Are you a mom? Have you tried to breastfeed and either had a rough
time at it or had amazing success? Have you struggled and given up, or
told to supplement with formula? Or did you just simply give your little
one formula? If you said yes to any of those questions then your
raising a child, and your doing a great job!
I am
writing this post simply because now I have successfully done both! I
have formula fed my first son, and now I am successfully breastfeeding
my second son! I had struggles with my first child, Brian. He never
latched correctly, he was never full or satisfied, and he cried all day
and night! I am serious, when he ate he would eat for hours. He never
wanted to stop eating and when he was done eating he would close his
eyes and sleep for at most ten minutes. Then he would wake up
screaming.
When I got pregnant with Brian I had this
picture perfect natural birth planned out on paper and in my head. I had this
entirely peaceful calming life of breastfeeding and bonding with my
little baby. (At the time I did not know if I was having a girl or a
boy, we waited until we delivered to find out). When I was 39 weeks
pregnant with my son I started having contractions. Over night they
became VERY regular and very uncomfortable, they were also ALL back
contractions. Back contractions are extremely painful, and I was having
only those and none in the front. We went to the hospital on Monday, I
was not admitted because I was only 1cm. We went again on Tuesday, again
I was not admitted because I was only 2cm. We went again on Wednesday
and again I was not admitted because I was 3cm... Finally we went in on
Thursday and I was of course checked and was only 4cm. This hospital was
on a military base, and because it was a high impacted hospital they
required you to be 5cm in order to be admitted.
 |
| 39 Weeks Old |
Now, I had
been there everyday for the last 4 days, and of course almost EVERY
nurse, and doctor knew exactly who we were. So it was a shock when the
nurse came back into my room to tell me that they were going to send me
home. I looked at my husband with tears in my eyes, looked back at the
nurse (and remembered what one of my friends has told me), and I simply
said "if you send me home I WILL take this kid out by myself!" She said
she would be back in a few minutes. She returned with some pain
medicine to help me dilate. After an hour, she returned and shockingly I
was 6 cm! Yes thats all I needed was some help! I then got a room and
got an epidural immediately!
Ok so here I was 5 days
of labor, with all back contractions and I was already veering away from
my ALL natural birth plan. Guess that didn't work out. I wanted so
badly to stay away from any other meds, but when I got stuck at 8cm I
was placed on pitocin. Yep, yet another med. Oh well, I still could have
that bonding and breastfeeding peaceful life I pictured in my head.
Right?
WRONG!!! I was so wrong! When we got home, like I
said before my son wouldn't latch well, he struggled to get full, and I
was so depressed. A week went by and I started to have back pain, and
could barely pick up my son. I had such a hard time finding those few
peaceful, beautiful moments I dreamed of. My son eventually got the nickname
MONSTER, and it was from all the screaming and fussing that he did.
Eventually we went to his pediatrician because I wasn't getting any help
from anyone and we called his pediatrician to see if something
was wrong with him. In the end, our son was perfectly fine, he just
wasn't gaining any weight and was still under his birth weight. So, she
simply said go buy a can of formula and breast feed him, then if hes
still upset offer him a bottle.
Fast forward a week
and now my son was only wanting the bottle and his time feeding from me
was getting shorter and shorter. I then stopped giving him the breast
when we struggled to get him latched. I then pumped for a week and about
the end of the week I started to dry up. I was devastated, but all of a
sudden I was feeling this bonding that everyone said you wouldn't have
with a bottle fed baby. I was enjoying every minute with him and my son
and I were getting a long so well. He wasn't screaming after feedings,
he wasn't hungry all the time, and he was sleeping long periods like a
normal baby does! I was extremely excited when he started to sleep 8
hours at a time at night. He even started sleeping in his own crib in
his own room around 2 months. I was a happy mommy and so was my son! He
was laughing and smiling, and still to this day he is a very happy kid!
I
look back at the situation and I was proud we decided to bottle feed
him because the formula filled him up, which was something I couldn't
offer him. I was a happier mom, I got sleep and so did my husband. In
the end we were better parents because of it. I know theres people out
there that will criticize me for formula feeding, but I truly am a
better mom because of it. I was sleep deprived and angry when I was
breastfeeding him, after formula we were both happier and calmer! Not to mention the hubby got to help out... A LOT!
Fast
forward several months and now it was time for round two. I again
wanted to do as natural as I could; however, I was a gestational
diabetes patient, so I knew being induced was a possibility. When 39
weeks arrived and I still hadn't gone into labor, I opted to be induced.
My birth story with my second son can be found
over here. An overview is; I was induced and our second son was born with some pain meds,
as the induction went slow in the beginning but sped up pretty fast at the end.
When he was born I again imagined this calming peaceful breastfeeding
and bonding life I didn't have with my first son.
When
we left the hospital, I was sure this time would be different. I was
determined, and I just had this aggressive emotional want to breast feed.
