Breastfeeding

 I have been super blessed with every aspect of Claire, there's no doubt about it. Aside from her health, breastfeeding was on the top of my worry list while pregnant. What wasn't not to fear? All you hear about is how terrible it is in the beginning- from the cracked, sore, and bleeding nipples. You hope and pray that your baby learn how to latch immediately and pray ever harder that your nipple adjust to being suckled on like... uhh yesterday. I read about a lot of women who complained about how difficult it is to be constantly nursing your baby. I knew I wanted to breastfeed but wondered if I would be able to commit to it.

Truth is that it does hurt in the beginning, but it shouldn't be so severe that you cry in agony or are bleeding. If that's the case they you need to seek help promptly. When Claire was born she immediatley latched, and pretty darn well too. We had a tiny rough patch because apparently my nipple are "flatter" than most. I was having more trouble than she was because I was, so the nurses recommended that I try a nipple shield. Yeah it helped a little but it ended up being too cumbersome and it wasn't something that I wanted Claire to become accustomed to. So I ditched it shortly after trying it.

Want my advice? Before you leave the hospital,  have a knowledgeable staff member check you and your baby's feeding to make sure you are doing it right before your little one gets used to doing it wrong! It doesn't have to be a lactation consultant. Most nurses are trained and can offer more help than you may think.

The nurses in the hospital were fantastic and were always willing to help me in the breastfeeding mambo. One nurse, a veteran nurse, was especially helpful. She reassured me that Claire was getting enough each time she ate, and not to worry that she was only eating for 10 minutes at a time. I guess they want babies to eat for roughly 20 minutes?? Nope, not my babe! She was always falling asleep and no amount of feet tickling or stripping of the clothes ever helped her stay awake.

For me the hardest part about breastfeeding in the early days was due to the fact that I was exhausted from labor/delivery- I had zero arm strength for the first 4-5 days. Yeah, my nipples hurt while she nursed for a couple of weeks. However, I will say that even though the first few days it felt like she had razor blades in her mouth, the pain drastically subsided over the first week and it usually only hurt for a minute of two once she latched. By week 3 we were in breastfeeding paradise.

As of now, my only beef with breastfeeding is that Claire won't eat from a bottle. She'll chew on the nipple but refuses to suckle. That being said, I only work a few hours a day so she's never really HAD to take a bottle for a meal. I will say that some days Claire isn't quite as hungry in the morning and won't nurse before I go to work. This makes for a super stressful morning for her and daddy. But, they always get through it. It goes without saying that we are both very happy to see one another on those days (we had one of those days today)!

We have resorted to co-sleeping some (most) nights. She will usually wake between 2-4 to eat and then I'll put her back in her crib. She typically sleeps about another hour before she crys... I mean she really lets it out!! I scoop her up and lay side-by-side on the spare bed in the downstairs bedroom. She went from cluter-feeding in the evening (which is when she slept 6-7 hour stretches) to doing it in the wee hours of the night. If I didn't co-sleep with her I would literally never sleep. I think this is her body's way of gearing up for the morning/afternoon while I'm away at work.

As much as I don't want her to be old enough for cereal & food, I'm looking forward to her being able to eat while I'm away. I'm hoping she will be cleared at her 4 month check-up.

Here are my favorite nursing essentials!

1. Nursing tanks

I got a couple from Walmart and they are just as nice as my more expensive ones. Tanks are great for pre-baby because you don't know what size your bra will need to be once your milk is in and your supply regulates. They also make nursing in public easier. Pull up on your regular shirt and expose only your tank top!

2. Johnson & Johnson Nursing Pads

I received a bunch of Lansinoh brand pads at my shower and they were okay but these ones are awesome! The actually stay put in your bra/tank and don't get all wrinkled when you pull your flap back up! Love these!!

3. Medela Cooling/Soothing Pads

This are amazing in the early stages of breastfeeding. They instantly provide cooling relief for those sore nip. The only draw back is that you need to wash your breasts/nipples after you remove them/before feeding baby. The extra hassle is worth it- trust me :)

4. Lansinoh Nipple Salve

I got some in the hospital and didn't plan on using it because I had ordered some all natural stuff (Boob-ease natural nipple balm) but this stuff worked so much better than the latter. It is sticky but this stuff does what it's supposed to. Once again, the hassle is worth it and your nipples and your baby will be much happier... which means you will be too!

