The Art of Breastfeeding

So it has been my motto since the beginning of this journey that I would breastfeed because I couldn't rationalize paying for something my body makes naturally and is so damn good for baby. Since hour one I breastfed Bruin and well to say it was tough it an understatement. On our two day checkup the Pediatrician said everything was great. Bruins weight had dropped down to 6.5 from 6.15 but that was normally and he should be back up to birth weight by the next week. Well, that next week my mom came in and was giving me lots of tips, but it seemed like our beautiful baby was completely miserable. I couldn't put him down for more than 15 minutes without him wailing on and on and he wanted to latch on to feed constantly for hours and hours. I had told my mom and randy that i didn't know how much longer I could do it but my mom told me it would get better and that I should probably make an appointment with Sacred Heart Hospitals lactation consultant to at least have someone to talk to. Two days later i went in to meet with Ms. Karen and possibly rent a pump. To my surprise Bruin had dropped down to 6.2  (when he should have been back up to 6.15) and we was not in the best shape. I had been starving him and she classified him as failure to thrive. As it turned out, Bruin was lazy. He acted like he was eating when in reality he wasn't taking anything in. My milk supply was low, and he was miserable. We weren't even supposed to give him a pacifier because it would burn calories and he needed every calorie he could get. She put us on a crazy routine that consisted of breastfeeding 15 min. on both sides, followed by 2 oz. formula, and then pumping so that on the next feeding i didn't need to supplement in formula, I'd just use the milk i had pumped. That was for EVERY feeding as often as he wanted. Needless to say, nights were long. He was so tiny. He barely fit into anything newborn including diapers and onesies. Gradually, he started to gain weight and finally by the third week of this he was up to 7 lbs. My poor buddy. Last week we went back for our final appointment and he was up to 9 lbs. YAHOOOO!!!! (although im a little bit upset because he doesn't fit into newborn diapers anymore, he's gettin so big!) 

But he is eating so much and i still don't have a great milk supply (even after taking Fenugreek, an herb that is supposed to increase it) So, i'm having to supplement in alot of formula, but he is still getting some breastmilk at every feeding and every little bit helps! 

*FUN FACT... did you know breastmilk has LIVE cells in it. That's some pretty amazing stuff!* 

I think by the end of Nov. he will be on formula completely, but I completely love the bonding breastfeeding give you and your child. If you have the chance and are willing, do it, even if it's for two weeks. I'm not gonna lie, it's tough, inconvenient at times and sometimes painful but you will have a bond that can't be described.

Daddys: I know that it will get frustrating for you. Randy had a break down at probably week 3 or 4 because he literally could do NOTHING to help with the feeding except burp (he's the best burper in history). But reassure yourself that you are still a good dad even if you don't have the groceries!