The football hold wasn't working the greatest with the nipple shield. I was trying to hold Jesse's head in one hand, hold the shield on my breast with the other hand, while also supporting my breast with that same hand. ....Yeah, it was a crazy juggling act. I was trying to do all of the above and get my baby to latch, and it just wasn't working the greatest when I didn't have the help of the nurse.
My next nurse was an older woman. She was helpful during my little breakdown that I mentioned in {{this}} post. She suggested that I try a different position with Jesse, but I just wasn't emotionally in a good place to focus and learn. Instead, she just supported me in a different way. She took my face in her hands and looked me in the eyes and said, "It's okay. It's going to get better. DO NOT GIVE UP! Let's give it a break and try again in an hour. You'll get this." She was so patient and encouraging. I needed that pep talk!
That night, my next nurse was a LIFESAVER. She worked with me for hours. She showed me that I didn't actually need the nipple shield. She also showed me how to nurse using the cross-cradle hold. When she showed me how to get Jesse to latch without the nipple shield, I couldn't believe how different it felt. He was "going to town," doing his thing... and it finally felt right. The lactation consultant came in to work with me the following day before we went home, and she agreed that I didn't need the shield and that the cross-cradle position was the best for us. She recommended that I didn't offer the baby a pacifier because he might become confused with the nipple.
...And let's take a break. Time for another cartoon:
There have been a few fussy nights here and there, where Jesse just wants to nurse, nurse, nurse. Usually these nights fall within a growth spurt. He gets mad - turns red, pulls his head back (while he's still latched... ouch), and starts to cry. It's like he's not getting enough from me. I went online after a few frustrating nights of this behavior, wondering if I should give him a bottle during these fussy nights to help calm him down. Everything I read, though, said "Absolutely not." Your body will produce more milk if it's stimulated to do so - so, unless the baby is nursing/sucking, your body will not produce more milk to meet his demands. Eventually my body caught up with what he wanted/needed. I'm glad I didn't resort to the bottle!
I do pump every day and store between 1-3 three ounce servings in the freezer. I'm building up my stock pile for when I go back to work. It's also nice to have a bottle for my hubby to feed the baby occasionally, as well as to be able to go away for a few hours at a time. At first we were using Tommee Tippee bottles, however Jesse was really gassy after he would feed from one of those bottles. So, I switched to the Playtex drop-ins and he does MUCH better with these. No problems at all!
My current stock pile...right next to the sweet potato fries, LOL |
The great thing about breastfeeding is that you don't have to do a lot of extra prep to get out the door with the baby. As long as I have my nursing cover, I'm okay to breastfeed where ever we go. Some places have special rooms for nursing mothers - which is really nice. Other times, I'm crawling into the back seat to feed the baby when leaving a store. I'm comfortable nursing in public with my nursing cover, but I know it makes some people uncomfortable so I try to find a private place to breastfeed.
I'm so relieved that breastfeeding is going well for us. How much longer will I breastfeed? As long as I can. I know it will get tricky when I go back to work, but we will see what happens. I'm so glad I didn't give up when it was difficult in the beginning. :-)
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