Comments on: Baby’s First Food: Breast Milk (Part 1)

By: Baby’s First Food: Breast Milk (Part 3) | OAMC from Once A Month Mom

Baby’s First Food: Breast Milk (Part 3) | OAMC from Once A Month Mom — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 01:25:43 +0000

[...] to leave you hanging after I wrote part 1 and part 2. Life has been a little busy. I’m not exactly sure how I am going to balance [...]

By: Baby’s First Food: Beyond Breast Milk | OAMC from Once A Month Mom

Baby’s First Food: Beyond Breast Milk | OAMC from Once A Month Mom — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 16:01:58 +0000

[...] recently revisited my posts on baby’s first foods: Breast milk Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3 as I have had several readers indicate that they really identified with them [...]

By: tricia

tricia — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:08:27 +0000

You are DEFINITELY no alone! Hang in there, it gets easier. Or at least let yourself take a break. You are still a great mom!

By: Crystal

Crystal — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:03:58 +0000

you just told my story and described how i felt perfectly, thank god i am not alone

By: Katie Anderson Labosier

Katie Anderson Labosier — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:42:44 +0000

Trisha,

It sounds like we had very similar breastfeeding experiences with our first kids. Bad latch and SEVERELY cracked nipples (as in she was spitting up my blood after every feeding). For 3 months I did the breastfeed (for an hour), supplement with formula, pump, wash pump parts cycle. I figured that in all I was spending 13 hours a day doing feeding related stuff. Libby didn’t get back to her birth weight until she was almost 4 weeks old. My milk all but dried up when she was 7 months old so I had to switch to strictly formula. I was really upset, but it turned out to be a HUGE relief! With my second I decided that if it didn’t work in the first 2 weeks then I was going straight to formula. Not torchuring myself again – especially not with an 18 month old to chase around. It has gone amazingly well so we’re strictly breastfeeding this time.

By: tricia

tricia — Fri, 21 May 2010 14:27:09 +0000

Yes.

By: Lowell Peckham

Lowell Peckham — Fri, 21 May 2010 10:35:46 +0000

Hey could I quote some of the insight found in this blog if I provide a link back to your site?

By: tricia

tricia — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:13:31 +0000

Oh I am so sorry to hear that you are going through this! It is so HARD with the first one especially. Definitely don’t feel guilty about it (easier said than done). Do what you can and go from there. One day you will look back and wonder why you fretted so much. It is definitely a tough journey. I am glad that you benefited from this post. Best of luck to you as you continue. (Our little ones must have been born about the same time as mine is also 4.5 weeks old)!

By: Heather

Heather — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 14:40:24 +0000

Thank you so much for sharing this. You just described exactly what I’ve been going through the last few weeks. My little one is 4 1/2 weeks old, and breastfeeding was in no way what I imagined. There have been many tears from both of us. Mainly from me feeling like I missed out on something “wonderful” as so many have described it to me. Really makes you feel like a failure especially being a first time mom.

I’m now just pumping and supplementing with formula at night. I’ve come to realize that this is how we are both happy. Thank you for sharing your experience with everyone. It really helps me to know I’m not alone in this.

By: dana

dana — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:30:53 +0000

I will have to say that with every regnancy being different so is the care for each individual child. I have 3 children and with each breastfeeding was completely different with each one. Luckily my first was the best therefore it did not leave me questioning the other 2. Goog Luck!

By: Carol

Carol — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 01:37:11 +0000

Thanks for sharing. I stopped breast feeding with my first when she was 3 weeks -I was so depressed by what I perceived as a failure on my part. It was a horrible experience and I ended up with PPD. My 2nd breastfed for 10 weeks, there were some challenges here and there, but I went into it saying I would give it a try and it wasn’t the end of the world if it didn’t work out. As it was, he ended up developing a milk and soy allergy, so I stopped a few weeks before I was planning to (I teach h.s. and it is nearly impossible to pump at work).

By: Kristi Temple

Kristi Temple — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 01:04:42 +0000

Very well said! When I had my first child (almost 13 years ago), I tried breastfeeding and my story was almost exactly like yours. I was exhausted and in tears much of the first 6 weeks. It turned out that he was just that hungry and I was not a milk machine. He was my biggest baby and biggest eater. I have since had 2 more children and was able nurse them exclusively. Every pregnancy, baby and nursing experience is different. Try again, you never know, it may work out.