I will say that I HATED the Boppy. I am so glad I used the hand-me-downs rather than paying $$$ for a new one. I may give the My Breast Friend a try the next time around.

Lately.

I have been thinking a lot recently. Mostly about how much I love my daughter and my husband. But for some reason I've been having a lot of flash backs to my labor/delivery. If you have been around my blog for a few months (and read my posts) then you would know how much I desired a 100% natural labor/delivery. You would also know that I always said that our health was #1 when it came down to it.

Before I had Claire I read many, many horror stories about women who wanted a natural birth but the hospital/doctors weren't supportive and they ended up enduring every intervention under the sun. I didn't really have any doubts about my midwife or the hospital. I picked a midwife and that particular hospital for a reason. I did, however, have some doubt in my ability to actually get through labor without pain medication. I wanted to do it so badly and although I had doubts of my ability, I still wasn't afraid.

At my 40 week checkup(it was on Friday 21st) my midwife explained that she would let me go through the weekend and check my fluid levels the following Tuesday. She also told me that she doesn't like seeing her patients go over 41 weeks due to possible complications with the placenta. I DID NOT want to be induced so decided to have her strip my membranes. I hoped so deeply that it would give my body the jumpstart it needed to start labor. I went home and started trying everything possible to start/induce labor. I tried multiple breast stimulation sessions, accupressure, bumpy car rides, sex, eating spicy foods, and long walks. Earlier at my appointment, my midwife told me that I could try anything I wanted to but if my body wasn't ready, it wouldn't make a difference.

very grainy/crappy cell phone shot of me on Sunday 40 weeks & 2 days pregnant

 Apparently my body wasn't ready. I made it through the weekend and on Monday, I was even more pregnant than I was the Friday before. I was super disappointed but figured that I still had a day before my ultrasound to go into labor. Nope, that didn't happen. We got up Tuesday and loaded my hospital bags, just in case.

Fast forward 10 or so hours.

I remember my contractions speeding up and being directly on top of one another. They were long and the time in between seemed the be miniscule... like maybe 20 or so seconds. I was exhausted and I was having trouble breathing. My midwife got me to drink some apple juice. She said the sugar may help me gain some energy. That didn't help so I asked them to turn my ipod on. I had previously made 2 separate 'labor lists'- one upbeat, and the other relaxing/inspirational. The relaxing one was the list of choice during the last 3 hours of my labor/delivery.



This song is forever burned into my memory. I listen to it and cry. I remember the love in that delivery room. (I'm crying as I type this... like a baby) I even felt love from the nurses and my midwife. True love that floated through the air kept me going when I wanted to thrown in the towel. The positive and loving words that my mother-in-law and mother and husband and nurses shared consistently, relentlessly gave me just what I needed as I used everything in my body to push pain out of my mind and push my baby girl into this world. I can't put into words how loved I felt. I have a very loving family (both mine and Matt's) and nothing to date can touch on how amazing that night was.

Pachelbel Canon in D was the song I walked down the isle to meet my husband-to-be and now it's the song I listened to as I birthed our daughter. What a beautiful coincidence. That song will never be the same.

If you are thinking about a natural birth, please please please try it. I promise that you will be so happy you did it. I swear the worst part was the act of pushing. And I'm not even talking about the baby coming out. I'm talking about the stamina it takes to push a baby out. It is the hardest thing you will ever have to physically do. Contractions are a little rough but visualization is your best friend, along with breathing. I have never, ever, in my life been so focused on anything. Also, ask your ob/midwife about borage oil and evening primrose oil. I swear th helped me move quickly in terms of dilation/baby's position.

Okay, if you read all this you rock and here are some special prizes for your awesomeness!

one of the two photos i have of us together... thanks to photo booth

What's in the bags?

Like I mentioned in an earlier post, I have my hospital bags all packed and ready to go! I do still have a couple of last minute things that I will get together when it time comes, and I still have a few things to pick up at the store, but for the most part they're ready to rock when this baby decides to come!

Here's what we have in our bags...

