Breastfeeding: PAIL monthly theme post

Hello all,
In an attempt to try to jump start my blogging again (as I have been such a bad blogger since getting that BFP....last March!!) I have joined PAIL blogroll. (Parenting/Pregnant After Infertility and Loss.)Ideally I'd like to get back to blogging like I was prior to and during my ivf cycle.....and blogging to people. As I don't believe that anyone is even reading this anymore. Are you out there? :)I don't blame you if you have all gone away. It is my best intention to blog more frequently, so I will try my hardest to get on here and update, write more.

So, as part of the PAIL blogroll, they have monthly themes. This months theme is breastfeeding. I was so happy to see that theme, as I am (and was) an exclusive BFing Momma! So, here is my BF story:

Prior to getting pregnant with Kiwi (my now 2.5 year old daughter) I never really had any plan or even any preference one way or another, either Breast or formula. In fact I was a Nanny before I became a Mommy and I had cared for babies that were both breast and bottle (formula) feed. In fact I Nannied for one of my best friends from the time her baby boy was 6 weeks old until just after he turned one. From her experience (from what she told me,) I sort of assumed that everyone has a problem doing it. (Her LO never latched on and she had him on formula very quickly after birth.)

Once I did get pregnant, my view on BF changed greatly. G (my DH) was active duty Marine Corps., as with many military families, we qualified for WIC. WIC preaches breast is best and all the benefits that BF has. I quickly learned that BF was what I wanted to do for my children. Initially I was hopeful that I would be able to, but I wouldn't be devastated if I couldn't. (As I assumed that it would be hard bc of my friends experience.)

During my pregnancy, I became even more determined to BF for 12 months. I wanted to make sure I was giving my baby the best. When Kiwi was born I put her to the breast (skin on skin) as soon as I could. (I had a c-section, so I had to go to recovery before finally being able to see or hold her.) Kiwi had a horrible time latching on. I was so frustrated and remember crying in hysterics both nights in the hospital bc of this stupid BF!!! I kept asking G to get the nurse and have them bring formula. He didn't let me give up though. (That, and the fact that my day nurse was the BF Nazi! Seriously, she wouldn't even let me have a pacifier for Kiwi. The night nurse brought me one, but as soon as the day nurse came back on, she literally threw it away.) The lactation consultant brought us sugar water the first night Kiwi was born. So, G would put a few drops onto my nipple and then help me attempt to get Kiwi to latch! It was awful!!!!

I made it home from the hospital 2 days after she was born, majorly engorged and in tremendous pain. My SIL came to visit the baby and brought a breast pump with her. She told me to pump to help relieve some of the pain. So, I did.....BIG mistake (at least for me!) I pumped through the weekend (as I came home on a Saturday) and then called my OBGYN on Monday to see if the tremendous pain was normal. They made an emergency appt for me that same afternoon. I had double mastitis!!!!! 4 days after giving birth!! What the heck! The mastitus pain hurt me more than the c-section recovery pain. I was taking my vicodin bc of the pain in my chest, not my c-section.

BFing was not easy or pretty for Kiwi and I. When she was just a few months old I found blood in her stool. We ended up having to see a specialist (and have blood drawn daily for a week, in order to get enough blood for those damn blood tests they needed.) I had to go on this stupid elimination diet. Fist getting rid of dairy from my diet, then wheat/gluten, then nuts! It was awful I starved during the gluten stage. Everything I had at home contanted gluten, and we were in a very small military town that had no specialty stores to purchase such items. It ended up being that Kiwi had an aversion to nuts. I was off nuts for months, until Christmas, when I did a test (I just had to have this delicious candy that my Aunt makes, it contains nuts.) I was thrilled after eating (a ton) and not finding any blood in her stool after. :)Prior to the elimination diet, the doc had me put Kiwi on special formula to see if she was in fact allergic to my milk. Poor Kiwi wouldn't even drink the stuff. She never took to bottles at all! The only other time she had to go on a bottle was in November (a few months after the formula incident.) I really wanted to attend the Marine Corps ball with my husband, as it would be our last ball, since he got out. I pumped and saved my milk and Kiwi was feed my milk in a bottle that evening. Within days of the ball, I was in pain again. I went to see my on base doctor and found out that I AGAIN had double mastitis!!! OUCH! I learned that I just can not pump!! Every time I did, I got mastitis. (With the exception of the week that I had to have Kiwi on the formula. But that week I literally pumped every hour. Even waking up just to do so.)

Kiwi and I went through some really rough times with BFing, but we did it!!! I BFed her until she was 12 1/2 months. One day, she just simply didn't want it at all any more. I had met my original goal and I was very proud and happy that I kept trying and did it!

My BFing with Bubba (my 2.5 month old son) has been so wonderful. The exact opposite of Kiwi so far. He literally latched on immediately and has had a great and easy time nursing. We are doing great!! His Nurse Practitioner took me off dairy for 4 days a few weeks back. She thought that he may have a dairy intolerance bc of loud, explosive bowl movements (TMI, sorry.) But, during the 4 days I didn't notice any change what-so-ever in the BMs, so I am back eating dairy. This time around I will NOT pump!!! I have the same 12 month goal this time around. Which can be hard, bc I constantly have a baby glued to my boob. But, that is the price I will pay to make sure he gets the best....and that I don't get mastitis again!