Comments on: Breastfeeding Issues: Is it just me, or do other Moms feel this way, but just don’t tell anyone?

By: Consolata

Consolata — Sat, 29 May 2010 00:21:33 +0000

Jennifer, I am surprised you feel this way. We are all sharing experiences and thoughts here not the laid down law or medical quotes – and we are all free to share our stories. I researched a lot about breast feeding I came up with a whole lot saying that breastfeeding aided intelligence; mind you not only breastfeeding. Also for you information I love my daughter as dearly as I love her brother; size for me is not an issue at all we all come in different shapes and sizes. Also I never meant that she was not intelligent I just said she started talking later than he did. Developing speech early does not connote superior intelligence – the say because they sucked for long the mouth is kind of ready to make sound or words earlier. I mentioned above in my previous comment that they are both brainy so I wonder what you read. My kids are my loves through and through.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Fri, 21 May 2010 00:57:08 +0000

Consolata-
I take great offense to your comments about breastfed babies being more intelligent. I wasn’t able to breastfeed due to the fact that I have to take anti-seizure medications which are passed into breastmilk therefore making my milk toxic. My first born son is 3 years old but most people think he is 5 years because of his size and speach . My daughter is 19 months old and is stringing together 3 and 4 word sentences, she is also tall for her age. This dispells your idea that breastfed babies are bigger or speak earlier than their formula fed counterparts. The reason my children are so verbal is I read to them and with them. I talk to them and teach them. I am also concerned about the comments you made about your daughter, you imply that she is inferrior to her brother in both intelligence and size because she breastfed for 5 months less than him. Every child is different and develops at different rates.

By: Consolata

Consolata — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 00:05:45 +0000

I breastfed my two babies. I did not enjoy the act in itself but I enjoyed the fact that it allowed me to enrich my babies nutritionally, emotionally and most especially physically and mentally. I did not go the the doctor in the first 12 months for ear infections, colds or any of those childhood infections child get all the time and this was due to breastfeeding my tow babies. My tow kids are very brainy and sharp – studies have shown that breastfeeding improves intelligence/ brain function in children. My son breastfed till 15 months [He was very big baby because of this]- I tried to stop at 12 months and he went on a one week hunger strike I had to resume breastfeeding immediately based on my doctors advice and went on till he was 15 months. He was a hungry baby he could breast feed for two hours at a stretch. I devised various methods of breastfeeding at night [you don't want to know them] so I could get some beauty sleep. My daughter [second born]was different kettle of fish entirely, she used to suck in very short bursts of 10, 20 0r 30 minutes at most – she was a light eater. I battled to keep her on the breast till she was about 10 months, She was quite indifferent to the whole breastfeeding thing and all baby cereals or formula for that matter… how ironic considering what her senior brother had out me through.
But from their sizes now you would definitely know who loved the breast; he is 4 and wears size 7 clothes [ His is not fat just tall, thick and strong] while his sister is 2 and wears her age appropriate clothes. My son started talking before his first birthday and my daughter at about 18 months – babies who are breastfed for longer periods have been proven to develop speech earlier. All in all the major benefits are good health, emotional stability and mental alertness.

By: valerie

valerie — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 20:18:45 +0000

It is hard and sometimes it just plain sucks but it’s the best thing for your baby. Perhaps, moms who have breastfed are sanctimonious about it but it does come from a “this is the best choice for your baby” place. There were many times that I wanted to quit. I had cracked and bleeding nipples and every other breast ailment in the book but, like you, I was determined to stick it out because it was the healthiest choice for my daughter. I feel bad for the woman with the c-section because I understand it inhibits the hormones that assist with milk production. I hope she’s able to produce. I think with patience, it will happen. I had a friend who never carried a child in her womb but adopted 2 children and nursed them. Now, THAT’s determination.

By: K.

K. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:35:08 +0000

Your post reminded me of a recent article, “The Case Against Breast Feeding” that appeared in The Atlantic Monthly (it’s by Caitlin Flanagan). It’s controversial yes, and definitely worth reading, given the way you’ve been feeling. You aren’t alone!

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200904/case-against-breastfeeding

By: devaskyla

devaskyla — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 23:09:50 +0000

@Kaja sounds like Raynaud’s or vasospasm http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/nipple-blanching.html

By: Kaja

Kaja — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:29:00 +0000

Well.. I am a bit late on writing this,.. But here it goes.. yeah it’s hard at first.. my mother said that when I was a baby.. I would nurse for an hour… every 2 hours… for the first .. oh .. 3 months..
But my experiance was a bit different. I didn’t have any trouble with too little milk.. maybe too much at first anyways. But SORE!! yeah I was sooo soo sore. I thought I must be doing something wrong.. but apparently .. at my appt.. they said all was good.. And to try to use some lanolin.

