My Humps

Last night, I attended a breastfeeding class sponsored by La Leche League. I was both interested in attending and a little wary. But I really wanted to go because after skimming a few books on the topic, I had more questions than answers about the process.

Most of the literature makes breastfeeding sound more difficult than quantum physics. On the other hand, I also understand that most members of La Leche have an agenda that I can't entirely get behind. I'm not judging here: These are completely individual choices and I respect any woman's personal decision but I definitely fall more to the middle of the spectrum.

As it turned out, the class was more helpful than not. I got quite a few of my most important questions answered, such as: Can I still drink coffee and breastfeed? and Am I allowed a few glasses of wine without having to worry about disposing of the milk?

Yes, the meeting leader did mention the many benefits of breastfeeding through the toddler years, but she didn't do so in such a way that made me feel guilty for considering weaning at 12 months or before. She didn't make me feel as if bottle feeding expressed milk at some point was a bad choice.

I learned several interesting things as well. Breastfed babies apparently don't get diaper rash or constipation? Can anyone confirm or deny this?

Also, apparently breast milk is a wonder liquid that can be used to cure all manner of ills from chapped lips to pink eye. Although I can't imagine many people who would allow me to apply my breast milk to their eyes or lips nor for that matter, would I be offering this service.

Of all the potential pitfalls of new motherhood, this is the one I have been most concerned about. There just seems to be so much to learn about the process and the logistics. How often to do it, how long, what can I eat and drink, how soon before we can introduce expressed milk in bottles so I don't feel like a human pacifier, which bras work best, how to handle problems... And the list goes on and on.

I am much more successful in learning by experience than trying to figure things out from reading books. Unfortunately in this situation if the experience isn't going well, I have to fall back on literature or hope that I have a really good support system in place. But who can I call at 3am if something isn't working?

There is so much to learn and unfortunately the learning curve has to be fairly short. Up until now, the most difficult thing I've ever learned how to do in a short period of time was skiing. In a way, there are many similarities:

Both activities involve using parts of my body in ways I have never used them before. Learning to manage the lift is essential in both. Both can be painful if not done properly. Both require special clothing and equipment. Both are beautiful and awe inspiring.

And both provide the illusion of control as you sail along effortlessly until you make one wrong move and then find yourself quickly sliding downhill.

Comments

[Chris]

My SIL ended up pumping and feeding breast milk for about 7 months. My niece got too pissed about what she apparently considered the inadequate speed at which the breast milk could be obtained directly from the source, so it was WAY better to bottle feed her. Plus, the bottle feeding allowed all of us to feed the baby and enjoy that special bonding time with her. I wouldn't have changed that aspect for the world.

[mayberry]

I found that I used my breastfeeding reference books more than any others. They are helpful and so is kellymom.com.

Also, you can call me at 3 a.m. It will only be 2 a.m. where I live. :)

Oh, and my breastfed babies were rarely rashy and never constipated, so there's two data points for ya.

[Susanne]

The best thing about breastfeeding was after the initial weeks of worrying and not knowing how and such I could just leave the house with the baby and a spare diaper. Maybe a bottle of water for me. There was always enough to eat for the baby I didn't need any paraphernalia (not even nursing bras or such things). Ah, freedom...

And since I'm working I started pumping breastmilk and having it given to my son by my MIL when he was 8 weeks old. No problem. And I breastfed for 13 months but in the end it was more for comfort when going to sleep than for anything else.

[V-Grrrl]

I breast fed my son for a year and my daughter for about 18 months. My son NEVER had a rash but my daughter has delicate skin and if she wasn't changed immediately, she got rashes. We never had a problem with constipation but my son had colic and gas.

There are lots of people who can offer breastfeeding advice--I used a lactation consultant and La Leche league members when I had questions early on. The La Leche league people I worked with were nice and helpful. I also got a very good price ordering a Medela breast pump from them.

Breastfeeding can be simple or complicated; it depends as much on the baby as it does on the mom's anatomy and technique and attitude. My niece had three children and effortlessly nursed them and then had all sorts of problems nursing her fourth one. I didn't have any major issues, just the ones everyone faces when they first start. Because my son was premature, he took expressed milk from a bottle until he had a strong enough sucking reflex to take it from my breast. He moved easily between both sources of breastmilk without any problem from birth on. With my daughter, I never bothered with pumping or bottles.

[mamatulip]

Both Julia and Oliver were breastfed and they both got diaper rashes. I honestly think it depends on the baby.

I breastfed Julia for a year and Oliver for almost five months...if you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to email me, okay?

[Demeter]

It has been true for my baby and I that breasfeeding doesn't cause as many diaper rashes as with formula. And she has never been constipated. She has gained 6 lbs in 2 months from breastfeeding only and it is the best nutrition for her. I don't think books can help you. Your little child will be your teacher. They will tell you when to feed them, and how much, you will learn from them, you will adjust to each other. It is some miraculous and wonderful thing to watch as it happens.
At first, I had no milk, I had to giver her formula, but was adamant about breastfeeding, and as soon as the milk came, she never saw a bottle again. It will work if you make it work for you.

