My Breastfeeding Experience

So, in honor of breastfeeding awareness month and for all my pregnant/breastfeeding friends out there I have decided to write a post on breastfeeding. I wanted to share my experience and also to give encouragement to moms out there who wish to, or are thinking about breastfeeding. Before having conversations with some young moms I thought that breastfeeding was the natural choice and therefore would be easy….but boy was I wrong! But with some good advice, a breastfeeding class, lactation consultant’s assistance and lots of determination I am pleased to tell you that my 7 month old is still breastfeeding and we thoroughly enjoy our bonding time together when he is nursing. So here are my tips and tricksJ (Disclaimer- I am not a breastfeeding expert by any means- I have just benefitted from others advice and experiences so I want to share mine, I am sure all of my breastfeeding friends out there have a different experience and may have other things that worked for them)

Making the decision to breastfeed

I made the decision to breastfeed long before I was ever pregnant. It just seemed like the natural thing to do and besides all the research that says it is best for your baby, what could be better than what your body makes to feed the baby that just grew inside of itJ It definitely is a selfless decision because it takes time and energy on your part but it also takes having daddy on board to help! In case you need more convincing that breastfeeding is the right decision see all of the research and stats on the American Academy of Pediatrics website! (http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/129/3/e827.full)

Before baby comes

During the last month of pregnancy I took a breastfeeding class taught at the hospital where I was giving birth by a lactation consultant.  Brett wasn’t able to attend with me- but I think it would have been a good thing- may be a little weird for dads but it is a good idea to go together- since you are a team you need to be on the same page and have the same information. I also read the American Academy of Pediatrics “New Mother’s Guide to Breastfeeding” , which had helpful information about breastfeeding and milk use guidelines for once you pump and help with introducing a bottle and going back to work.

When baby comesJ

So the joyous moment has occurred and your sweet baby is in your arms, finally! Nursing as soon as possible after baby is born is the best. The nurses need to get their APGAR scores and assess the baby but if you let them know your intent to breastfeed, before you give birth, they will help you get started. After Mason was all checked out and we snapped a few pictures it was time to breastfeed. The nurse encouraged me to try a couple different positions and helped me get him to latch. He latched on just fine the first time but had to be poked and prodded a little to keep suckling. The nurse did let me know when they are so little sometimes they need breaks, but they are also pretty sleepy the first couple days so they need reminding to keep sucking. It was so crazy to believe he was finally there- and we were finally together!

The first 2 weeks

The first two weeks I definitely felt like all I did was nurse Mason- he was so slow- it took him an hour to nurse and he was eating every two hours so I only had an hour in between. (You count the time you started to the start of the next feeding-which I did not know beforehand) But a friend had told me the best thing to do was to nurse all the time and so I did- and it was worth it! I pretty much stayed home- any visitor I had didn’t stay long and if one of Brett’s friends was over I would just go to the bedroom to nurse because I didn’t feel like I could use a cover yet, we were still figuring things out!

Other good advice I had gotten for how to decrease the pain and tenderness in your nipples is to express a drop of milk and let it dry before covering yourself back up after nursing. ALWAYS let your nipples dry fully before covering back up- I would always fan mine with my breast pad. Also I was told- don’t wash with soap- only warm water- the soap will dry your nipples out. Use lanolin as needed- and you don’t need to wipe it off before baby nurses so make sure you get pure lanolin so you don’t have to put any extra unnecessary stress on your already tender nipples. Don’t worry it will get better- the first couple weeks are the worst- I remember saying “mommy isn’t ready to feed you buddy” when he was crying because I was so tender. 

Feeling natural

I honestly think it took me at least 6 weeks to feel like breastfeeding  was comfortable and natural feeling. It definitely took me that long to feel comfortable breastfeeding in public with my cover on. A good nursing cover is definitely a must have, Balboa baby is the brand of the one I like the most (of the 2 I have) it was from Babies R Us- but a friend told me that they have lots of options on their website too! (fun fact: it also doubles as stroller cover to keep the sun out of babies eyesJ)

It is crazy to think back on the first few weeks of breastfeeding –but the struggle and pain of starting out was definitely worth it. Both Mason and I mutually enjoy nursing and it is so easy to just walk out of the house with no fussing with bottles! As long as Mason and I are going together all I need is my cover and a burp rag (or two or four with the way he spits  up) and I can feed him for however long we are gone for!

Breastfeeding in Public

I really haven’t had anyone look at me funny and actually had one lady come and tell me “good for you, don’t let anyone look at you funny or say anything to you about nursing in public”. I always wear my cover and don’t feel any public scrutiny. I actually have found it works great to nurse Mason in the front pack that I have- I just make sure I wear a tank top or shirt that I can easily pull down in the front and put my cover over me, tuck it in at the straps of the front pack and put a burp rag under his chin and I have both hands to clean, shop, or eat. It has worked wonderfully and I wish I had thought of it earlier- I would have felt much more liberated early on. Brett actually had the idea when we were on a walk one night- it was just getting dark out and I had Mason in the front pack and he started to get hungry (which he seemed to do the first month whenever I tried to go anywhere or do anything). Brett said- “do you think you could feed him in there”- it was dark enough and I had a shirt to pull up and one to pull down so it was minimal exposure and sure enough it worked great, and I have been doing it ever since.

