Just thought I'd add that title at the top to save any men from reading the following post and getting embarrassed!
I recently gave advice to a friend from our Sunday School class, and thought that I might share this information since we have so many breastfeeding moms in our class at church. I have a friend at school who is my "breastfeeding cheerleader," and I truly think that I might have quit if I didn't have her support.
A few problems that I had, and how I am trying to solve them:
1. While at work, I couldn't pump enough (still having trouble with that as he needs to eat more now). Also, I wanted to build up our freezer storage of milk over the summer (which the hurricane took care of...).
My friend told me about dry pumping. All you have to do is keep pumping for 20 extra minutes (sounds like fun, right?!). This will add an extra ounce per time that you pump, every 3 days. Example: You dry pump 5 times a day, then in 3 days, you should have an additional 5 ounces of milk. Then 3 days later, 10 extra ounces, etc. Try to do this as often as you can, but don't worry about it if you have someplace to be, etc. Also, never lose sleep to try and pump. You could pump an extra hour each night and that would definitely get your milk production up faster, but don't do it if you should be sleeping instead. My friend says, "A happy mama equals a happy baby."
2. He wants to eat all the time!
Ok, this was harder to break, but you can do it. If you want your baby to start going longer in between feedings, then try to push it 15 minutes at a time every couple of days. I think that this is one of the first forms of discipline that I gave Evan. Feeding him when he needed to eat, rather than letting Mama be a pacifier, was hard at first but was better for him in the long run. Even if it means he cries for an additional 30 minutes each time, he will eventually get into the new routine and be just fine!
3. It's just formula...
I will be your cheerleader here: even if your child needs to have 1 bottle of formula per day, that's still only 365 bottles of formula per year! If you think of it this way, then you won't stress about every little ounce. In fact, the more you stress, the bigger effect it will have on your milk supply. So, just go with the flow, relax, and do as much as you can. If it's still not enough, do not give up! It is still better to give him what you can, than to quit altogether (in my humble opinion).
Bottom line: if you are breastfeeding, your child is benefitting from you no matter how much you can give him/her. Please do not lose heart; it is hard, but possible. I feel very rewarded to have made it this far, because it really is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my life. Evan and I are both getting into a routine, and things are working much better now. Also, I would not have made it this long without the support of a friend of mine who gave me all of the above information. She is a lactation consultant, and helps me with anything that I have a question about. I wouldn't have made it without her support. So, if you are a breastfeeding mama out there who is frustrated, please either write me, or I can give you her email. One of us can try to give you advice.
..and I miss him! He left so early, that I really don't feel like I got to say goodbye, either. I wish that I had gotten out of bed to give him a truly wonderful hug and kiss goodbye. He will not return until late Saturday night, and I really miss him!