By: Anne

Anne — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:22:04 +0000

My son was a nightmare. I didn’t have the support I needed. LLL lady came out, she didn’t help. My husband didn’t know what to do. I then sank into depression. Finally for my sanity I had to give up. Instead I pumped breastmilk for a year.

With DD1 she latched 55 minutes after I had her (via C-Section) and nursed till she was 21 months old. I only think she weaned because I was pregnant with DD2 and my Dad had died. In fact the day of his funeral was the last day she nursed.

With DD2 she latched 45 minutes after I had her (via C-Section) and is still nursing at 19 months.

With my son I cried, I was scared and confused. I wish I had the support in place prior to having him. But my depression took over and cloudied my judgement to fight on.

By: tricia

tricia — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 17:41:29 +0000

Thanks for sharing that you have a 16 month old. I do to and am wondering how I will ever keep up this regimen when hubby goes back to work!

By: Connie Sue

Connie Sue — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 17:25:31 +0000

Breastfeeding is a great thing. But it can be really hard and it is never the same twice. My first nursed wonderfully (all the time) I think I feed that kid every 45 min. Then he wouldn’t eat “real” food. In fact he didn’t eat “food” until about 8 months and then could take it or leave it until a year. (Best weight loss program I’ve ever been on) I finally weaned him at 2 years 2 months. I was 5 months along with #2. When #2 came along she nursed well too, but this time a more managable schedule, every 2-2.5 hours, she started eating solid food at 6 months and weaned herself at a year. #3 nursed well but had such horrible reflux we had to start him on rice cereal at 4 months, weaned himself at 11 months. Then came #4, my parents were foster parents of newborn twins when he was 4 and a half months. They gave him a formula bottle one evening when they ran out of pumped breastmilk and he never looked back. He decided he prefered formula to breastmilk. I tried breastfeeding for another month and then gave up. Talk about wild swings, 2 years to 5 months.
Breastfeeding may be natural but what a trip!:)

By: Angela

Angela — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:51:55 +0000

My first experience was exactly like yours! I felt like I was reading my story. We even took my son to a speech therapist, who gave us mouth exercises to do with my son to help strengthen his mouth. The second time around still was hard. Better, but hard. I was always so afraid that I wasn’t producing enough and had decided I just couldn’t pump near as much that time around, because my older son was only 16 months old. So I probably supplemented more than I needed to. We also decided we would always give him a formula bottle in the middle of the night. That helped me so much. You just have to make the decision that is the best for you….and have no guilt.

By: Debbie

Debbie — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:34:52 +0000

Thank you so much for sharing. I never had any “mechanical” difficulty w/ breastfeeding. My 1st refused to ever take a bottle and was breastfed for 11 months. My 2nd was completely different. ALthough latch and production were not issues, she had a myriad of food intolerances. She would scream w/ pain if I ate any dairy, gassy veggies, or chocolate. I would just want to cry w/ her. Finally just before 4 months I gave up and switch her to soy formula entirely. It was so much better to have a baby not in pain. Breast milk may be the most nutritionally complete, but breastfeeding is not always best. Also I really disagree w/ the breastfeeding equals bonding thing. It is so much fun to give my 2nd one a bottle, to look in her eyes and watch her enjoy eating. My first the breastfeeder was staring at my armpit the whole time. With the exception of when she was hungry my breastfeeder was never particularly more attached to me than her daddy or other close relatives. My little bottle baby is very much a momma’s girl. Which though not always convenient is kind of fun. While I certainly will try breastfeeding first if I have another one. I am now assured that bottle feeding can be just as good.

By: Lorie

Lorie — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:56:36 +0000

Been there, done that! Twice. All of it: the round the clock feedings, the pumping, the supplements, etc. Baby #3 is due in Feb. I’m still not quite sure how I want to address this one but I know that I will try breastfeeding again – at least in the beginning. If it seems to not be working out (again) then I hope I can be more laid back & realize that my first two are perfectly healthy so #3 should be as well. Here’s something to think about – donated breastmilk. With baby #2 we were very blessed to find a donor who was willing to give us some of her unused breastmilk for free. At first it seemed weird, but we quickly got over that. By using donated milk baby #2 had mostly breastmilk until she was about 6mo. I’m hoping, if need be, that we can find another suitable donor for baby #3. I can’t wait to hear what your strategy has been for #2. Maybe I’ll glean more info. Thanks for sharing.

