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When my son was only a few weeks old, I started having a lot of pain in my right breast. I had read all of the literature I could find and decided it was an blocked duct. Well, it was so painful and I was running a fever (well, my breast was anyway) and I was about to call the doctor when all of the sudden the entire right side of my body from my chest down was soaked! The blocked duct had cleared!
I was embarrassed then, but now it is hilarious!
Holly Barbre
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A few days after giving birth, I was in tears. There was the soreness from giving birth, the lack of sleep, the post-natal depression hormones. The last straw was the sore nipples that were starting to crack. I called a friend who had previously told me about a secret special cream that a pharmacist in a northern community of Quebec had developed, that cured cracked nipples in a few days. I told her that I needed that cream flown down to me immediately! However, she said that the magician pharmacist had said that there was a remedy that worked even better than his magic cream - breast milk. But it had to be applied on dry nipples, and it had to soak in. So after each feed, I delicately dabbed them dry, squeezed and applied some breast milk, and then wore a floating top so that the milk could air-dry for the next half hour. This meant that I was not presentable to the public for days and day, what with this half-hour session after every feed every 3 hours. But that was ok. I was on a very important mission - curing cracking nipples. Well, they were cured within 24 hours! I felt saved! Now I tell everyone who will listen about this natural technique for avoiding sore nipples. Even guys. I tell them to tell their pregnant spouses.
Emma Rath
Creator of http://www.kiddiesgames.com
free fun online computer games for babies and preschoolers.
I had my son when I was only 17. I did not know much about parenting, let alone breastfeeding. When my first baby was born I fell in love with him instantly and was adamant to do everything that was in my power to do what’s best for him. The problem was, I did not really know then what the best WAS. Brought up to trust the authority and doubt every mother instinct that I had. My baby was not given to me for the first 5 days (!), because hospital needed to “run some tests” – he had a mild case of jaundice. Did I object to it? No! Doctors obviously know what they are doing better then I possibly can L
Finally I had a chance to hold my child and attempt to breastfeed. Wonderful Mother Nature still allowed my body to make milk, so I could nourish my baby. Did I listen? No-o-o, I listened to “all knowing” doctors who told me not to feed a baby more often then every 3.5 hours, because he could develop indigestion (did you EVER hear anything more ridiculous then that?)
So, there I was, carrying my crying hungry baby in my arms for the first 4 weeks and ONLY putting him on my breast every 3.5 hours. To make the matters worse, I did not know to count the time from the beginning of feeding to the begging of other feeding. I counted from the end of the feeding…
At the four week check-up he only gained 300g (less then a pound). Now, looking back at it I am surprised he even gained that! When the doctor saw this, I was given the verdict that I do not have “enough milk” and was told to switch to formula ASAP. I did. Did not even get engorged. So my son had a whooping 4 weeks of very limited supply of Mommy’s Milk.
L
With my daughter, who was born 13 years later (yes, my kids are 13 years apart) I made it MY responsibility to educate myself BEFORE having a baby. I visited every imaginable message board for breastfeeding support, read books on it, talked to people who successfully breastfed. This time I was consciously forming MY OWN OPINION on the breastfeeding! Of course I did not prepare myself completely, but I was way more knowledgeable this time J And I was not going to “try” to breastfeed. I was going to breastfeed – there was no other option!
My daughter was suckling on my breast within minutes after her birth. I breastfed on demand. I breastfed her to sleep. I breastfed her for comfort. Doctors again tried to intervene and tell me that she is gaining too much (there is no pleasing everybody, is there?) and I should limit her “intake” to 8oz per feeding. This time I actually argued with doctor (how dare I J) that unfortunately I do not have a gauge build in my breast, so I can not possible “measure” how much her intake is. I was suggested then to just “switch to the formula feeding for better tracking” Huh? No way!
I had to go to work after 2 month of my daughter’s birth. I religiously pumped 3x a day
(Medela rocks!), took herbs to maintain my milk supply, and ate tons of oatmeal (it worked the best for me!)
We had our share of things to overcome – switching between the bottle (with EBM in it, not formula!) and the breast, onset of mastitis (thankfully never fully developed it), and me getting flu (my daughter who was on my breast during those days did not even get a sniffle!)
So, we made it to 11 mos. Then she got a whopping cough accompanied by severely stuffed nose and at that time refused a breast, a bottle a pacifier or anything else that will “plug” her mouth. It was her only breathing path during those days!
I so wanted for the breastfeeding to go on for longer, but being a very strong-willed child (she is 4 now and can see it clearly J) she refused to take breast milk from either my breast, a cup, a spoon, a bottle – anything. I had quite a few bags of frozen BM and was hoping to give it to her at least somehow. Did not work. Well, even though we did not get to do extended breastfeeding and did not even make it to recommended 12 month, I still feel very proud that I was able to provide my baby with the true baby food even though I had to work.
Just one (I mean two :-)) story from a regular mother.
Irina @ www.KidsCottonKnits.com
When my baby was a few months old, she refused to feed from one breast, although she was quite happy to feed from the other. I was worried about that breast drying up. I came to the conclusion that she was having a tooth come through on one side, and breastfeeding on that side would put pressure on it which would hurt her. So the solution we came up with was to breastfeed lying down, with the baby upside down lying on her side! With her head at breast level and her feet extending further than my head. It looked funny and I got a good giggle out of it, but it worked very well. After a few weeks, she accepted to feed normally on that side again.
Emma Rath
Creator of http://www.kiddiesgames.com
free fun online computer games for babies and preschoolers.
My son is 18 months and is not the slightest bit interested in being weaned.
However, my sister's son started walking at 8 months, and this is when he
decided to give up the breast, because he couldn't take it with him when he
was walking around.
Emma Rath
Creator of http://www.kiddiesgames.com,
free fun online computer games for
babies and preschoolers.
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