I called my doctor's office for advice recently because of some issues I was having with breastfeeding. Here is what I think happened: Logan caused a puncture wound because he was having teething pain and changed his latch. I had seen the doctor two weeks after it initially happened, and at that time it was healing. However, a week the wound had reopened and I called the doctor's office for advice. I ended up taking an antibiotic four times a day. After a week of antibiotics and pumping on that side, I was feeling much better. That's when Logan gave me a corresponding injury on the other breast. So I called the doctor's office again. When the nurse returned my call she said, "Have you considered that maybe it's time to wean?" I thought that was a pretty dumb question. Of course I had considered it, and then I decided I didn't want to wean, which is why I was calling them for help. Duh!
The nurse then offered to put me on the phone with the "lactation consultant." Unfortunately, she wasn't much help either. The main piece of advice she offered was to tell Logan not to bite me and then stop nursing him if he did. She didn't seem to understand what I was saying. It's not that he is biting me in isolated incidents. That I have stopped in the past doing what she suggested. The real problem I feel is in his latch. She told me I could look on the internet for more help. Gee, thanks. I could have figured that out on my own. And I am a bit annoyed and saddened that the nurse would suggest I wean. That is why I had been avoiding telling anyone but Brett about the problem I was having. I knew they would think I was crazy, and I was worried that it would scare people into thinking that breastfeeding is painful. Okay, right now it is, but in the three years total that I have nursed my kids, this is the only real challenge I have had. I wish that our society was more open to long-term breastfeeding, and that there was a better support system for nursing mothers. I am feeling like it's totally up to me to solve my problem or else give up breastfeeding. And I'm just not ready to give up!
Showing posts with label breastfeeding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breastfeeding. Show all posts
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
A Real Breastfeeding Kit
If you've delivered a baby in the past few years, you probably received a "breastfeeding kit" before leaving the hospital. I think it is silly that they call it this because the main thing included in the kit is formula. Although, to be fair, both "breastfeeding kits" I have received included an excerpt of The Nursing Mother's Companion by Kathleen Huggins, R.N., M.S., which I consider to be the breastfeeding Bible. While I don't agree with how this information is provided to new moms, The Nursing Mother's Companion is a wonderful tool! I bought and read my copy of this book before having Mia, and I have found it to be invaluable. It includes sections for each stage of nursing, help for common problems, and a handy guide to medications that are safe to use by nursing. Some people assume that because breastfeeding is natural, it should come easily to new moms. Since that isn't always true, I like to include this book when I make my own "breastfeeding kits" as baby shower gifts for friends. (I only make kits when I know that friends are intending to breastfeed because I don't want to be the type of person who pushes my ideals onto others. While I love breastfeeding, feel it is the best thing I can do for my children, and have personally had success with breastfeeding both of my kids, I recognize that it can be hard or impossible for other moms for a variety of reasons.)
Other items I like to include in my real breastfeeding kits include: lanolin (I always used generic because I figure it's all about the same, so why pay extra for a name brand?), breastmilk storage bags (I like Lansinoh since they are good quality, have a space you can write the date and amount on, and are the best value I have found.), and nursing pads (Lansinoh makes my favorite disposable pads, which is usually what I give as a gift, but I also have reusable pads-- I think they were made by Johnson & Johnson, and truthfully, they aren't that wonderful. However, if I had the chance to do it over, I would try some other reusable pads until I found some that were nicer and then stick with those.)
Other items I like to include in my real breastfeeding kits include: lanolin (I always used generic because I figure it's all about the same, so why pay extra for a name brand?), breastmilk storage bags (I like Lansinoh since they are good quality, have a space you can write the date and amount on, and are the best value I have found.), and nursing pads (Lansinoh makes my favorite disposable pads, which is usually what I give as a gift, but I also have reusable pads-- I think they were made by Johnson & Johnson, and truthfully, they aren't that wonderful. However, if I had the chance to do it over, I would try some other reusable pads until I found some that were nicer and then stick with those.)
