Pumped

Baby is 3 weeks old today and so far me and the hubby have managed to keep him happy, healthy and safe.

I'm breastfeeding. But my goodness, what a stressful ordeal that has been. So I've pretty much broken all the rules of breastfeeding by now, but hey the way I see it, as long as baby is getting my breastmilk and all the liquid gold in it, than that's all that matters right?

Right.

So we're supplementing with formula (rule #1 already broken). It's just hard to know if baby is getting enough from the breast ya know? I don't want baby to be dehydrated, I've seen that happen way too often in my TLC shows. At least with formula we can measure how much baby gets and so far he hasn't been confused at all and will take both milks. I'm also pumping (rule #2 broken as well). I like to pump, cause again, it gives a control freak like myself back the control cause by pumping, I can make sure how much milk baby is consuming. And since I can store it, we're building up a supply in which daddy can also help feed, especially in the wee hours of the night/morning. And did I mention pumping is so much more easier on my breast friends than baby is.

I've talked to other moms and also new moms from my birth class, and I've found that breastfeeding is stressful for almost everyone. So I say don't stress it! If you must break some of the rules, break em! If your goal is to have your baby get some of your breastmilk, and you need to either supplement or pump in order to do so, than its ok. There are no breastfeeding police around - unless you count the la leche league!

I miss my former breast friends. I am not too fond of these new ones. I'm a tiny gal, and I miss my tiny friends. These larger ones just don't look right.

Breastfeeding is hard, but you stay with it and you do it for the simple fact that baby is getting so much more from it. That's why I do it! And I do it through every avenue that you can =)

I'm ready, I'm getting through it, and I'm pumped!