We've had a pretty rough week. Well, I should say Gage and I (so therefore Shaun and Maisey too).
Background: I breastfed Maisey exclusively for about 2 weeks. That's it. I know, lame! But then I started supplementing with formula and completely stopped breastfeeding her at 4 months (when my dad died). I was never very good at it and had to see a lactation consultant 3 times!
Well, now I am struggling with Gage. But my goal is to exclusively breastfeed him for at least 6 months. I really want to make it to that goal! I've already been to the lactation consultant 2 times and am trying to make another appointment for next week. A few weeks ago, Gage would only eat from the right side. This week, he decided he didn't want to eat from either side and just SCREAMS through every feeding. Then he screams for 30 min. after attempting to eat and then he falls asleep for 30 minutes and then the cycle starts over again! It is extremely frustrating and really wears out my emotions! I started pumping a little bit yesterday and fed him a bottle for the first time and he does pretty well with it. He is a completely different baby when he has a full tummy and no gas! (He is EXTREMELY gassy from all of the screaming!) But I'm not sure if it's very realistic to exclusively pump for the next 4 months especially since I babysit 4 days a week and have my own crazy toddler to take care of!
Last night was the worst night and I just broke down! I couldn't handle the screaming and lack of sleep anymore! It was a rough night!
But Then. . .
My cousin called me this morning and told me that she had just got to work and was looking through the mail and sure enough, there was the envelope that she had given me 2 1/2 weeks ago with $50 in it! She wrote me a note in the envelope on the back of a piece of paper with her company's name on it. Well, I guess the post office saw that and found the address for her company and sent it back to her! How amazing!!!! I'm so glad there are such honest and nice people in this world!
This news definitely made my day! Now only if my baby would eat. . .
6 comments:
Nursing is SO hard. I nursed Hailey for the first 6 months but it was very painful Rylann attempted but not successful so she was a bottle fed baby. Andy and Addison went really well and I loved it. It does get better but it is hard. The best of luck in whatever you decide. I do know people who pump the whole time because the baby won't nurse so it can work. Good luck
Hi Emily,
Cori was only 3 lbs. when she was born and couldn't nurse. So I pumped for two months straight and I was tired and miserable. So she ended up on formula. My other kids I nursed to 6 months and then I was ready to be done. If I can give you any advice it would be to do what is best for you and Gage. Whether it's nursing or bottle fed, As long as you and him are both happy then that's all that matters! I have friends who don't nurse at all and they tend to get grief handed their way for not nursing. But I admire them for doing what they feel is best for them. And they are some awesome mothers.
yay on getting your $50 back!
And i totally feel you on the nursing thing. I nursed exclusively for the first couple of months (had issues the entire time) and then pumped for a couple of months with formula (this is when he started to chunk up big time) and then gave up entirely and went to only formula. And it worked. But I'm determined to get it down this time and call the lactation consultant as many times as i need to. good luck with whatever you end up deciding to do-he'll be a handsome and sweet boy no matter what! :)
Emily I totally admire you. My little girl wouldn't breastfeed at all for the most part... I think I lasted a week, and once she had one bottle that was it... She refused to breastfeed from then on out. I just quit pumping... But I was supplementing with formula. Life is so much easier now for me and not as stressful. But I totally admire you for doing what you are doing... We'll try again with the next one, but for now I think you should do whats best for you and gage, even if its formula. Your kids are so cute! And congrats on getting your money back. That is very exciting news.
Sorry to hear of your struggles with Gage. I know you'll figure out the best thing for the two of you. You're a wonderful mother! :)
You definitely are not alone! I went to the lactation consultant w/ Porter and it took a couple of months for both of us the get the hang of it. I was lucky to nurse him for a year. I thought Hudson would be easier to nurse, because I had learned with Porter, but I was wrong! He didn't want to nurse and I was in the lactation consultant's office all the time! The bad thing is, she told us that Hudson was practically starving! I felt so bad, and it took a lot of time and work before he got the hang of nursing. It would have been easy to give up, but I really wanted to nurse. Basically I was in survival mode the first couple of months, but it does get better! And bottle-fed babies turn out just fine, also!
Post a Comment