Personal Breastfeeding Experience/Background

Considering the name of my blog, I felt it was only fitting for the first real post to be about breastfeeding.  The question is, what angle should I take?  Should I discuss the benefits of breastfeeding, some of the specifics about breast milk vs. formula, the importance of nursing in public, tandem nursing, mothering through breastfeeding, expose the truth about “booby-traps”, or uncover some of the misconceptions about breastfeeding and some well meaning, but poor, advice that is often given?  When the topic of breastfeeding comes up, I get flustered and wish I could share all of this information with you all at the same time, but don’t worry, I’ll refrain for now.  I would like to share with you a little bit about my personal breastfeeding experience and background.

                                             Wesley nursing for the first time -

 

When Wesley was born in May of 2009, I knew that I wanted to breastfeed because it was better for the baby’s health, but I honestly didn’t know one thing about it.  I thank God that Wesley took to nursing immediately and that we never had any real problems or I fear that I would have given up quickly.  Wesley had a bad latch for the first couple of weeks which caused nipple soreness and blisters, but I just ignored it thinking that it was normal because of all of the breastfeeding horror stories I had heard when I was pregnant.  Those can be filed under the “well meaning, but poor, advice that is often given” section.  Thankfully, he corrected his latch all on his own and it was pretty much smooth sailing from there until he was four months old.  When we went to his four month check-up, he had dropped considerably on the weight percentile chart, and even though he had plenty of wet and dirty diapers each day and was satisfied after feeding, I was very worried.  I thought that I was starving my baby!  The pediatrician recommended starting formula, which I denied.  I waited another month and had his weight checked, and when he came back even lower on the percentile chart (he wasn’t losing weight, he was just gaining slower, therefore lowering on the percentile chart), I decided to start rice cereal (I do not recommend rice cereal as a first food because of the lack of nutrients) at five months.  I then started home made baby food at five months and two weeks. Looking back, I know now that he was perfectly normal, and there was no need to start baby food early.  Pediatricians using the CDC growth charts that are based on formula fed babies instead of the WHO growth charts that are based on breastfed babies is one of the many booby traps that will be discussed in future posts. 

          Wesley nursing at fifteen months old - Two months pregnant with William -
Amanda Keener Photography - www.amandakeener.com

Wesley nursed every two hours, day and night, for the first seventeen months of his life.  The only reason why he slowed down when he was seventeen months old is because I was in my second trimester of pregnancy with William and my supply had dropped.  Wesley was, and still is, in love with nursing.  He nursed for nutrition and sustenance of course, but he also nursed for comfort.  While nursing a child every two hours day and night may sounds absolutely terrible and tiring (which it certainly was at times!), it was also a wonderful way to make up for my missed time away from him while I was at work.  He needed his mommy time, and I wouldn’t trade that time for anything in the world. Wesley is now almost 2 ½ years old and nurses in the morning, before and after nap time, before bed time, and in times of distress (sick, hurt, ect.).  If he had his choice, he would still be nursing every two hours, day and night.  We are coming to the end of our nursing relationship though, and I am gently weaning him, slowly but surely.

William nursing for the first time -

William was born in March of 2011 and had a slight problem with his latch on one side for a couple of weeks, but I was able to pop him off each time that he latched incorrectly and he would correct it.  William nurses often for nutrition and sustenance, but it is obvious that he could really rather care less about nursing for bonding or comfort.   I’m honestly worried that it is going to be a struggle to make it to the World Health Organization’s recommendation of nursing for at least two years, but we are going to work towards that goal one day at a time, and we will succeed!  William and I haven’t had any problems nursing, and I attribute most of our success to being knowledgeable in the subject.  Something that I would have considered to be a problem before, I no longer consider a problem.  William is very small and nurses often, but that isn’t a problem.  He’s perfectly healthy and normal in every way. 

                                            William nursing at four months old -
                            Amanda Keener Photography - www.amandakeener.com

I started going to La Leche League (www.llli.org) when Wesley was almost a year old after stumbling upon it online while looking into different jobs that have to do with breastfeeding education.  I attend regularly and cannot recommend more strongly that if you are trying to conceive, pregnant, or have a little nursling, for you to attend at least one La Leche League meeting.  There is nothing like having mother-to-mother support surrounded by like-minded women with wisdom and experience in so many different breastfeeding challenges and topics.  I have lots of La Leche League resources and have started my own little advice line through Facebook for women with questions/concerns about breastfeeding.  I am certainly not a professional, nor have I taken any courses, but I do have experience, resources, and a passion.

Nursing necklace - www.mysilpada.com/jennifer.vaughan & Jenny White Photography