Encouragement

[meg]

I just wanted to post a little note of encouragement to anyone struggling with bfing. For some reason, bfing has become more difficult with each child rather than easier for me. I remember telling my mom at 3 weeks with Moira Grace that I felt like it was going to kill me just to make it to 6 weeks! I had terrible engorgement. We had latch difficulties. Moira Grace didn't gain any weight her 1 month dr's appt. She was too sleepy to bf properly. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Well, here we are at nearly 7 weeks and I'm so glad that I stuck with it. We have got the latch down - no more sore or cracked nipples. The engorgement has passed. She is awake and eating and gaining weight. Once a day, or sometimes every other day, we do give her a bottle of either expressed milk or formula just to keep her interested in the bottle - hoping to start going out a bit without the baby! - but other than that she bf exclusively. She eats every two hours with two three hour stretches (rarely at night! ) so I'm pretty exhausted, but I'm hanging in there. Things have improved so much from the early days that I am very hopeful about the progress we'll make by 3 months.

Just wanted to say that things do get better...

Hugs,

[Juliette Punchello]

Glad to hear that Moira Grace has caught on to nursing...nursing every 2 hours is great! Co-sleeping has worked great for us...I went back to work at 4 months and needed to get a full night sleep which was hard while nursing. I pulled her crib right next to our bed and she sleeps and nursing at will. It is wonderful!