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
In Search of Super Mom
Lately I have been thinking about the ideal of "Super Mom." I wonder if she is really out there or if like Big Foot, she's a fantastic story that few truly believe in. I suppose it's a matter of opinion, depending upon what expectations you hold for the title of "Mom." Here are some ideas I had for myself.
Before I had kids, I wanted to be the mom who baked and decorated all of their birthday cakes instead of buying them from the store. So far, I am 3 for 3. Mia's first two birthdays included cupcakes that I frosted and then displayed on a tiered metal stand. This was fairly simple, but the effect was nice. For her third birthday, I decided on something more elaborate, a three-layer castle cake with ice cream cone towers. My practice cake was a disaster, but miraculously, the actual birthday cake looked wonderful (and was delicious, too!). Of course, the problem now is how to top that? Logan's first birthday is quickly approaching, and I feel the need to make sure his party is as nice as Mia's was! This could be an issue.
Before I had kids, I wanted to be the mom who made all of their Halloween costumes. Brett got me a sewing machine, and I attempted to learn to sew. My sister-in-law kindly spent a LOT of time working with me. I did manage to finish a couple of projects, but I determined that I do not like to sew! As far as making Halloween costumes goes, I am 0 for 4. I didn't feel to badly about buying all of Mia's costumes so far (pumpkin, butterfly, and pink poodle). Logan's first Halloween costume was handed down from his cousins, and he was a darling little sweet pea. I accept the fact that I could never had made anything so cute, anyway.
Before I had kids, I wanted to be the mom who breastfed for at least a year (exclusively for the first 6 months). I succeeded with Mia despite working full-time and frying a couple of AC adapters for my breast pump. Then, at about 23 months, I decided I was done with nursing. Now, Logan is 10 1/2 months and going strong. I am hoping to be able to let him nurse until he decides he is done. We'll see how that goes...
Before I had kids, I wanted to be the mom who made all of her own baby food. I was too overwhelmed as a first-time mom to manage this while working full-time. I feel a bit bad about that since Mia ate that awful jar stuff (although, she never complained)! Once I started making food for Logan, I realized how easy it was. I was sad when he decided he was going to feed himself, and I didn't need to keep making yummy, fresh purees for him. It's so much cheaper, plus he has had a greater variety of foods and everything looks, smells, and tastes more like actual food.
Before I had kids, I wanted to be the mom who does sign language with her baby. It definitely did not happen with Mia. However, she turned out fine! Once she started talking around age 1, she quickly strung words together, and now she is extremely verbal. People comment everywhere we go about how well she speaks, and they are surprised to learn that she is only 3. Logan is very different. He is much more active, although he is becoming more and more vocal. I am considering brushing off this ideal and trying out the sign language with him. Notice I have not committed to it, however.
Before I had kids, I wanted to be the mom who cloth-diapered. I gave up on this idea pretty quickly when considering day cares for Mia. In retrospect, I wish I had checked out the options. I didn't even realize what major improvements they've made to cloth diapers, and now I realize that we could have cloth diapered at home even if we used disposables for day care. I began thinking about this again when I was pregnant with Logan, but I still wasn't sure I could manage it. After 2 months of trying everything else to clear up his diaper rash (he was red everywhere the disposables came in contact with his skin!), we borrowed some cloth diapers from a friend and never looked back. I LOVE our Fuzzi Bunz!
Perhaps the oddest part of all of my expectations for myself as a mom is that I wanted to do all of these things while working full-time. I am finding it is so much easier to be the mom I wanted to be since I am at home with the kids. On the other hand, it makes me want to be that much more of the ideal mom! I have tried to remind myself that there is really no such thing as "Super Mom." There are women who have done all of the things I hoped to do (and perhaps, more), and they are all SUPER. And there are women who have done none of those things, and perhaps, they have found other ways to be SUPER. What I really try to remind myself is that all moms are SUPER just because they are moms. We have to be. Failure is not an option when it comes to our children. The important thing is to recognize success, no matter how small. After all, it's the little things that matter the most.