 

Breastfeeding has been a very positive experience now that Mason and I have the hang of it- It definitely started out rocky- but it worked and I am so glad we were able to keep going. Mason's pediatrician has been very supportive from the start and tells me that he can tell  the babies that are breastfed from those that are formula fed by how often he sees them in between routine visits. It really is best for your baby- and a lot cheaper too!

More to come on going back to work and pumping in a later post!

 

 

Mason's Birth Story

Our wonderful little man has arrived:) I have had several friends requesting his birth story and I have had it written since he was 2 weeks old- but wanted Brett to make sure it was accurate before I posted!  I feel so blessed to have had such an amazing birth experience and I am in awe of the human body and how God made women to be able to have such little precious gifts:) I also feel blessed that we have such great healthcare as a part of Brett being in the military- so many women had told me not to have my baby at the military base hospital because they have heard of people who have had bad experiences, but I am so glad I had Mason at David Grant Medical Center- it was a great experience!

So here is the story of how my beautiful baby boy entered the world! Enjoy!

Mason’s Birth Story

Our little boy was due to grace us with his presence on February 5^th (or close to that date, and if anything we expected him later since many first time moms have their babies after their due date), I had gone to my 38 week OB appointment on Monday January 23^rd and had gotten checked and nothing was happening, no dilation or anything- so I wasn’t expecting to go into labor any time soon. I was stressing and trying to decide whether to have my membranes stripped at the next appointment or just to let things happen naturally. I wanted to meet our little boy but was also very anxious about the whole labor and delivery process. I worked a full week at work and was supposed to have 2 more days before I started my maternity leave on February 1^st. I had a whole mental list of things to get accomplished and ready before the baby came- but little did I know that my “me” time would soon turn into me and baby time. (which turned out to be better anywaysJ)

Saturday morning Brett and I went to a day of prayer at our church and then called up our friend Chris to meet us for brunch at the Black Bear Diner. We stopped by Ace hardware to look for a few things and then had a very large brunch- to which I commented that baby wasn’t very happy because I invaded all of his room! We then went home and had a lazy day of Brett doing homework and me making some phone calls and catching up with some of my good friends from college. I was talking to my friend Cassie when I had my first contraction at 4pm- I had thought I maybe had some Braxton Hicks contractions before this, but this was a pretty intense menstrual cramp feeling and there was something different about it. I continued to make my phone calls and tried to relax, and the contractions kept coming about every 15 minutes but didn’t last long each time.

 We had plans that evening to go over to one of our neighbors houses for dessert (which when they invited us they had joked about making something rich to put me into labor- little did we know at that time that I would already be in labor when we went over thereJ). We had been trying to get together with them for months since they moved in and finally we had found a time that worked for both of us. I had mentioned to Brett I didn’t know if I wanted to go anymore since I was having contractions- but decided we should just go and we wouldn’t stay long. So I continued to have contractions through dessert and chatting with them about every 15 minutes and they would get more intense when I stood up- so when we were ready to go I bolted out of there.

I continued to have contractions all evening and poor Brett was scrambling to finish up his homework for his masters class that was due the next day! I emailed my boss and told him I wouldn’t be in to work for my last 2 days. I kept walking around as much as I could and the contractions kept getting stronger and closer together. By late evening we knew we weren’t going to get much sleep if any! At about 1am we decided to call labor and delivery- my contractions were 2-3 minutes apart and lasted for a minute, this had been going on for about an hour (which is when they had told us to call in). I talked to a nurse who told me to try and take some Tylenol and lay down for a while and see if things slowed down- as a lot of first time moms go on like this for days (not what I wanted to hear). So I took the Tylenol and laid down and sure enough things slowed down again- but didn’t stop- I still had contractions about every 15-20 minutes so I knew this was real labor. So all night Brett and I hung out on the couch and tried to sleep as much as we could between contractions- which wasn’t much.  I spent a lot of time on my knees on the couch with my head resting on the couch back- this was a very comfortable position for me and I used it over the hospital bed for much of my later labor as well.

So for the whole next day I again paced the house, bounced on my ball, watched Friends, watched the episode of the Office where Pam doesn’t want to go to the hospital, took a bath and shower and breathed through a plethora of contractions. Brett was an amazing coach- reminding me to breathe, rubbing my back, getting me drinks to stay hydrated, and pushing me to keep moving because we both knew that all of the movement would keep things progressing like we wanted. Finally at around 6pm my contractions were again 2-3 minutes apart and lasting for a minute- which had been going on for an hour and a half and we called labor and delivery and were told to come in and get checked. Brett had gotten the car seat in the car and the rest of our bags packed in-between contractions (as best as he could because there wasn’t much time between anymore!).