[Carol]

My son got constipated after I went back to work full time (with my new best friend the breast pump), doctor told me it was because I wasn't drinking enough fluids -- now I wasn't having the problem just the kidlet -- I drank more water and presto just like magic -- poopy diapers!!

[Amy Y.]

It's funny, after Viola was born, people told me they were amazed because they thought for sure I wouldn't last with the breastfeeding. Breastfed both of my girls until they were 2 1/2. I would NEVER have thought I would- of course the last year of that was mostly as they were going to sleep at night and as a comfort thing. Hey, you'll find rabid advocates on both sides. Mostly, people want to justify what THEY did so they don't have to feel guilty about the choices THEY made. But this is about YOU. Do what works for you and your baby. Hey, I was bottle fed antirely and I feel like I turned out okay- I definately lost more IQ points in college drinking binges than I did from not being breastfed so... Btu I will say, I loved breastfeeding my girls and part of that was purely selfish- I enjoyed the fact that it was something I could give them that no one else could. Hey, I'll admit it. Umm, loved the fact that I could eat, HAD to eat a ton to just maintain my weight while I was breastfeeding. It was also super convenient. Just keep in mind that once the kid starts eating food, they will breastfeed less, so when you're talking about breastfeeding at 1 year- you're not talking about the same time commitment at say 6 weeks when it's every few hours around the clock. And hey, you can call me at 3am. It'll only be midnight here. :) I'm sure bottle-feeding has it's pros, as well, but neither of my girls took a bottle, so I can't tell you about that. As for diaper rash- neither of my girls had problems with that but I don't know if that is because of being breastfed. No constipation either. I do believe that I've rwad breastfed babies are less likely to get ear infections and tend to be a bit more protected from illness because they are provided serum IGA antibodies through the milk which compensates for their immature immune systems. Viola never got sick until she stopped breastfeeding- and Avery was sick maybe only once or twice- but it could also be that at 2 they start getting out in the world a bit more and are exposed to more germs (or maybe it is just the miracle of breastmilk). Ah, finally, I have to say that nursing was good for my mental/emotional state- I truly did feel that hormonal high when I'd nurse- you feel sort of sleepy and happy from, what, prolactin or something? Anyhow, I would say you'll find both positive and negative experiences out there on both sides- there is some clear evidence regarding the effects of breastfeeding, but hey, it's only good if it's good- gotta do what works for you and what feels right to you.

[Sillychick]

I couldn't breastfeed my son, but did with my daughter for just a few months. I wasn't cut out for it (namely my boobs are wayyy too big and to see them get engorged, ugh!)
Just a little tidbit though, visit your area WIC office and they may have info for you, too. My SILs mom is a dietician for the one here in town and everyone there was always so helpful.

[kate]

Oh girl, what can I say but, be prepared! It's so good that you have gone to a La Leche League meeting. Yes, they can be quite extreme. When I went to one, seeing the chick with a 3 year old on her boob was a little quirky to me, but they can provide good information.

And as far as pumping - my advice would be to pump away as soon as you want. No need to wait, as far as I'm concerned. When they are newborns, they don't care where their milk is coming from, as long as it keeps coming. Just make sure to not overfeed from the bottle which is really the one of the only things that makes breastfeeding and bottle feeding different. Breast milk is definitely best, so I am a big advocate of pumping. I pumped at work and breast fed until my last one was about 8 mths old.

And yes, my breastfed kids never really had diaper rash and never had constipation from breastmilk. In fact, they pooped like 7 times a day when they were newborns.

Sorry for such a long comment, it's just a subject near and dear to me since I was so unprepared when I had my first.

[The Fat Lady Sings]

Now you see - this is when the internet is as its best! Where else can you get this much info? The straight skinny too - no agenda, no bullshit. Man I love blogging! Universal democracy – all at your fingertips. It has truly reformed how people look at their world.

Now - since I don't have children - I can't really add to the discussion, honey; but my best friend’s sister breastfed her first baby until teeth became an issue. The transition to a bottle went smoothly, though. Her second is due the end of this month. She'll approach everything the way she did with Lilah - but who knows if it will work out the same way or not? I’m sure however it goes with your son – he’ll do wonderfully!

[veronica]

I breastfed both my daughters, but with difficulty. I don't make enough milk, and had to pump every day to stimulate production. I weaned them at nine months and ten months when their failure to gain enough weight became too anxiety-producing to continue with breastfeeding.

Both of them had lots of diaper rashes.

