4 Things I Forgot about Breastfeeding

Don’t be alarmed: There’s a couple side boob pics. #normalizebreastfeeding

One would think that going through pregnancy, motherhood, and breastfeeding the second time around (kid #2) that I’d remember what it’s like to go through it again.  However, these are the 4 things I had forgot and things you should know about breastfeeding.

It hurts.  It hurts a lot.

You never knew how hard a little human can suck until that little human is attached to your nipple for the first few weeks.  I’m definitely one of the lucky ones where I’ve never had (knock on wood) chapped or cracked nipples but I could feel the pain all the way to my toes.  Every time I fed my hungry little man, I would clinch for the first few minutes then the pain would subdue.  And when my milk came in, ooooo Lordy.  Ouch.  The good thing is that it does get better and if the baby is latching correctly, it shouldn’t hurt.

Lactation Consultant is the baby and boob whisperer.

You don’t know until you know.  I thought I remembered everything about breastfeeding the first go around and didn’t need a ‘consultant.’  But, you’ve probably have forgotten a few things… I definitely did, or maybe pregnancy brain got the best of me.  Plus, what worked for baby number one may not work for baby number two.

Hospitals provide a lactation consultant so take full advantage.  Whether it’s about breastfeeding, pumping, baby feeding schedule, they can help!  The lactation consultant will come visit you while you’re still in the hospital with your newborn or you can make an appointment later on.

I remember thinking it was a little weird to go from never showing my boobs to anyone (I was never the girls-gone-wild-type of girl) than all of a sudden having a stranger (aka lactation consultant) all up in your nipples and smacking your 12 hour old baby’s head into your boob.  However, they are the experts and if you’re breastfeeding right, it shouldn’t hurt… or shouldn’t hurt AS bad.  If you left the hospital and are still struggling, call your doctor and see if you can go visit one.

Keep up with the bottle otherwise you’ll forever be breastfeeding.

There are so many sides to this.  I’ve always heard that by using bottles and pacifiers early on could cause nipple confusion and to use sparingly because baby could potentially only want the bottle.  Obviously, some moms have no control if baby will latch onto the breast or not and Im extremely lucky that my 4 month old has always latched like a champ.  However, I’m kicking myself now because I failed to remember that there is a chance that he might not take the bottle.

My first baby resisted the bottle for a month but eventually took it.  My second baby, took the bottle for the first 6 weeks and now he won’t.  I took a 2 week timeout on the bottle (1. because I’m lazy and hate pumping 2. because I actually love to breastfeed).  Ever since then, he has refused bottle.  We’ve tried what I think is everything.  Different bottles, different temperatures, different people trying (including RN’s and pediatricians), different times, I’ve tried giving him the switch-a-roo from my nipple to bottle, breast milk AND formula, and I was even gone for 30+ hours and the poor baby was on rotation with husband, mother-in-law, aunt, and was force fed from a syringe because nothing worked.  Meanwhile, I was in Nashville boot-scoot-N-pumping a stash of milk that the baby will probably never want to drink because, well… he’s a boob guy.  According to my pediatrician, once I go back to work baby should eventually take a bottle but some baby’s won’t ever take it.   Fingers crossed that all goes well but this has already given me anxiety about going back to work.

Breastfeeding is a gift.

I had forgotten how special this time was with my baby. Breastfeeding is so much more than just feeding.  It is one of the most special, sacred, private things that is just between us. No one else…just him and I.  I find myself sometimes stressed and complain “having” to feed him, but I’ll look into his eyes and realize this is exactly where I need to be. It helps me slow down my life, a life that gets easily distracted from external nonsense.  I realize that these sweet little moments will not last long but will forever be etched in my memory that will one day, be a day I wish I could go back to.

Here are my favorite breast feeding products:

Thank you for reading!  What are your favorite breastfeeding products?  What surprised you the most about breastfeeding?

xoxo, Rachael

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