeks. I went on to nurse daughter number two until she was 18 months old, and then she quit! To my despair! I think nursing her past the first year has greatly contributed to her health, unlike my first child who suffered ear infections one after the other from the time she was 10 months old, and who also caught any gastrointestinal bug going around, my second daughter has proven to be the picture of health, catching only the occasional cold. I was able to nurse her through my allergies in the summer, by using a homeopathic
remedy for my hayfever. It worked so well that I will use it all the time. There were no harsh chemicals to pass on to the baby through the breast milk either. I wish I had had
this knowledge when nursing my first child, as I would have nursed her much longer than
I ended up doing.
Well I guess to sum it up, nursing was the most wonderful experience I was ever able to do for my children. Although it would seem to be a very easy thing to do, it usually
takes a lot of work in the beginning and the ability to have someone as a guidance. Mine
were the nursing hotline at the health unit, books, and friends, I would also highly recommend La Leche League as well.
