Breast Feeding - A must read mother’s true experience
Breast Feeding makes a comeback
First time mother’s-to be have many questions when they’re expecting. When I was pregnant with my first child in the mid-eighties, breast feeding had made a comeback. At the time I was born, I don’t think many women at all were breast feeding, including my mother. I began to read a lot about it and thought that I’d like to try it.
Common questions on breast feeding
Of course, I was anxious about it. Would I be able to do it right? How do you do it? Will the baby get enough to eat? Does breast feeding feel strange? I had these questions and many more. When I finally delivered my son and fed him for the first time, some of my questions were put to rest. It was easier than I thought. However, I had so many people telling me what to do that I didn’t listen to my own instincts. I remember a nurse at the hospital telling me that he needed to eat 20-25 minutes on each side. When I was at the hospital, breast feeding seemed to go well.
When I got home it was another story. The day I came home from the hospital my milk came in. Even though I expected this, I wasn’t quite prepared for how uncomfortable it would be. I also wasn’t expecting to be so sore. The nurses told me that I’d get sore and that the best thing was to keep nursing. I remember nursing him and holding back tears because it hurt so bad. If that wasn’t bad enough, he wasn’t eating 20-25 minutes like the nurses said he should be eating. He would eat 20 minutes on one side and then fall asleep. This would usually happen during the middle-of-the-night feeding. So there’d I’d be sitting in a rocking chair bawling my eyes out because 1) he didn’t eat enough, 2) he didn’t burp, 3) I know my other side is going to be so engorged I won’t be able to bear it, and 4) I’m very, very tired.
Keep it up and don’t be discouraged
So now that I’ve pretty much scared everyone away from breast feeding, let me just say that I’m so glad this only lasts such a short time. This difficult time only lasted for a week to week and a half. It’s well worth it to continue. The soreness goes away, and you fall into a comfortable routine once you’ve done it for a while.
When I had my second child, it was much, much easier. For one thing, I didn’t concentrate so much on how long she ate. From the start I decided that I’d feed her for ten minutes on one side, and then ten on the other. That worked well, and she turned out to be my best weight gainer of my three children. I was much more relaxed the second time around, and that made a big difference. There are so many benefits of breast feeding, even if you only do it for a short time. You’re the best mom for your baby, and only you can know what is best and right for your baby. If breast feeding works for you, use your instincts, and enjoy being a mom.