Nursing the Babe

I thought today I would post about our forrays into the nursing lifestyle as we wind up our third term. Lifestyle, you say? Yes, lifestyle. I do believe that there is no more debate that can heat up so quickly than how we chose to feed our children. And no more immersed lifestyle than the nursing mother. I mean, think about it. On average, the nursing mother will spend at least 1/4 of her day, six hours, with babe at breast. This is more time than most people spend doing any other one thing throughout their day.

I do not believe that I fall into the same group with most breastfeeding mothers. I had a very difficult time nursing my first child. Which, I suppose, is only natural, having never done it before, but "they" tell you that it is so natural and that if you're doing it properly you should have no discomfort. Bah! I spent a great deal of time with the lactation consultants after each of my babies were born and there was nothing that I was doing incorrectly, however, I still spent the first 8-12 weeks in white-knuckle pain.

Consequently, I decided after Anna that six months of nursing was it. I felt that it was necessary for her and subsequent children to at least get that much from me, because I firmly believe that it is the best possible start for children. I have gotten flack for that from several of the super-breastfeeding mommies, who quickly agree with WHO and nurse their babies until two or longer. I say yeah for them that they can go that long, but for me this is what works.

Another strike against me with the super-nursers is that I am a scheduled feeder. I do not believe in feeding on demand, even in the first six weeks of life. My reason for this, is that with Anna I tried feeding on demand during her first two weeks, and all I got for it was a baby that nursed for almost an hour on each breast, leaving me bloody, literally, and not because of an improper latch. She also would want to nip-nurse. Here a nip, there a nip...whenever she felt like it. Anyway, when we went to a schedule...nursing for 15 minutes on each side with two hours in between feedings from beginning to beginning. There was no more blood, or real engorgement because we were more regulated and she was no longer a lazy nurser because she knew that when we nursed was when she nursed.

I've gotten a few comments recently stating my babies were probably malnourished because I didn't feed on demand. So this is probably more of a vent post than normal, but hey, gotta have an outlet. Some people talk their stuff out, I blog it out. :)

Well, all that to say we're completing another round of nursing and are almost weaned. Yeah for us! Somedays it felt like she would be small and breastfeeding forever, but here we are, the big six month old, almost sitting on her own and ever so chubbsy. She's growing up so fast, and it's so hard to believe that next summer, she'll be where Abby is now, running around and singing. I'm glad we made it to this point and I'm very glad we're almost done. :)