Like pretty much every woman I know, I have had a very up and down relationship with my breasts. Currently I think they are amazing and can do magical things.
I remember when I was young wanting to have breasts. My friend and I used to do the "I must, I must, I must increase my bust" exercises, to no avail. When we started 6th grade, one of the girls had grown a pair, a substantial pair, over the summer and I was jealous as was pretty much every girl in our class. (Years later, there was a rumour that she was stuffing, I have no idea if this was true or not, but when I heard it I felt a little satisfied)
Showing posts with label Breastfeeding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Breastfeeding. Show all posts
Friday, 13 May 2011
Saturday, 26 February 2011
I Took Off For A Couple of Days
This week I went on a business trip to England. I had mixed feelings about going on the trip, but am glad that I did.
Excited:
- I haven't been off the North American continent in about 5 years, and hadn't been to England in about 8 years.
- I thought that I would be able to catch up on sleep.
- I was going to use my brain again
- I was going to be in a completely adult world
- I was going to be able to have a drink
- I was going to be able to wear clothes that had nothing to do with nursing or trekking through the snow or pushing a swing
- exHusband would be spending a lot of time with the boys alone and would finally understand why I was such a crank
Nervous/Worried:
- I was very worried that I hadn't stock-piled enough breast-milk for BBJ2
- I was worried that I might lose my milk
- I was worried that BBJ2 might decide that he prefers a bottle to the breast
- I was nervous about meeting lots of new colleagues
- I was nervous that I wouldn't be able to have a conversation if it didn't involve Dora or Buzz Lightyear
- I was a bit worried that my emotions might run amuck and I wouldn't be able to hold it together
The Results:
- Spent 2 days in England and saw the airport, and 2 hotels, so I didn't really get to explore or shop the way I like to when I travel.
- Came home more tired than before I left. Couldn't sleep on the plane even though I was in Executive Class with the fancy full bed/seat. Stuck at a Holiday Inn next to a theme park during a week that was a school break, so there were children running up and down the halls screaming and laughing, and I think my hotel room was haunted. Again on the plane home couldn't sleep.
- I did use my brain and it was awesome.
- Completely adult world = excellent. I did get to do some baby/child talk though because some of my colleagues have children and one was pregnant, so of course lots of baby chit chat.
- I got drunk on a glass and a half of wine. I've been pretty much pregnant or nursing (or both) for over 3 years now, so my tolerance is a bit low. I did not make a fool of myself - so that was good.
- Clothes - WooHoo, loved wearing clothes that were for me.
- I think he gets it
- There is still milk in the freezer - Whew!
- Still producing - while I was away my breasts were huge and felt like they were filled with milk, I was pumping to keep up supply but wasn't able to pump as frequently as BBJ2 nurses.
- Still nursing
- I don't know why I always get nervous about meeting new people, it is almost always o.k., and this time was no problem.
- I did have a conversation about Dora, but otherwise was able to have intelligent conversations
- Emotions stayed in check while I was at the conference, I did lost it a bit on the plane home, but otherwise o.k.
Overall, it was a success, I was able to function in a work environment and I made some great contacts for when I return to work, BBJ1 had an excellent time with Dad, BBJ2 had a hard time without breast-feeding but he was fine, and exHusband had some good dedicated parenting time with his boys.
Excited:
- I haven't been off the North American continent in about 5 years, and hadn't been to England in about 8 years.
- I thought that I would be able to catch up on sleep.
- I was going to use my brain again
- I was going to be in a completely adult world
- I was going to be able to have a drink
- I was going to be able to wear clothes that had nothing to do with nursing or trekking through the snow or pushing a swing
- exHusband would be spending a lot of time with the boys alone and would finally understand why I was such a crank
Nervous/Worried:
- I was very worried that I hadn't stock-piled enough breast-milk for BBJ2
- I was worried that I might lose my milk
- I was worried that BBJ2 might decide that he prefers a bottle to the breast
- I was nervous about meeting lots of new colleagues
- I was nervous that I wouldn't be able to have a conversation if it didn't involve Dora or Buzz Lightyear
- I was a bit worried that my emotions might run amuck and I wouldn't be able to hold it together
The Results:
- Spent 2 days in England and saw the airport, and 2 hotels, so I didn't really get to explore or shop the way I like to when I travel.
- Came home more tired than before I left. Couldn't sleep on the plane even though I was in Executive Class with the fancy full bed/seat. Stuck at a Holiday Inn next to a theme park during a week that was a school break, so there were children running up and down the halls screaming and laughing, and I think my hotel room was haunted. Again on the plane home couldn't sleep.
- I did use my brain and it was awesome.
- Completely adult world = excellent. I did get to do some baby/child talk though because some of my colleagues have children and one was pregnant, so of course lots of baby chit chat.