We got to the hospital around 7pm and I got hooked up to the monitors. The nurse looked skeptical when I told her my pain level was an 8/10 (they had told me to come in when it was a 10/10 but I am more realistic about the pain scale than most and knew that 10/10 would come during transition) but I was just trying to focus and breathe, I guess I hide my pain well. The MD resident came in and talked to me for a little while and then checked me and I was at 5cm! They weren’t seeing the accelerations in heart rate like they wanted to after each contraction so I had to change positions a few times and drink some cold water- they saw what they needed to and I was moved to my labor and delivery room. I told them my intentions to go through labor and delivery without an epidural or any IV pain meds and that I wanted to be out of the bed and walking around as much as I could- they were very understanding and the nurse got me a ball and said that I needed to be on the monitors intermittently and that we could take them off to walk around more if I wanted to. I spent most of my time bent over the bed, swaying and on the ball.

One of my favorite things was when the anesthesiologist came in to introduce himself I was on the ball bending over the bed and my gown was wide open and my bare butt was hanging out- because really- who cares what people see at this point I was about to have a baby coming out of me and I was in so much pain my butt showing was the last thing on my mind. He was quite shocked and went back behind the curtain and introduced himself and said that he was here if I had any questions or needed anything. When the nurse came back in she said he was quite shocked when I mooned him, but I thought it was a good metaphor to how I felt about his epiduralJ

I continued to labor like this with the nurse checking in on me every once in a while for the next 2 hours. The MD resident came back in after 2 hours to check me again- which is more uncomfortable than a contraction- and said that I was 6.5 cm. I was hoping he would say I was farther along- because the contractions had started getting more intense. I labored along for probably another hour and the contractions were now very intense and did not completely end before the next one started. I went from just breathing through them to needing to be reminded to breathe and I kept saying “oh no” as each contraction kept coming. I was doubting whether I could do this for very much longer and when the nurse came back in I told her I still didn’t want anything heavy for pain but asked if I could just have some Tylenol- I am sure it sounded so silly to her- but even though I was having the worst pain in my life I still didn’t want anything that could potentially affect or harm my baby. I was hoping the Tylenol would take some of the edge off- or at least psychologically I was hoping to trick myself into thinking the pain was less.

When she came back she brought a nurse midwife with her (who was also on duty that night, the MD resident was in the ER seeing another patient at the time) and some Tylenol. The midwife said she would check me again and see about my progress. By this time I had started to feel like I needed to poop (which I knew I didn’t, I had already tried) and was feeling a lot of pressure in my pelvis. When she checked me I was 8cm, we had talked about breaking my water since it hadn’t yet which she proceeded to do and then I progressed to 9cm. I was pushing at this point- my body just started to and I couldn’t stop- it was the craziest feeling that my body had just taken over and it knew what to do. I was very anxious about it at this point because I knew if you start pushing too early you can tear your cervix. I had one more contraction and I was at 10cm and ready to push! The nurse took me through some small pushes to keep me from doing too much pushing until they had everything set up. There were several other people in the room now getting ready for the baby and setting everything up. It was so crazy how fast everything progressed at the end. The midwife and nurse were both very supportive and encouraging because at this point I was very uncomfortable and doubting my ability to push the baby out. It is so amazing how God makes women’s bodies to have babies- all I had to do was let it and provide some extra force with each contraction and he was coming out! I

I was pushing and kept looking at Brett to see if he could see him coming out. I was in the middle of pushing when the midwife announced that he had hair- I stopped mid push (I had been grunting and everything) and said “he has hair?!?!” I was so excited that my baby boy was on his way and being able to see his head of hair finally made it real. They asked if I wanted a mirror to see and I said “in a little bit” and they proceeded to inform me that I didn’t have a little bit- so they got me a mirror so I could watch, which I didn’t end up doing much of because keeping your eyes open while pushing is not really possible. I continued to push for 6 minutes and then my little boy came into the world. They set him on my chest and he was crying and flailing all of his extremities- and he was beautiful.

Top 10 of 2011

Happy New Year Everyone! I have been awful about blogging and am hoping to be better at it this year- but no promises! In an attempt to catch everyone up without taking me forever I am going to simply highlight our favorite 10 events/trips of 2011!
Enjoy!
#10: Emily moving out to California and Brett and Emily FINALLY living in the same house:)

#9: Brett's first and second deployments and sweet homecomings

#8: Emily graduated with her Doctorate of Physical Therapy and got a great job in acute care

#7: Hunting trip in Oregon and many fishing trips in CA

#6: Getting our new black lab Cooper

#5:Meeting some great new friends and exploring CA together

#4:Making a trip to MN in August for Brett's brother Eric's wedding and getting a fishing boat

#3:Finally going on our honeymoon to Hawaii in September

#2:Celebrating our 2 year wedding anniversary in May by going on the Napa Wine Train

#1: Finding out we are expecting our first baby boy on February 5th!!!!:)

God has blessed us with so many wonderful people and opportunities this year! We are so excited for what 2012 will bring!
Happy New Year!
Brett and Emily