Is this the first child you've breastfed?
No, I've nursed both of my children but for different amounts of time.
Is there anything you'd do differently next time?
Had I known about pumping the first time around... I probably would have provided breastmilk for much longer...
What did you enjoy most about breastfeeding?
We just past our 6 month goal of providing breastmilk and are still going strong. Continuing to take pre-natal vitamins helped me get over the anxiety of whether i was ingesting enough nutrients and she's in the 97th percentile for height and weight so I know she is getting enough...
I've moved my goal to 9 months and hope to do at least a year...
What was the hardest part of breastfeeding?
I breastfed my oldest baby for about 4 months. I supplemented with formula because as a first time mom I worried about her getting enough vitamins, especially since I couldn't really guage how much milk she was getting. (Silly me didn't realize that doubling her weight in her first month was all the evidence I should have needed that she was doing fine.) After 4 months, my oldest figured out it was easier feeding from a bottle.
My youngest however never did latch on... (she would look scared)and I didn't have the immediate supply I did with my oldest. My little one has always preferred a bottle but grimaces whenever I try to give her fomula instead of breastmilk.
I rented a breast pump from the hospital to try to see if I could get things going -- What a godsend! -- and after 4 weeks I bought a Medela pump, and if you consider the cost of formula vs. the benefits of breastmilk, if you can pump for 3 months, you break even.
Tips and Tricks
- So if you incur difficulties, it doesn't mean you can breastfeed. Patience, support and the right equipment can do wonders.