- I got drunk on a glass and a half of wine. I've been pretty much pregnant or nursing (or both) for over 3 years now, so my tolerance is a bit low. I did not make a fool of myself - so that was good.
- Clothes - WooHoo, loved wearing clothes that were for me.
- I think he gets it
- There is still milk in the freezer - Whew!
- Still producing - while I was away my breasts were huge and felt like they were filled with milk, I was pumping to keep up supply but wasn't able to pump as frequently as BBJ2 nurses.
- Still nursing
- I don't know why I always get nervous about meeting new people, it is almost always o.k., and this time was no problem.
- I did have a conversation about Dora, but otherwise was able to have intelligent conversations
- Emotions stayed in check while I was at the conference, I did lost it a bit on the plane home, but otherwise o.k.
Overall, it was a success, I was able to function in a work environment and I made some great contacts for when I return to work, BBJ1 had an excellent time with Dad, BBJ2 had a hard time without breast-feeding but he was fine, and exHusband had some good dedicated parenting time with his boys.
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
My Body is an Amazing Miracle
Last night I wrote about how I do not like my body (among other things), but today while I was nursing my baby, I remembered that my body is amazing.
My body made people. What could be better than that? My children were created from my body. Sure exhusband contributed some DNA, but my body made them. I think of it like exhusband and I were co-architects, he contributed some of the design plans to the babies, but my body took the plans, found the materials, and constructed them.
Not only did my body make the babies, it also provided their only sustenance for 6 months. (I am discounting the 2 ounces of formula that BBJ1 was given while in the NICU, the night he was born. I always feel bad that he had any formula, but he was born 5.5 weeks early by an emergency c-section and I didn't know what I needed to know.) Both of my boys were exclusively breast-fed for their first 6 months and both continued to breast-feed after starting solid foods. So until they reached 6 months they were completely manufactured by my body. AMAZING!
Breast-feeding was fairly easy for me, I didn't go through all the pain and trauma that so many other mothers go through. The only pain I ever had was from pumping or from biting. Even how my body provided milk was pretty amazing. BBJ1 breast-fed whenever he wanted until he was one and went to daycare. He would breast-feed in the morning when he woke up and as soon as we got home from work/daycare, and again before bed. Here is the amazing thing, on week-ends he would nurse more often and my body still had milk for him.
My body also hugs my children, dances with my children, carries my children, lifts them up, lets them fly, plays with them, sees their beauty, hears their voices, smells their yumminess, talks to them, holds their hands.
My body is amazing, it has created and sustained miracles.
My body made people. What could be better than that? My children were created from my body. Sure exhusband contributed some DNA, but my body made them. I think of it like exhusband and I were co-architects, he contributed some of the design plans to the babies, but my body took the plans, found the materials, and constructed them.
Not only did my body make the babies, it also provided their only sustenance for 6 months. (I am discounting the 2 ounces of formula that BBJ1 was given while in the NICU, the night he was born. I always feel bad that he had any formula, but he was born 5.5 weeks early by an emergency c-section and I didn't know what I needed to know.) Both of my boys were exclusively breast-fed for their first 6 months and both continued to breast-feed after starting solid foods. So until they reached 6 months they were completely manufactured by my body. AMAZING!
Breast-feeding was fairly easy for me, I didn't go through all the pain and trauma that so many other mothers go through. The only pain I ever had was from pumping or from biting. Even how my body provided milk was pretty amazing. BBJ1 breast-fed whenever he wanted until he was one and went to daycare. He would breast-feed in the morning when he woke up and as soon as we got home from work/daycare, and again before bed. Here is the amazing thing, on week-ends he would nurse more often and my body still had milk for him.
My body also hugs my children, dances with my children, carries my children, lifts them up, lets them fly, plays with them, sees their beauty, hears their voices, smells their yumminess, talks to them, holds their hands.
My body is amazing, it has created and sustained miracles.
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
Need Comments/Help - Pumping
I'm trying to build a milk supply for BBJ2 for when I need to go out and for my upcoming trip to London. The supply in the freezer is growing, but not at the rate I think is necessary. I am hoping that there is someone reading this who can offer some help/feedback.
Timing of pumping:
I really only try to pump when he is a asleep. I wait about an hour after he has gone down before I pump. There are some problems with this method. He rarely naps during the day, if he is in the stroller and we go out, he will nap, but with the weather we've had this is not happening very often. Without the stroller he will sleep in my arms, and sometimes I can get him down but it only lasts 45 minutes tops. In the evening, we are in this continuous cycle of nurse, fall asleep, put in crib, wake up (tonight I have been him down 6 different times already). It often gets to the point that I am just so tired I can't stay up any longer.
