It was really important to me to atleast try breastfeeding. Working in healthcare and hearing all the benefits immediately and later in life & just hearing about the bonding from my mom and friends made me really want to try. I was very anxious, because I've known so many people that it didn't work out for and it was something that I really wanted to do. We went to classes on it and I read alot of books and info on how to get the best start.
Pat had such a positive attitude about it and kept me going, but once Jack got here I realized how hard it really is and started to have my doubts. Right after birth Pat mentioned to the nurse that I wanted to breastfeed and she said as long as I felt up to it, to let Jack start right the. So the nurses and helped and he definitely latched on before I was even stitched from the episiotomy. I don't think he was getting much but they said every little bit helps and the colostrum will help him through the first couple days. It's amazing how our bodies really are made to do this. When he would nurse I would get cramps/contractions and they help shrink your uterus/get rid of extra blood. I had no idea how linked everything was.
With all the visitors it was so hard to read little Jack's signals that he was hungry so I was constantly worried because he wasn't eating. By the time he was starving he would cry and then would be too angry to latch on and stay on. Luckily they have amazing lactation consultants there and I would just turn on my call light and they would come help. They gave me so many tips and really helped me out. Day 2 was probably the most stressful. Jack was circumsized that morning and just wanted to sleep or would cry in pain. It was awful trying to stay calm when you know he's starving and your milk hasn't come in yet, I wanted so bad to just grab a bottle and get him full so he'd be comfortable, but Pat really helped me and talked me through it. The lactation consultants were in my room probably 4 times a day and by the last day me and Jack could latch on and feed without them! Although my milk still hadn't arrived they assured me it would come. Jack was born at 7lbs 2 oz and left the hospital at 6lbs. 11oz...they reassured me that this was normal and he would probably lose more, but would gain once my milk came in. Sure enough I think it was the 2nd or 3rd day home from hospital and my milk arrived...I think it was enough for every baby in the neighborhood! Jack fed like crazy and started to have more and more wet and dirty diapers and it made me feel great! We took him to the pediatrician and he weighed over and beyond his birth weight, and had lost weight in the hospital. He was doing so great that she said most b-fed babies come in week 2 and 3 to weigh in and he can skip those appointments.
Right now he is eating just about every 2 hours. Breastmilk is easier digested than formula so he gets hungrier quicker and also goes through diapers like crazy. This is through the night also so it gets very tiring and is very difficult when your half asleep. But, once we got the hang of it I absolutely love our time together. I love being in his cozy nursery and bonding with him. He is such a little noisy character and we just stare at eachother :) and he holds my hand. He loves laying on our chests and they say that helps breastfed babies. Pat has been great and I probably would've grabbed the formula if it wasn't for him. To be totally honest I think it was 10 times worse than the labor and delivery. The patience and trial and error that it took was really stressful He takes Jack for the diaper changes so I can get a bathroom break/extra 10 minutes of sleep. I'm so thankful that it has worked so far and I pray that the milk keeps coming!
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