[Her Bad Mother]

WonderBaby never got constipated, but she did get diaper rash. And she was VERY gassy, and very spit-uppy. BFing is very convenient, and obviously best for the baby, but it's not easy at first (at least, not for me) and you do have to watch what you eat (ask Kristen/MU about needing to alter her diet dramatically to address Q's intolerances.) The best advice that I could give about BFing would be twofold: 1) don't expect it to be easy. If it is, great; if it isn't, you're not thrown back (as I was). 2) Find a really, really good, non-prejudicial lactation consultant. Saved my life, mine did, and that's almost no exaggeration.

xo

[Karen]

I'm a middle of the road girl myself, I will say this however: in a desperate post-partum move last summer on a hot day, we headed to the mall. While there with newborn I discovered the two year olds' pinkeye...yes, I did (in car not mall) , no he didn't like it...not sure if it worked as we headed to doctor for our next outing, but it made me feel like I was protecting the newborn...

[idyllia]

Lots of great information already here - I wandered over from HBM and this is a subject near and dear to me.

I am still breastfeeding my nearly two-year-old son and thought I might offer my 0.02.

First, breatfeeding was all at once easier and harder than I ever expected. The first six weeks were gruelling, but to have good lactation help (LC or LLL) is priceless. I had my share of all boob-related trauma, but was pleased to discover that breast-milk cured all superficial woes and warm compresses comforted all internal ones.

Breast milk cleared up so many other things, most notably those tiny scratches babies are constantly giving themselves. I still spray Boo's boo-boos when he'll let me. If he had pink eye or an ear infection I would dose him in an instant - I have no doubt that mama milk is a cure-all(most).

At three am you will have loads of people you can call, I'm sure. But I recommend getting as much help during daylight hours as possible, I hope you will find very little will surprise you in the middle of the night. I found boo easiest to nurse at night when he wasn't at all tempted to do anything but eat and go back to sleep, maybe poop. Without distraction, things were easy.

Breastfeeding also makes travelling easier, at least at first, because there's no need for extra equipment, never a need to warm a bottle or mix powder or worry about forgetting something vital.

Lastly, Boo never once got constipated - compared to a friends son who was 3 days younger, who seemed constantly, painfully constipated with the foulest-smelling poops imagineable. (Side note - boob fed babies have almost un-stinky poop until they start solids... seriously, the amount he could stink once he started solids shocked us to no end). We had a few rashes, but we used cloth diapers. We didn't have very many though, in retrospect.

Long-ass comment...

One more aside - we had some serious gas issues too, screaming jags that has us whispering colic, but before we gave up hope I quit dairy. Worked wonders for us. I wish someone had told me - I ended up finding a note about it after a very long night with google.

[Brenda]

I nursed my five. Two quit at 5 months. They just didn't like it and weren't gaining weight. Last baby I nursed for 14 months. He's now a Marine (not that nursing had anything to do with that)

They were all individuals with the nursing. One never wanted a bottle with anything in it, one liked a binky inbetween.

Watch what you eat. It will effect your baby. Chocolate, raw onions and broccoli bothered all of mine. They would get cranky like colic and their tummy would get hard. When I changed my diet, they were happy campers.

Most important. Relax. Don't stress it. The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed the baby will be. Oh, and keep a pillow handy, for under which ever arm the babies head is resting on. They get heavy!

Good Luck to you!

[Mom101]

I breastfed for 6 months - not as long as some but enough to figure it out. I'll tell ya this much:

1) Whoever tells you bf babies don't get diaper rashes is an idiot. First of all, they can be allergic to things you are eating. Secondly, just duh.

2) You are so smart in knowing it will come more with practice than with studying about it in advance.It just doesn't make a whit of sense until you start doing it.

3) It is both totally natural and instinctual...and entirely a pain in the butt. It will work for you or it won't and like everything else as a parent, you'll take it as it comes.

Wishing you so much luck and so little anxiety.

[Author Mom DogNut]

Yep--another no diaper rash or constipation vote here.

If I had it to do over again, I would have gotten La Leche info along with a nursing consultant right away. It would have saved me mucho headaches.

Also, if you really want to breastfeed, I'd advise not trying to mix that with bottle feeding at the beginning. They require different sucking action from the baby, and wind up causing wicked confusion. Best to forego that drama altogether if you can and just stick with the breast feeding for the first few weeks if you can.

[mdog]

everything okay in soulgardening land? all is quiet...

[Lily]

I dont know the "agenda" thing but I breastfed four kids and I never once had a diaper rash. My kids hardly ever got sick and I agree that once you get the hang of it its easy to leave the house. No fumbling in the dark at three am either.
But the first baby was scary and it took weeks for me to get it right.Once I called the LL woman up crying that I had no milk. I had moments of tension when people did not feel comfortable with me doing it and times where (younger) I felt some kind of awkwardness.It can and does get better. People always told me I had great quiet happy babies and I did- Im convinced thats why.
I fed them on demand, let them snuggle and they hardly had a problem. No infection, little gas. There's a wisdom to doing things as nature intended. THAT SAID be easy on yourself because you're not a bad mom if you aren't a fanatic. And after a year their systems are mature and they have their own immunity. There's no reason to make it a freakin lifestyle. Talk to people who get it, who get YOU. Walk away from judgement-deal with it after the post partum crap but dont humor lecturing mean-wells unless you feel like it.
Good luck, I will check in, take care of yourself.