So, anyone out there pumping during the day while their baby is awake? How does that work for you and your baby? What happens if your baby wants/needs to nurse and you are empty because you just pumped?
Pumping
Pumping is easier since I picked up an electric pump, but I still find it to be a pain. Constantly washing & sterilizing the equipment just adds to the already too big task list. But the big thing is that no matter how long I leave the pump on, it stops getting milk but there is still milk in my breast. I end up hand squeezing for a minute or so to get all the milk.
Does anyone else have this issue about the pump not getting all the milk? Any tips?
How much do I need?
BBJ2 nurses, I am not away from him very much and never for more than a few hours. I have no idea how much milk he takes in when he nurses.
How much milk do they need? How do you figure it out?
Timing of pumping:
I really only try to pump when he is a asleep. I wait about an hour after he has gone down before I pump. There are some problems with this method. He rarely naps during the day, if he is in the stroller and we go out, he will nap, but with the weather we've had this is not happening very often. Without the stroller he will sleep in my arms, and sometimes I can get him down but it only lasts 45 minutes tops. In the evening, we are in this continuous cycle of nurse, fall asleep, put in crib, wake up (tonight I have been him down 6 different times already). It often gets to the point that I am just so tired I can't stay up any longer.
So, anyone out there pumping during the day while their baby is awake? How does that work for you and your baby? What happens if your baby wants/needs to nurse and you are empty because you just pumped?
Pumping
Pumping is easier since I picked up an electric pump, but I still find it to be a pain. Constantly washing & sterilizing the equipment just adds to the already too big task list. But the big thing is that no matter how long I leave the pump on, it stops getting milk but there is still milk in my breast. I end up hand squeezing for a minute or so to get all the milk.
Does anyone else have this issue about the pump not getting all the milk? Any tips?
How much do I need?
BBJ2 nurses, I am not away from him very much and never for more than a few hours. I have no idea how much milk he takes in when he nurses.
How much milk do they need? How do you figure it out?
Saturday, 18 April 2009
Latches During Diaper Change
Baby will not lay down for a diaper change anymore, I have gotten pretty good at changing him standing up, but not so great if he is crawling.
For the last week, Baby has not been eating much solid food (teething) and has been nursing like crazy - not just drinking but sucking for soothing (due to lack of solid food, increase in baby-sitting in prep for day-care & stroller instead of carrier in prep for day-care). A couple of times yesterday he just crawled up, nudged my tank top out of the way and latched on.
This morning, he had a full breakfast of solid food, so of course shortly after there was a rather lovely diaper full of poop, that required an impromptu bath. With a loaded diaper, I try to get him to lay down but he squirmed so much that he ended up with both a foot and a hand in the dirtiness. I sometimes think he does this on purpose because he has so much fun in the tub.
After the bath, he was standing in his crib while I put his diaper on him. While I was leaned over and with my hands busy with the diaper he just latched on. Once I had the diaper on, I pulled out and went to get his clothes. While trying to put his shirt on, he latched on again. It was a very weird feeling and I felt kind of stuck. I couldn't stand there leaning over like that for him to nurse and he wouldn't unlatch. I ended up picking him up and carrying him to our nursing spot while he stayed latched on.
When he was smaller and nursed every 15 minutes, I tried to carry him while he was nursing but it never worked, he wouldn't stay latched on. It is so interesting how things change so quickly with babies and as many times as I tell myself not to get used to things, I am still surprised when he does something new.
Thursday, 19 March 2009
Arrgh - missed Lost - darn Daddy lovin Baby
I love the show Lost, it makes me crazy, I often yell at the t.v. at the end of the show, but I am addicted to it.
I missed it last night.
For the last week or so, I have been diligently nursing the baby in his room instead of in front of the t.v. in an attempt to get him to feed enough during the day that he won't wake up every hour (he is distracted from nursing by everything including "Brand Power" commercials) and to try to get him sleeping in the crib instead of my lap (much easier to transfer him 2 feet then down a hall).
So, last night I was nursing the baby, he had just dozed off and I was waiting for him to fall into deep sleep before transferring him to the crib. I knew that husband would be home soon and wanted the baby down before that happened. So I had just put the baby down, knowing that he was lightly asleep but figuring chances were better that he would continue sleeping if when husband got home, he wouldn't go into the room to say hi. Husband got home right then, I was still in the room plugging in the monitor, baby wakes up. It took another 45 minutes to get him back to sleep.
Very frustrating!! For a while, I was waiting until after Husband came home to put the baby down, but then he was going to sleep too late and was cranky and didn't sleep as well. I am tempted to ask husband to not come home, except I can't because I miss him, plus this is his home.
Need to figure this out. Need to see if I can see Lost on On Demand.
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