My Nursing Journey

Warning: If you do not feel like reading any details you may feel are TMI, stop reading here. This is a post to help other moms know they are not alone. I am not going to hold too much back when it comes to my journeys with breastfeeding my little ones.
After reading another blogging Momma's breastfeeding story, I was pulled to write this post even more. I already wanted to write a post about all things nursing, but wasn't sure. Now, here I am. You can see more about the original prompting post over at Mom Spotted.
So may posts, articles, forum chats, etc. either focus on the perfect breastfeeding story or the terrifying stories. One makes you think it is going to be the easiest thing in the world, "It's completely natural". There are so many of these out there, you may not even see the others that focus on the terrifying stories that make you think you should go with formula from the moment they are born. I will admit I don't see many of those around, ever.

I have had two very different journeys in nursing.
LJ was a delivery we were not expecting and he was in an oxygen tent for hours after birth. He didn't get the idea of latching and as the incredibly not helpful LC at the hospital pointed out, I was flat. Truly it came in the form of the question, "have you always been this flat?" I did not know I had flat nipples, but according to her, I did. There are things that can help with women who are flat, but she did not want to offer those as they were reserved for women who had too much trouble nursing and I hadn't given it enough time yet, I guess.
Nights were terrible for us in the hospital. They would bring LJ in crying terribly. We would try everything, including glucose dripped on my nipple to try to get him to latch. Finally, the second night nurse saw how much trouble we were having and how much I needed help. She took it upon herself to get me a nipple shield and help me learn to use it.
LJ was able to nurse the best he could when I used the shield. The biggest thing for me was that it was not very comfortable. The suction he would create would hurt. The second LC that I saw in the hospital helped me learn to use some of the pump accessories (as I had the main pump parts at my house from my sister) so that I could pump and still be able to feed my new son. She was very helpful, but never saw me nurse, so I never got the help I could truly use. We left the hospital supplementing with formula. That supplementing gradually became more and more and by about three weeks I was only pumping my milk and LJ would get bottles with mommy milk and formula. By four months, I stopped pumping, and my supply lasted until about five months. From then on my little LJ was purely on formula. I was just happy I could offer him some milk in the beginning of his life.
Better some than none, right?

BG was a different story all together.
Within the first hour after birth she was with me and nursing. She latched on right away and was a pro at nursing. I wanted to be sure that things were not just a fluke. The LC came in when BG was nursing and said everything was perfect.
When I learned that I was expecting I began researching how to nurse even if flat nipples are involved. I found that I could start using nipple shells to prepare my body for nursing. The biggest issue with the shells is that I had to go up a size in my bras and make sure they were padded so the shields were not too noticeable when I was wearing them.
If you have troubles with your latch due to your body, I HIGHLY recommend getting a pair of nipple shells. They can also be used after birth to sooth sore nipples. 
Back to after BG's birth. She was a pro from the start. After we left the hospital not too much changed, but man did a I get sore! My body was not used to a baby nursing and it hurt. After she got into her rhythm, things would settle down and not hurt anymore, but the first few minutes could get pretty sore.
It did not help anything that my milk came in while still in the hospital. Talk about engorged! The only thing that made things better was pumping or hand expressing milk.
After a few weeks both BG and I were pros at this nursing thing. Now she is going on 14 months old and still nursing at night. I am not sure when weaning will happen. She likes her time with mommy, and I love that time bonding with her.
Breastfeeding does not always come easy, no matter how natural it may be. If you are having trouble, talk to someone. Anyone. I suffered in silence with LJ and didn't get the outcome I originally wanted. If you are set on nursing, get some help, even if only from friends who have experience with nursing and nursing problems. It could change everything.

Until next time... Happy Breastfeeding!

Weaning - It's not all roses

My Baby Girl is not a baby anymore. She has turned a year old (and then some), has begun her version of talking, and walking, and drinking regular whole milk. We love our nursing relationship, but I am realizing she is demanding the breast when she doesn't need it. Many nights I have woken up multiple times with her just to have her nurse for 5 minutes or so before passing back out. I am not sure why she is waking so many times these nights. I know she can sleep through the night or wake just once, eat a little and then go back to sleep for the rest of the night. She has done this as well, but it is rarer than waking 2-5 times a night.
We have already gotten ourselves down to nursing just at night, but I am not so sure that this is best at this point. I have loved nursing, and all the benefits for both of us, but I also look forward to nights spend fully in my bed without trips to LJ and BG's room to rock and nurse she back to sleep. I know she needs to learn to sooth herself, and I am having the hardest time with that as well.
This mommy is so torn about what to do and how best to do it.
How did you wean your baby from nursing for the sake of the feel of it? How old were your little ones when you weaned or they decided to wean?
And on the other note: How did you get your nursing child to learn how to sooth themselves to sleep at night?
It seemed so much easier with LJ because he was already on a bottle, so that never changed for him. He also got used to not being in my arms every time to fall asleep. I need your help!


Until next time.... Happy mommy-ing.

BabyBond Nursing "Cover" Review & Discount

"Cover mom, not her baby." The BabyBond Nursing Sash allow this to happen. Moms can stay modest and not show more skin than they are comfortable and baby is able to stay uncovered so mom and baby can bond more.

From the site:

BabyBond Flex™ is worn like a sash, functioning like a nursing top. Nurse from the top of your shirt. Separate the layers of fabric to achieve latch on. Double panel keeps breast covered above & below. Belly & back remain covered with your own shirt. Removable 9 x 12″ double layer terry velour burp cloth. Able to attach any cloth or wear without cloth attached. Stores in matching pouch.

Let me say, I love my BabyBond, even if I did end up asking for a size too large. :) At first it took me a few tries to get to a point where I felt comfortable using the BabyBond. I found it worked better for me (with my too large for me BabyBond) to put some safety pins in it where the next size BabyBond would sit. Once I had it to a size that worked better, I was able to start nursing my little girl almost anywhere and feel comfortable that I was not showing too much skin. I am a fairly modest mom and this helps my sweaty baby not have to be covered every time we nurse in public.

I received a Flex BabyBond to try out for this review. The difference between the original and the flex is an added removable burp cloth. The Original Bond has a built in burp cloth. The terry velour burp cloth is super soft! I am in love with the removable cloth. My little one tends to be messy when she nurses, so I can put the cloth under her chin to catch some of her dribbles and keep them off of me and the sash.
The BabyBond is easy to take everywhere with you because it comes in a super easy and convenient storage pouch. All you do is roll up the sash and tuck it in to the pouch. I put a clip on mine so that I could easily clip to whichever diaper bag I am using.







I love this product and recommend it to moms who are planning to nurse their little ones.

And now for an awesome bonus for my readers. The wonderful people at BabyBond have offered a discount of 25% off products on their site. The code for this discount is: LYNIFER.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com created by WebBizIdeas.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure. This post may contain some affiliate links.