So far, I've survived my first week alone with both boys! Stu's first week back to work after Finn's birth took him a few hours away for work, and he's been staying in hotels all week. It's been the hardest and most challenging week of my life, but we've made it. So far. Only one night alone before he comes home tomorrow!
Gage has been challenging lately, he seems to pick the time I'm seated and nursing Finn to get into something troublesome, like he knows I can't move or do anything but talk to him. Being patient is not my strong point, but being patient while sleep deprived has been even harder.
Finn and I have had a few problems, all minor, while nursing. With Gage, I struggled to breastfeed because I had such a difficult recovery and it hurt to sit. We had some small problems with our latch, but figured it out pretty quickly. He just had such a sensitive belly and I had such a plain diet in order to keep him happy. With Finn, we've had more latch problems. He doens't open his mouth wide enough, and while I was hugely engorged (I had what Stu called "porno boobs") he got into the bad habit of only latching onto my nipple, so he made me really really REALLY sore. I'm grateful for the post partem care from my midwives this time around, because they've been super helpful in correcting the latch. We finally got things figured out, only for Finn to have his first growth spurt and want to nurse 24/7. Of course, it HAD to happen while Stu was away. It made for some LONG nights. He would eat and eat and eat and then be so full he'd throw it all up, make a huge mess, then want to eat again.
With Gage, I was for whatever reason, really reluctant to ask for breastfeeding help. I just told anyone who asked that we were all good and no problems. This time, I've asked for help and I've found some incredible resources online that have made a world of difference. Just a supportive community of other breastfeeding mom's can be such a huge help!
While I know it's harder on me in the beginning to breastfeed, or at least it has been for me because we've hit a few little speedbumps, I know it gets easier. That would be the advice that I give to anyone just starting out and are afraid of the world of breastfeeding. It's HARD work. It's frustrating sometimes, and at first you have no idea what you and baby are doing. But It gets better, and sometime around the one month mark, it becomes flawlessly easy. It is definitely not something I regret doing for a second, despite the lack of sleep and the sore nipples and the porno boobs.
I don't think any blog posts will be very long for the next little bit, as I've written this Finn has pooped and Gage has disappeared and is being very quiet. Never a good sign!
Here are some breastfeeding resources!
www.theleakyboob.com
http://www.nbci.ca/
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