When I first thought about having a baby, years ago, I knew right away I wanted to breastfeed. Actually, it wasn’t more of a choice then an assumption. That’s how you feed babies, isn’t it? That’s why women have boobs, right? It has always seemed like that is just what you do. When I got to the point that I started planning on getting pregnant I looked into breastfeeding a bit more. We also discussed it during our Centering Pregnancy meetings. I learned that breastfeeding is the best thing that you can do for you and your baby. Breast milk has so many benefits compared to formula. Breast fed babies are generally healthier then formula fed babies. They build more immunity and are less likely to be overweight. You also get a wonderful bond with your baby through breastfeeding. Plus, breastfeeding is completely natural. The milk is specially made for your baby the way they need it, when they need it, as much as they need. It is always the perfect temperature, is always available, and it’s FREE.
While most women are able to breastfeed I knew that there was the chance of complications. I hoped that I would be able to breastfeed without problems. I made a goal for myself, which was to never use formula. I would try as hard as I could to breastfeed and use only breast milk. I have nothing against women who use formula. It’s just not what I wanted for Quorra and me.
I made a plan, based on information I got from my midwife, nurses, Centering Pregnancy group, baby books, baby magazines, and the internet. I also read The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. It is a pretty dry read but I wanted the information, without personal opinions. My plan was to not use any artificial nipples (including pacifiers) in the hospital so we could get used to nursing. I also wanted to wait as long as possible to give Quorra a bottle so we would have plenty of time for both of us to get into a nursing groove. I wanted to try to breastfeed as soon as she was born to help us bond and get a good start to the nursing process.
When Quorra was born we did try breastfeeding right away. She latched on well but didn’t suck. After about 5 or 10 minutes of trying we decided that she was just too tired to nurse just yet. We tried again after a couple hours and she still did not want to suck. I was starting to get discouraged. I wanted so bad to breastfeed and I was making lots of colostrum so I knew there was stuff in there for her. The nurses assured me that she was just tired from the long labor. So I tried after about another hour and, again, she latched well but gave up sucking really quickly. I had learned a few different nursing positions and so I tried the side-lying position. She finally started sucking. This position uses gravity to your benefit and makes it easier for the baby to get the milk out. Apparently Quorra was just so little and exhausted that it was too much work for her to suck the colostrum out. After our first successful nursing she didn’t have to work too hard. The colostrum basically just dripped out and she just lapped it up.
After the pediatrician checked Quorra out they said that they knew she was eating well since she was spitting up colostrum. The lactation consultant told me that I was doing a good job so that made me feel pretty accomplished.
We went home and breastfeeding went really well. Quorra latched and sucked well and my milk came in after one day home. I had very little pain, a little chapping and lanolin helped that. Quorra seemed to prefer one breast over the other and would fight the one a bit. This was a bit painful but I was determined so I made her use both for the same amount of time. It took a couple weeks but she got used to both breasts and all went well.
Milk coma
I started pumping my first week home since my breasts were so full. I pumped about every other day while I was home on maternity leave so I built up a pretty good supply of milk in the freezer. I waited until a couple weeks before I went back to work to give Quorra a bottle, since I loved nursing so much. I craved the bonding time and didn’t want her to start preferring the ease of a bottle. The pediatrician told me that I really had to introduce her to the bottle in case she had problems using it. My husband gave Quorra her first bottle and she had no problems with it. She ate quickly and hungrily. She also went back to the breast with no problem so my fears were calmed.
My current milk supply. A shelf and a half full. Oh yeah.
I took off eleven weeks from work and went back part time for the twelfth week before going back full time. I pump three times a day during an eight hour work day and usually have enough pumped to feed Quorra the next day and freeze some. I am a milk making machine. My dad said I was like a dairy cow. Moo, y’all. Moo.
I feel very lucky to have had so much ease with breastfeeding. I think breastfeeding has gone so well as a combination of good milk-making genes, luck, and hard work. Quorra will be six months old in a couple weeks and breastfeeding is still going great. She has not had any formula so I’m pretty sure I’ll make my no-formula goal. I have been very determined and have not once given her a bottle myself. Every time she has had one it has been by another person. My husband gave her a couple while I pumped to get her used to them. Since then she has never had a bottle while I have been with her. To keep a good milk supply I always nurse Quorra when I am with her, even when I am out and about. Yes, I am a public breastfeeder. Deal with it. I’m going to feed my child. I keep myself covered and I don’t care if it makes you uncomfortable. Okay, rant over. I never bring a bottle or pumped milk with me when I leave the house so I don’t have the temptation to give her a bottle. I don’t keep any formula in the house, even though I wouldn’t use it even if it was here. That is mostly so that babysitters don’t use it. I have a huge supply of pumped breast milk. It’s not needed.
Formula companies send free formula samples and a lot of them. Between all the samples sent to us we had at least three large tubs of formula and small samples at one point. I sent a couple packages of formula to my cousin, who had some milk supply issues and supplemented with formula. The rest of the free formula was sent to our local food bank. Just because I didn’t need it didn’t mean that there wasn’t someone else that needed it and couldn’t afford it.
Okay! Back on track… Anyway…If I’m with Quorra I will nurse her. No bottle. Ever. If it is a time that she is eating and the person watching her is giving her a bottle of pumped milk I make sure to be pumping more. The way boobs work is simple. They make as much milk as they need to. Take more out and they will make more, take less out and they will make less. So I make sure to always extract milk when Quorra is being given a bottle. I honestly think that this is the biggest reason that nursing has gone so well for us. The pumping can be a pain in the ass but I know breast milk is the best thing for my daughter and I will deal with the pumping to give it to her.
If you are having a baby soon and wonder if you will be able to breastfeed just keep at it and don’t give up too soon. I know some people have complications and are not able to make enough milk to feed their baby. But if you work hard and your body responds, keep it up. Don’t get lazy or try to take shortcuts. Get up in the middle of the night (numerous times) to nurse and breastfeed when you are out of the house. I know every mom has their own preferences but these are just my suggestions for those who want the same outcome as I did.
We are waiting until Quorra is six months old to start solids, which my research has shown to be better for baby. Right now we are still exclusively breastfeeding and loving it. I plan to make my own baby food when we start solids so check back to see how that goes.
Milk coma again
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