The Post Where I Talk about Breastfeeding (Again)

I don't think I've mentioned here since my long hiatus a while ago that Cooper was still a nursling. Yes, I breastfed a 2 year old. I could give you links to research and quotes from experts that back this up, but I won't. We'll just leave it at it was what was best for our family. Ideally I had wanted him to self-wean, for him to decide himself when he was ready to let go of that. However, since I've been pregnant I've noticed a steady decline in my milk supply. To the point where a couple weeks ago I noticed I couldn't even express one tiny drop. I don't know if any of you moms have ever tried nursing when the milk has dried up, but it hurts. Alot. Coupled with the breast tenderness from pregnancy and I almost wanted to scream when he nursed. He has been down to about 2 nursings a day for a while now, in the morning as he wakes up and at night to go to sleep. Sometimes he has a 2 minute snack or 2 during the day if he gets hurt or something. Several times the past few weeks he has fallen asleep with out nursing or woken up and just wanted to get up without nursing. I knew he was headed for weaning, but since it hurt so bad, I knew for my sanity I needed to encourage him a little. So we had a talk about how Momma's boobas (that's what he calls them & nursing) had to stop making milk since he was a big boy now. I was careful not to mention this was because of his baby brother or sister, because I don't want to make him mad at the baby. Thursday night was the last time he nursed. He has handled it quite well! I didn't expect it to be this easy at all. The first day or so he asked for it and when I said there is no milk he whined a little, but there hasn't been any all out screaming like I expected. 2 mornings ago he woke up and said "Momma I need bo- I need a drink." He caught himself. I thought it was precious. It has taken him longer to fall asleep without nursing but he does fall asleep and that is comforting. I am confident since it has gone so smoothly he really was ready and I didn't force him into it. He just needed a little encouragement! When we discussed that fact that there was no milk we also discussed having a small party for him when he stopped getting booba and call it a "big boy party." He seems quite excited for it and it will probably be this weekend. I will post pictures sometime next week!

My Newest Venture

If you have seen my tweets you know that I am in the middle of no where at my in-laws with no internet. Thank goodness for Blackberry! We will be home this afternoon but I just couldn't wait to tell you about my newest venture idea! (Actually it wasn't my idea it was Queen Bee's. She has helped me so much with all this IBCLC stuff. I can't thank her enough! When I get home I will link to her blog. Can't do that from the BB ya know. I have linked to her blog, because I am home now and have my internet back!) Anyway back to the idea...

I'm going to try to become a La Leche League Leader! I emailed my local leader to get started and it turns out she has been thinking of retiring! How cool is that?? Great timing! She has not held meetings in a while and to become a leader I will have to attend meetings. This might be a tiny challenge but not too bad. I can find a somewhat local town that holds meetings. I am so excited to get started on this! Did I mention it counts towards my hours for the IBCLC?? I went to try to buy LLL's book The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding last night. I went to 3 different stores. All 3 said they had it online. Not one had it, so it looks like I'l be ordering it online. A new edition comes out in July but I just can't wait that long to get started! I will keep you updated as the process unfolds :)

The Anti-Attachment Parent

It is no secret I am in love with attachment parenting. I have breastfed Cooper for 16 months (almost) and counting. He sleeps with me every night and has since we came home from the hospital. I love baby-wearing, but Cooper has outgrown both of the baby-wearing devices I have. (I'm in the process of aquiring new one, hopefully soon!) I would LOVE to cloth diaper, but finances prevent it right now. I was not raised with attachment parents. I was not breastfed, slept in my own bed for the most part, was not worn, and wore a cloth diaper only when I had diaper rash. There is nothing wrong with that. Its just not how I've chosen to parent. I have no idea what led me to parenting this way. It certainly wasn't my husband.

My husband, while mostly supportive of the parenting choices I make, can only be described the anti-attachment parent. He was supportive of my decision to breastfeed, but his exact words were "They are your boobs; that is your decision." He would have been just as happy if I had chosen to use formula. He did sleep with his parents for a very short time as an infant, but he still would be very happy if Cooper slept in his own bed now. (For very obvious reasons that I shouldn't have to spell out for you) He could care less about baby-wearing. He did use the sling a grand total of one time when Cooper was about 3 weeks old. Since then he has been perfectly happy to push a stroller. He flat out said no to cloth diapering when I mentioned it a few months ago. I didn't push it because the finances are not there, but when the time comes to plan for Baby #2, I will get my research together and push it.

One big thing we do not agree on is spanking. I do not want our children spanked. For many reasons, but a few of them: (1) Teaching a child not to hit by hitting them is just plain stupid, (2) Parents shouldn't hurt their children, and (3) I don't think it is effective punishment. I was spanked and so was Jerry. Yet, we both have very different views about this form of punishment. He thinks it is the only way to make a child mind. I know this isn't true, but, besides time-out, I can't think of anything else. Time-out just isn't very effective at this age. But I refuse to spank or let Cooper be spanked by anyone else. I don't want Cooper to be one of those kids no one wants to be around. (You probably have a few in mind as you read this.) But I'm not sure what else to try. Any ideas??

WE MADE IT!

It's just now hitting me. Cooper is a year old. That means... WE MADE IT! We breastfed for an entire year! My original goal was 6 months so I am ecstatic to make it to a year!

Yes, breastfeeding was not hard for us. Cooper nurses like a champ. He latched on quickly and hasn't wanted to stop since. But it was by no means easy! The lack of sleep was NOT EASY. Not being able to let someone else take a turn feeding him so I could sleep was NOT EASY. Taking him out in public knowing I would have to pull my shirt up in front of strangers was NOT EASY. Yes, the technical parts of it were easy for me but there is way more to it than that.

