World Breastfeeding Week {San Diego Doula, Childbirth Educator, Birth Photographer}

(Reposted from 8-2009)

The first week in August was World Breastfeeding Week. I'd like to share my nursing experience(s). First of all I'd like to say that breast is best. Literally, a miracle from the Lord. It is amazing to watch your baby grow and thrive on breastmilk alone. It might amaze me more than birth...maybe!

This is my Jackson at Tricity Hospital, summer 2005. It was my very first time nursing. I prepared myself by reading LLL's Womanly Art of Breastfeeding and The Baby Book by Dr. Sears. He had a great latch and nursed 30 min. after birth and didn't let go until he was 14 months old. He weaned himself because I was 3 months pregnant =). Jackson was such a great nurser he made enough milk for 5 babies. I had an entire freezer full that never got used (they denied me to donate because of acupuncture!?!?). I could pump 16 oz in about 10 min at the height of it. WOW. That was 2 8 oz bottles in a flash! And best of all - it's FREE. The photo below is Jackson nursing on the plane to Hawaii in summer 2006 at 11 months.

I learned how to discretely nurse in public, in a sling, while shopping, in my car, or anywhere. Jackson was a GREAT co-sleeper and I got lots of sleep because I would sleep right through his night feedings...except to change his diaper. He wasn't talking when he weaned so he never had any cute names or signs for nursing - but he's happy when I show him the pictures of him getting "mommie's milk."

My second experience with nursing was very different than the first. This is Owen. My very high needs, strong willed, sensitive child. With REFLUX. Oh man, what an experience. Here we are at Pomerado Hospital in April of 2007. That's right, our first 2 babies are only 20 months apart.
The reflux caused Owen to gag, cough, and choke at every feeding - even with a bottle. He ate very little milk in one sitting and most of it came right up. This caused very frequent feedings for a very long time. Enter my extreme gratitude for free milk, available on demand wherever we are. I can not immagine having to make a bottle of formula that often and then watch as the dollars flew onto the floor, my clothes, his clothes, etc. When it's free, it's just a laundry problem and not your life savings being spit up.

This experience was also different because I had much much much less milk. Which was nice because I wasn't leaking or in pain 24-7 like with Jackson, BUT I did have to give formula to the babysitter when I couldn't pump enough milk while at work. She didn't have to use much, but it was different than my freezer full, remember? I was on the mini-pill birth control which decreases supply, and NEVER slept. 2 hours a night total for the first 3 months and very little more than that until he was 6 months. Stress (aka: no sleep) decreases milk supply. The other factor, I believe, was that he only stayed latched on for a few minutes at a time.

I'm really glad he nursed for 17 months because otherwise I'm not sure he would've ever let me get near him. He was very difficult to bond with and was not a snuggler. He didn't co-sleep. He couldn't even sleep in our room b/c he was allergic...so down the hall he went at just 5 weeks old. He started talking (very well) at 14 months so he never had to use baby signs. At the end he would ask "mommy milk please" when he wanted to nurse and then when he wanted to switch he'd say "o-side please, o-side." It was very difficult on both of us to wean. He would cry and beg, "MORE mommy milk, PLEASE! MORE!" For various reasons though, I was done. And little did I know that 3 weeks after weaning would I be pregnant again! OH MY.

My favorite picture of Owen nursing is from our Beaver, Utah family reunion trip in July 2007. I made a scrapbook page out of it =) (click photos to see larger images)
My current nursing situation is going fabulous. I couldn't be happier. Milk supply is not too much and not too little. A little leaking, but I "went green" and bought reusable cloth breastpads. Here I am nursing Gavin at 2 weeks old with my friend Nikki and her 2 week old daughter - at the beach. We're old pros now, right? Ha.
I love this nursing cover that my friend let me borrow, but I usually just use the sling when they are tiny. It doubles as a carrier and nursing cover - love that!
Gavin had a tremendous natural birth (I'm sorry I'm lagging on that birth story!) and latched on for the first time 30 min after. We didn't know how much he weighed for the first 2 hours because he was nursing the whole time! What a good boy. He is my first baby to keep his milk in his tummy (95% of the time) when he burps. He really is not a spitter. The other boys drenched everything in the near vacinity - ewww. This is an answer to prayer. I prayed for a baby who did not have reflux or spit up a lot and the Lord blessed me. Another amazing thing is that he has been able to nurse laying down (aka: in the bed while I sleep or stare at him) since birth. This was very important for my difficult first week post-partum when I could not sit without pain. I don't know how he had such great head control...again a blessing. My other 2 boys were not able to do this for weeks and maybe months after birth.
Gavin is 8 weeks old (tomorrow!) and nurses frequently during the day (1-3 hours, usually every 2) and then only twice at night/early morning. He loves to suck and doesn't always want milk to come with sucking, so he loves his Avent binky. I am able pump almost an ounce a minute...usually I pump only for 5 minutes and get 5 ounces. I only pump when I'm going to leave him with my husband - usually for the gym or church - so we don't have a storage yet.

Happily nursing in the sling.

Happy baby = happy mommy. I love nursing and I recommend it to every parent. It is the best thing for baby and for mommy.

Here are some resources:
Breast is Best
La Leche League
Many uses of Breastmilk (besides nursing a baby!)