This is what I call my "at hand bag". It's the bag I will have beside my bed. It houses the following on the outside:
1. A few headbands
2. Deodorant and lotion for back/foot rubs
3. Shampoo, brush, and hair ties
4. Body wash ( this and the lotion are all Bath & Body Works Sleep Aromatherapy collection, cinnamon and vanilla, I think)
5. Camera and Ipod chargers

What you cannot see are the pockets on the other side- I have some nursing pads and my Point and Shoot camera tucked in them.

The contents of my "at hand bag" include the following:
1. Wireless Ipod charger
2. (2) Copies of my birth plan
3. Ipod loaded with a slew of both inspirational and ass-kicking music
4. On the Night You Were Born book. {I have been reading this book to Claire since like February and it will be one of my points of focus during labor and I also plan on reading it to her after she's born and while we're in the hospital.} 

I will also be packing my laptop in this bag. I will be in the hospital for at least 2 days so I will need something to do during  the day, or at least that's what I think ;) I plan on bringing a couple of movies for during labor, something to try to keep my focus away from labor, I'm thinking Don't Mess With the Zohan will have to be rented/bought because it's pretty much the funniest movie ever. {i have a bad sense of humor!}

My aunt bought this for me and I absolutlely love it. I was so undecided on which diaper bag to purchase. At first, I really wanted a Petunia Pickle Bottom but I was not about to shell out $175 for a diaper bag. I passed up on a beautiful Skip Hop messenger bag at a discount store (for like $16) when I first found out I was pregnant and I spent a lot of time kicking myself in the butt for it. In the end it all worked out and I couldn't be happier. It's plenty big for everything I will need for cloth diapering and yet it's not sooo big that I will end up over-stuffing it with unnecessary items. Here's what's inside Claire's diaper bag...

1. Wipes
2. Nursing Pads
3. Pacifier- Avent Soothies
4. Disposable diapers {only for the first few days. once the meconium stage has subsided we'll move straight into her newborn cloth diapers. once that happens we will have a couple of bumgenius all-in-one newborn diapers in the place of disposables, as well as a small wetbag.}
5. Coming home outfits & hat
6. Lotion & baby powder

1. 3 month coming home outfit
2. Newborn coming home outfit
3. Hat

Since I have no idea how big this little one will be when she's born, I decided it would be wise to bring a newborn AND 3 month outfit. A hat will keep her little body warm when we leave the hospital.

{OMG, I cannot believe the professionals at the hospital let you just leave with your baby. the concept, for some reason, is so hard for me to grasp. i feel like we should be required to take some sort of common sense and parenting 101 classes before they let us take our baby out of the hospital. anyone else feel like this, or am i completely nuts?!?!}

This is the clothing bag, the name is rather self-explanatory, but if not, read on and you will get a glimpse of what it contains!

1. Tank tops, cotton long-sleeved shirt/wrap & cotton skirt
2. Sports bra
3. Underwear- brief style
4. Socks (and I even packed the pair of non-slip ones I acquired while in the hospital a few weeks ago}

Since I plan on wearing my own clothes during labor, I have a couple extra articles of clothing. The tank tops are for walking through the halls, if I end up doing so. In my mind I will labor in my sports bra and skirt. This will make it easy for me to get in and out of the tub and will allow my midwife to easily check my progress and intermittently monitor baby Claire throughout labor. If I do decide to roam the halls, I can throw a tank top on over my bra and if I get cold, I have the long-sleeved shirt thingy if, in the rare event, I get cold.

1. Nursing top and comfy/silky capris
2. Nursing nightgown

My mom got these for me when she was up because she said I would need something "nice to wear" after giving birth! haha I love her. I also have another open-front sweatshirt thingy to wear post labor.

1. Shoes for coming home :)
2. (1) cotton swaddle and (1) fleece swaddle
3. Several pairs of socks
4. Swaddle blanket (aden & anais) for coming home- to cover her in the care seat.
5. Head bands

Her gown for her hospital photo. She'll also be donning one of the headbands shown above. This was another shower gift from my aunt. I just think it's absolutely precious.

1. Sleeping gowns.
I think these will be the easiest to maneuver on a newborn and should keep her nice and toasty when paired with a pair of socks and a swaddle. I have a feeling that these will be my best friend when it comes to bedtime :)

I will also be packing a toothbrush, toothpaste, my pillow, a boppy, gatorade, snacks for both Matty and I, a goody basket for the nurses, back massager (we're still currently using this bad boy daily), Matt's things, and my Canon DSLR & lenses.