Thursday, July 28, 2011

Breastfeeding 101.

I wanted to write this last week, but the PR 'momhood' has been a rush. You know work, emotions, planning all piles up! I don't want to cry anymore while carrying this baby. Little babe is so precious <3

We took a breastfeeding course a few Mondays ago. Yay boob class!
It answered all of our questions and then some about breastfeeding and the woman's body. I watched my mom breastfeed my three little sisters so to me breastfeeding was always in the plan. But this course taught us stuff I never could have imagined! Like the self squeezing to prevent your breasts from hardening?! What? How often? How long do I have until they turn into rocks? What's going to happen to me!?
Oh dear me. Wait til I get my hands on that one.
Phil was particularly interested in learning about what to find in a diaper the first 72 hours. He says he has the stinkers. Pfft. Good for him! What a man.

Like I said, I watched my mom breastfeed three girls and I thought breastfeeding just came easy for mother and child. Now I feel such a stronger connection as I now know we still need to help our child learn how to feed properly. Although they come out hungry and sucking, if the baby and his/her lips aren't properly placed on your breast he/she is not going to get any milk at all although it looks like they're working away at it. I'm lucky to be surrounded by a wonderful group of women like our mothers and our midwife Janet. We both feel really confident about our choice to breastfeed. They cautioned us that a lot of women will stop breastfeeding because they claim their child couldn't suck right, or they were running out of milk. So often that's not the case. It's the fact that breastfeeding is new for mother and child and we all need time to get comfortable. Expect it to take weeks, not days. With a partner like Phil I know he'll work with me to stay calm, not get frustrated, and read our baby's cues to better understand when he or she needs to feed. The breastfeeding experience is also an incredible bonding experience and opportunity to keep those special and quiet moments between you and baby. As much as we as new mothers want to be surrounded by family, we need to surround ourself with baby and get to know our baby's cue signs. I really want to take a one-on-one approach and get to know my baby.

I think i'll really treasure that alone time in a room just feeding my baby. I look forward to not being attached to my phone or computer for once! The blog will be the centre for baby updates :)
We're both very affectionate people and we look forward to sharing our special bond with our little one :)

Phil's thoughts on me breastfeeding: Somewhere between beautiful...and really sexy!

That works for me!

2 comments:

  1. I remember your Mom breastfeeding all of you guys, She made it look so easy. When I got pregnant with Syd, she answered all my questions and Bottle feeding wasnt even a thought for me. Your Mom made it look so right and was never embarrassed about it. She made it look like Love

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