0
0
This week kicks off National Breastfeeding Week and I’m about share my experiences with breastfeeding. I’m not going to lie – breastfeeding didn’t just come naturally to me. In fact, I had to work really, really hard at it.
You see, many books, websites, and even some mothers, will sell a new mother on the idea that breast is best and that a woman should try every attempt possible to breastfeed. What no one tells you are a few things: 1) it doesn’t come naturally, and 2) it can be hard as shit if you’re a new mother.
When I was in the hospital with Bo, I kept calling the nurses and the aides in to help me latch on. It seems I could never get it right no matter how hard I tried. Eventually, by the time the second day rolled around (I was in the hospital a total of three days), I got the hang of it. But boy, did it hurt! I mean, it really hurt. I’m talking that each time Yoda latched on, I grimaced. That’s when I learned I wasn’t doing it right and thus, had to start the process all over again.
Oh joy.
When I did get him to latch on, I was nursing around the clock and on demand. There were many times where I was so tired, I just wanted him to eat and go back to sleep. You see, another thing no one told me was that in the early weeks, breastfeeding can sometimes take upwards to 30 minutes per breast and I have to feed my son every 2-3 hours. Oh and one thing that no one still warned me about – being butt hurt. No, not emotionally butthurt but literally butt hurt. Your ass hurts from sitting in the same position for so long. Ouch!
Yeah. Everyone was conspiciously quiet. I’m wondering if those same people love me.
Now once I did get a hang of breastfeeding, it really was like second nature. I was able to catch up on reading and websurfing while I fed Yoda and eventually the feeding times became shorter. Everyone supported my efforts and no one suggested formula as an addition. I realize I’m one of the lucky ones because a lot of women don’t have that support.
One thing that did surprise me about breastfeeding is not the fear of producing enough milk but rather, overproducing. At one point, I’d produced so much milk, Yoda’s poop was coming out green because he wasn’t getting the fatty hindmilk that comes in after a few minutes of nursing. After a week or so, I corrected it where he stayed on for at least ten minutes before I offered him the other breast to top him off.
I never had an issue of nursing in public (NIP) since I always use a cover. Now, I need to make it clear – I’m not pro-cover. I use one because I’m busty and it’s mainly to keep googling eyes off me. Even when I didn’t have a cover, I found a private area where I could nurse and not have googling eyes staring at my breasts. I recalled one time I was at a restaurant with M. when I had to nurse Bo and from the corner of my eye, I saw a guy trying to get a peek under my cover. There are some fools who see breastfeeding as a sexual act despite it’s not. It does make me wonder, if breastfeeding is a sexual act, wouldn’t that be considered child pornography and some sickos get off on that shit?
Just a thought.
Transitioning to solid foods has been a hit and miss. Yoda loves some solid foods but he very much still likes and wants his milk. I often nurse him throughout the day and mainly at night.
My goal is nurse Bo until he’s at least two, maybe three and repeat the same with all of my other future kids. Here’s hoping!