But I did have some problems. I had horrible pain when I would go outside into the cold. I mean crippeling pain in my breasts. Later I think maybe I had had mastitis or something.. But get it checked out if you are having problems! Better safe than sorry.. and well despite those issues in the start.
I went on to nurse my son 2.5 years. And well there was no way I thought that would ever happen. But I have the most healthy boy ever.. and am pleased with that.

Now I am awaiting number 2.. due today.. and probably won’t nurse as long this time, But we’ll see! At least the first year is my goal!

By: Amanda

Amanda — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:47:04 +0000

You’ve probably already made your decision, but I just wanted to let you know I’ve so been there. I hated breastfeeding, but knew it was best for my kids. I was so glad when my milk dried up with my first son at 3 months. I don’t care how rare it is, I wasn’t producing enough. I only stuck it out that long because we really couldn’t afford formula, but I hated every minute of it after the first couple weeks.

With my second, it took much less time for me to not like breastfeeding. He couldn’t latch on properly, we had many feeding issues, and then once we got those straightened out, he wanted to nurse EVERY.FREAKIN.HOUR. And he’d spend about 20 minutes on each boob. I had about 20 minutes out of every hour to myself 24/7. So the bottle it was.

(((HUGS))) from someone who’s been there. It’s ok, and you can bond with your child. My boys both still prefer Mama when it comes down to it.

By: Momof5month-old

Momof5month-old — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:11:23 +0000

I felt pretty much the same way in the beginning, but I had so much support from family and friends who kept telling me how much easier it got. I know that you had to stop because of your medicine, but since you wanted to know how others felt, I figured I’d tell you. I was not feeling the bonding and it was a struggle for me at first, too, but it really did get so much easier after a few months! I LOVE breastfeeding now and am so glad I stuck with it. It actually makes things easier for me because I hate when I don’t get enough sleep and I never have to make bottles in the middle of the night!

By: Michelle

Michelle — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:40:10 +0000

My baby boy is 13 years old not but I could have written this. In fact I could have written your preg and labor sign beginnings too–it is so similar. And the loss of placenta/hormone induced tears and despair…..!!!! Anyway about the bfeeding–I too had a barracuda baby boy. Perpetually attached to me. And I didn’t get much out of pumping. A barracuda baby means sore nipples very quickly. In fact I had scabs. So I’d put a hot washcloth over each breast before I got started. To this DAY my husband tells the story (and we laugh and laugh) about how at 10 days or so he went to the pharmacy at midnight to get some lansinoh ointment for me. There was a line. A lady was arguing about a bill with the pharmacist. There were about 8 people in front of my hubs. Finally my hubs shouted, “Lady, you won’t get this resolved. In the meantime my wife is at home with a new baby and cracked nipples and I need help!!” He got ushered up to the front real quick by everyone.
Anyway, after 2 weeks or so it got better. A lot better. The nipples healed up. Let them air dry with breastmilk on them. I then introduced him to a bottle of my milk (by bottle I mean a few ounces) at about 5 weeks. This was because at 6 weeks I would have some outpatient sugery and needed to pump/dump for 24 hours, plus at 12 weeks I was going back to work. It worked best to have the hubs give him the bottle, not me. I would eventually add a little bit of formula to the bottle to give him a little more. We eventually got a routine when I went back to work of breastfeeding at dinner time and bedtime and middle of nighttime. My son was same weight as yours and my 3 sons have always needed to double their birthweight before they slept much at night. So now I am getting into the sleeping topic. He barely slept for the first 3 months. He would sleep if I drove the car but I was really a daytime and nighttime zombie. And then it got better and better.
Second son 20 months later–nursed like a champ for 10 minutes at a time and went back to sleep. No nipple soreness. I was so thrilled he was quiet I did not care that he woke me up to eat every 3 hours. And I know it is not comprehended–having a son 13 years old seems a lifetime away, but even when he was little we looked back and said it was so, so, so hard for those first three months with the bfeeding and the non-sleeping but it was such a small length of time now that we think about it. I am sure that you already know this and you have been given some great advice to help out you and others but always have water bottles for you around the house and finger food munchies like carrots, those sandwich tortilla roll up things, etc. Watch your favorite shows, read magazines, chat with all your girlfriends. I would eat my dinner with baby attached and who cares of lettuce falls on his head. We women are fabulous and soon you can go tinkle with baby attached, make food and do stuff. Find someone to do sling wearing demonstrations for you. Feed baby in car and then walk around and shop with baby Monkey in sling. It will soon be really, really fun in the fall!! OK, enough for now.