Having said that, breastfeeding has been (and will continue to be) the most rewarding experience of my life! I think we bonded much faster and stronger than we would have if he had been given a plastic nipple full of formula. Jerry was very supportive in spite of the fact that he would not get to share in the feeding for a while. Of course the benefits of breastfeeding are endless. it has been wonderful and I'm so so so glad I did it!

Cooper is 11 months old TODAY!!!

I can't believe my little booger will be a year old in one month! This past year has flown by! It has been the best year of my life though. Even with all the ups and downs it has been wonderful.
As of November 17, he weighes 21 pounds and is 28 3/4 inches tall(I guess since he is standing more than he lays down its tall not long anymore). He takes steps but refuses to walk more than 3. He will walk holding onto 1 hand now instead of having to hold both hands. He has stacking cups in the bath tub and has figured out the big ones can't go into the little one but the little ones will go into the big ones. It was so sweet watching him figure it out all by himself!
He is getting better about eating solid food. Sometimes he will eat two jars and sometimes not even a half. He is still nursing. Anywhere from 4 to 6 feedings a day. My initail goal when I was pregnant was to nurse until he was 6 months old and after I started I moved it to a year. Now I've decided I'm going to try baby-led weaning, within reason though. I will not be nursing a 3 year old. Some women do, and that's fine; it's just not for me. So I guess we will just see what happens.
I can't believe he is on the verge of toddler-hood. But I am excited to see what God has in store for our future!

BOOBIE, MOMMY, BOOBIE!!!

I think its time I did a blog about breast feeding! I am very pro-breast feeding! It has been the most rewarding experience of my life. My 10 1/2 month old has never had a drop of formula and never will! If you have to use formula because of unavoidable reasons I think that's fine and I also believe a bottle given with love is better than a boobie given resentfully but let's call it what it is, artificial baby milk. Babies were not meant to be given this stuff, they were meant to be given their mother's milk!
Ok, now stepping off my soap box to tell you about my breast feeding experience! An hour after my emergency c-section I was handed my little bundle of love in recovery. I held him for a little bit, he was given his first bath by my bedside and I was asked if I wanted to nurse or give him a bottle.
Before I even knew I was pregnant I knew I wanted to breast feed my babies. It is just so much better for them! I had heard horror stories about latching on and the nipple pain(not to mention cracking and bleeding), but I read all I could and when Cooper was born I was educated enough in the subject I thought I could tough it out for the sake of my baby.
I told the nurse I wanted to breast feed and she helped me unsnap my hospital gown and attempt to get him latched on for the first time. For about 5 seconds his mouth stayed clamped shut and all those horror stories flashed before my eyes. About then he opened his mouth wide and started nursing! I was so excited! When I asked my husband to take a picture he looked at me with a look of horror on his face and said "you want me to do what??!". The nurse convinced him you wouldn't be able to see anything and he took the picture for me.
I am pleased to say my nipples never hurt. They did get a little sore but my doctor prescribed Newman's Nipple Cream that worked wonders! I believe if you always make sure the baby is latched on correctly you won't hurt. Breast feeding should NEVER hurt!
The first couple weeks Cooper, Boppy, and I stayed in a recliner/rocker in the living room. Because of my c-section I couldn't lay flat in bed so we slept there too. I never tried to put him on a feeding schedule. I don't eat on a schedule so I didn't see why he should. Because of this I have never had a problem with milk supply. Breast feeding is a supply and demand thing. If I don't let him demand it when he wants it the supply won't be there. Schedules with artificial baby milk are fine and dandy but not with breast feeding.
I borrowed a Medela breast pump from a close friend. It worked ok for me. I got between a half ounce to 2 ounces when I pumped. When we got our income tax money back I decided I wanted to invest in a pump of my own. I did a lot of research and decided on the Avent Isis Duo. It is an electric double pump that remembers your pumping rhythm. You do two pumps manually and then push a button. It continues the suction and interval you did with the first two pumps. It has the comfort of a hand pump without all the work! It also has massaging petals so the pump uses not only suction but compression like a baby nurses. It feels just like Cooper nursing! With this pump I get 8 to 10 ounces almost everytime I pump! I ordered mine from www.breastpumps.com. It was $80 cheaper than anywhere else. It is not a cheap pump. I got it for $270 but it is usually $350. If you look at what you would spend on formula,however, it is well worth it!
I can't tell you how much this has bonded me and my little booger. He is definitely a Mama's boy! My original goal while I was pregnant was to nurse for 6 months. Then after I had nursed him I couldn't bear the thought of giving him artificial baby milk so now our goal is 1 year! After a year old I will leave weaning, for the most part, up to him. I will not breast feed until he is 3, but within some reasonable limits I will wait until he is ready. I dread weaning! Breast feeding is such an important part of my life now! It has become part of who I am; I am a nursing mother! Not only that, but whenever anything is wrong with my little man I know I have something to make it all better! I don't know what I'll do when we don't have this anymore! I guess we will cross that bridge when we get there!
If anyone has any questions about breast feeding, I would be happy to answer them! There is so much more to it that I didn't have time to cover in this post! If you would rather not post it publicly, my email address is kmriden1@msn.com. Feel free to ask!

*DISCLAIMER: I realize this post is very opinionated. I didn't mean to hurt anyone's feelings or make anyone mad. They are just my personal opinions! (Although most backed up by lactation consults and doctors) please don't take it personally :)