I also had a HUGE support system built up; from a group in the area,
friends online, and family members who had breastfed. I just knew I was
going to do this this time around. I struggled in the beginning and I
had several moments of weakness. I even broke down several times after
HOURS of cluster feeding and gave him a bottle. It wasn't perfect like
all the pictures and articles paint out, but we were doing it, and we
were doing it together. I saw an LC and felt empowered to keep going.
A
few days later when my husband was going back to work, and I was home
alone with two kids by myself and getting absolutely no sleep. I
remember my husband came home from work, and I cried, and cried, and
cried. I finally said to him, "I am done. I can't do this. I am getting
no sleep, and then I have to be up with both of our sons in the morning
and I have to feed and clean and change and everything else, and it was
just too much". I remember while my husband walked away I broke down so
hard, just crying my eyes out. I could barely breath I was crying so
hard. I had done it again. I had lost the will and was going to formula
feed another child. I felt like I was letting everyone of my supporters
down. I felt like everyone I had leaned on for advice and help was going
to just roll their eyes at me and say behind my back how horrible of a
mother I was. I went to bed that night, looking forward to my sons
pediatric appointment the next morning to discuss formula options.
We
got up early and went to his appointment. I was heart broken when the
doctor said he was really under weight, and should not be that low at
this time. Just adding fuel to the fire, and my pain of struggling to do
what was "healthier" for my child. The doctor did all his exams and
then looked at me and said would you want to talk to our LC here, shes
really great and has had a lot of success. I jumped at the chance!
I
recall sitting in her office and listening to EVERY word she said. I
asked questions and I was filled with so much joy. My son ate great at that
session, and I remember her saying hes eating about 2-3oz! He's doing
great! I felt wonderful, and I felt so excited to go home and keep
pushing through since that feeding was so perfect. When we got home the
feedings went a hundred times better, but he still was fussy here and
there and he was still struggling to keep the milk down.
We
went back a week later (he was now 3 weeks old) and he had a weight
check to make sure he was back on track or still under weight. To my
shock he was now back up to his birth weight and 2 oz over! I was
ecstatic! I saw the LC again and we discussed even more. This time my
little guy showed her how much he spits up and she concluded thats why
he was getting sooo fussy after his feedings. He was prescribed some meds to help
with the spiting up and I was off to take all the knowledge she was
giving me and apply it again to our feedings.
Once
again, I felt this push to just keep on going. We were at a month! I had
made it to a month! Thats about 2 weeks more then my first son. Today I
am 5 weeks and a few days into breastfeeding. I am not sitting here
saying its the best thing ever, and you should do it, as its the only
thing for your child. No, thats not me. I am simply here to say, after
this long I thought I would feel that bonding everyone talks about. I
was wondering when the long nights of sleep would kick in, and I am
still sitting here struggling to figure out why hes still spitting up, a
lot.
Breast feeding is not perfect, and its not for
everyone. Its really not for me, but I have such support I am just
trying to keep on going as long as I can. I miss my long nights of
sleep, I do NOT feel a connection with my son (yet), and I some times feel
this anger towards my husband because he doesn't have to feel this pain
and discomfort. I want to at least make it another month, but I am not
sure if I will. I seriously don't feel like its everything everyone makes
it out to be. I praise the amazing moms who do this for a year. I
praise the moms who breast feed for two, three and even FOUR years! They
have strength that I will NEVER have. I know I am a strong person, but I
am a strong person in a very different way.
 |
| Double duty! |
I plan to
update everyone as I continue this journey of breastfeeding and I hope I
can make it to two months, but I am proud of myself for making it one
month! I am not going to lie to anyone reading this and say its an
amazing feeling and a wonderful bonding period, nope, not me. It hasn't
happened, and I am not sure it will, but I am glad I am not buying a ton
of very expensive formula and I am glad to be helping my husband out with
the bills (because of the money were saving from not having to buy
formula). Each day has a new challenge and each week I try to conquer
and then push to the next.
If you plan to have a
natural birth or breast feed, just know that not everything is perfect.
Know that having a plan is great, but that life has ups and downs and
challenges along the way and that it is OK to veer away from your plan.
If you do, NO one will (or at least they shouldn't) judge you and if
they do they shouldn't be apart of your friend, or support group. You
are a strong person for just the simple task of making a human being
within your body! That alone is an amazing thing!
So I
leave you with this: I have breastfed and I have formula fed. One has
pros and cons and so does the other. When its your choice, always go
with the one that has more pros for YOUR lifestyle, not your friends, or
your families. Remind yourself each day that this is for YOUR family
and no one elses. At the end of the day I want to look back at what I
have done and be happy. I want to know I did everything I feel I could,
up to this day. Thats all we can do as moms. So, go ahead and make that
plan for an all natural birth and breastfeeding but remember that its ok
to get that epidural if your in that excruciating pain, and its ok to
give your baby a bottle if your just need a break and a few hours of
sleep. Its not going to hurt you or your child!
Good luck and congrats to all you new moms or moms to be,
Sarah