By: Amanda (Garibay Soup)

Amanda (Garibay Soup) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 05:32:47 +0000

I am pregnant with baby #3. Baby #1 didn’t even attempt Breastfeeding. Baby #2 I started in the hospital with formula then decided when my milk came in that I wanted to breast feed… didn’t go well since she knew what she was missing out on.\n\nWith baby #3 I’d love to start out with immediately breast feeding but then a part of me gets so scared. I’ve had extreme success with 2 kids being on formula. I had happy, healthy babies.

By: Amy

Amy — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 02:25:14 +0000

My daughter breastfed until she weaned at 15 months. I’d like to say that I enjoyed every moment of it, but that would be a lie. She did not latch on well. I remember having shooting pains from my nipples that went all the way around to my back when she would start nursing. My nipples are scarred from where the skin was raw for the first two months of her life. Until she was four months old, she would nurse for one hour and then be hungry again in another hour. I barely had time to shower. I was too stubborn to give her formula or ask for outside help. At four months as if a switch was flipped, she started nursing for 15-30 minutes every couple hours, so I suddenly had more time between feedings where I could do other things. Then there was the pumping while I was at work. I hated pumping and was so happy when she was old enough for cow’s milk at 12 months that I put away the pump for good. \n\nI’m happy to hear that you’re trying breastfeeding again. After my daughter and I got the kinks worked out, breastfeeding really was an enjoyable experience. I hope it’s going well for the two of you. Please ask for help if things aren’t going as smoothly as you think they could. I really liked going to La Leche League meetings although you have to prepare yourself to see some boobage when you go. LLL meetings helped me be more confident with nursing in front of other people.

By: tricia

tricia — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 01:25:32 +0000

Sorry to hear that. My hospital was much more supportive they just didn’t prompt me as much as I was thinking they would. Sad that she is given up so early, but I can’t say I blame her, it is a tough gig for some.

By: jennifer

jennifer — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 01:13:15 +0000

My sister in law just had a baby, and I was very dissapointed in the lack of support from the hospital. i went in on the second day at 8 o’clock and she was totally okay with me manually trying to help her son latch on properly, all the things the lactation nurse had done for me to give me a strong start. When her nurse came in she was like ‘Breastfeeding going good? No? Oh well, we can give him a bottle.’ How in the world is anyone supposed to do it if no one helps? Not suprisingly she’s given up after two days.

By: MommyAmy

MommyAmy — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 22:29:32 +0000

Oh man, I totally feel ya. I had a similar experience trying to breastfeed my premature twins. I probably produced enough milk for 1.5 babies, but I felt like a failure every time I didn’t get enough for 2. I was pumping, supplementing, nursing, the whole 9 yards. Thankfully I had a wonderful lactation nurse who was VERY encouraging and positive. If it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t have made it, and thank goodness I had her on speed dial. In the end I was able to nurse one of my babies for 6 months (at that point she switched to the bottle w/ formula & pumped milk), at 8 months I stopped pumping, and at 10 months the other baby switched to the bottle. It was a wild ride, but I live to tell the tale!!!

PS: For any of you other readers out there, I did take some prescription drugs to increase milk supply and they made me CRAZY!!! I could barely formulate sentences and was really in a bad depression that I wasn’t fully aware of. I didn’t realize how bad it was until I stopped taking them. So be careful what you try ladies! And if you do decide to try them make sure those around you watch out for signs of depression in you.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 21:40:33 +0000

It’s always interesting to hear how breast feeding goes for different mommies. Our first was in the NICU for a week and I was only allowed to pump and give her bottles until the day she was ready to discharge and then they let me try breast feeding. We did okay but I always pumped and it never dawned on me that I should let her set her own feeding schedule instead of waking her every 3 hours. Live and learn.

With our second, I let her decide when she wanted to eat and how much and it was an enirely different experience. In fact, she never took a bottle of anything. She exclusively breastfed and – unlike her older sister who stopped breastfeeding at 6 months – she and I kept going until a little over a year.

It really is different for each mommy and each child. I look forward to hearing how it’s going for y’all this time.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 20:30:44 +0000

It is so true that breastfeeding can be a lot more difficult than a first time parent can realize. I had a tough time breastfeeding my son, and we supplemented with formula pretty much throughout the ten months that he breastfed. I also had to use nipple shields for most of that time. The hours, too, and the worry can be grueling.

In the end, parenting definitely makes you realize that setting hard and fast rules about how, what and when you are going to do things is setting yourself up for frustration at best, failure at worst. BE FLEXIBLE, always, and as you point out, at the end of the day, it is really about how happy and healthy the family is, not what you are or are not doing.