Before I had kids, I wanted to be the mom who baked and decorated all of their birthday cakes instead of buying them from the store. So far, I am 3 for 3. Mia's first two birthdays included cupcakes that I frosted and then displayed on a tiered metal stand. This was fairly simple, but the effect was nice. For her third birthday, I decided on something more elaborate, a three-layer castle cake with ice cream cone towers. My practice cake was a disaster, but miraculously, the actual birthday cake looked wonderful (and was delicious, too!). Of course, the problem now is how to top that? Logan's first birthday is quickly approaching, and I feel the need to make sure his party is as nice as Mia's was! This could be an issue.
Before I had kids, I wanted to be the mom who made all of their Halloween costumes. Brett got me a sewing machine, and I attempted to learn to sew. My sister-in-law kindly spent a LOT of time working with me. I did manage to finish a couple of projects, but I determined that I do not like to sew! As far as making Halloween costumes goes, I am 0 for 4. I didn't feel to badly about buying all of Mia's costumes so far (pumpkin, butterfly, and pink poodle). Logan's first Halloween costume was handed down from his cousins, and he was a darling little sweet pea. I accept the fact that I could never had made anything so cute, anyway.
Before I had kids, I wanted to be the mom who breastfed for at least a year (exclusively for the first 6 months). I succeeded with Mia despite working full-time and frying a couple of AC adapters for my breast pump. Then, at about 23 months, I decided I was done with nursing. Now, Logan is 10 1/2 months and going strong. I am hoping to be able to let him nurse until he decides he is done. We'll see how that goes...
Before I had kids, I wanted to be the mom who made all of her own baby food. I was too overwhelmed as a first-time mom to manage this while working full-time. I feel a bit bad about that since Mia ate that awful jar stuff (although, she never complained)! Once I started making food for Logan, I realized how easy it was. I was sad when he decided he was going to feed himself, and I didn't need to keep making yummy, fresh purees for him. It's so much cheaper, plus he has had a greater variety of foods and everything looks, smells, and tastes more like actual food.
Before I had kids, I wanted to be the mom who does sign language with her baby. It definitely did not happen with Mia. However, she turned out fine! Once she started talking around age 1, she quickly strung words together, and now she is extremely verbal. People comment everywhere we go about how well she speaks, and they are surprised to learn that she is only 3. Logan is very different. He is much more active, although he is becoming more and more vocal. I am considering brushing off this ideal and trying out the sign language with him. Notice I have not committed to it, however.
Before I had kids, I wanted to be the mom who cloth-diapered. I gave up on this idea pretty quickly when considering day cares for Mia. In retrospect, I wish I had checked out the options. I didn't even realize what major improvements they've made to cloth diapers, and now I realize that we could have cloth diapered at home even if we used disposables for day care. I began thinking about this again when I was pregnant with Logan, but I still wasn't sure I could manage it. After 2 months of trying everything else to clear up his diaper rash (he was red everywhere the disposables came in contact with his skin!), we borrowed some cloth diapers from a friend and never looked back. I LOVE our Fuzzi Bunz!
Perhaps the oddest part of all of my expectations for myself as a mom is that I wanted to do all of these things while working full-time. I am finding it is so much easier to be the mom I wanted to be since I am at home with the kids. On the other hand, it makes me want to be that much more of the ideal mom! I have tried to remind myself that there is really no such thing as "Super Mom." There are women who have done all of the things I hoped to do (and perhaps, more), and they are all SUPER. And there are women who have done none of those things, and perhaps, they have found other ways to be SUPER. What I really try to remind myself is that all moms are SUPER just because they are moms. We have to be. Failure is not an option when it comes to our children. The important thing is to recognize success, no matter how small. After all, it's the little things that matter the most.
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