Life

And how they feed my baby. Lotus is going to do a breastfeeding story carnival at some point and because I have nothing better to talk about tonight, I thought I’d share my story and link to it later.

My Mum breastfed me until I was 3 and then did exactly the same thing with my brother. He was born when I was 5 1/2, so I remember him being fed.

Actually, until I was a teenager, I don’t think I had ever had anything to do with bottlefed babies. Mum’s friends were all breastfeeders and that is what I accepted as the norm.

So when I was pregnant there was no doubt in my mind that I would breastfeed.

I consider myself so lucky because I had no issues with it, at all.

After Amy was born, she latched on and had a few sucks while we were still in delivery, I could feel her sucking, but there was no pain or discomfort.

That night after Nathan had gone home (Amy was around 3 hours old), she got a little fussy so I got my boob out. You can imagine how proud I was when she latched on amazingly and fed like her life depended on it. (Hey! At 3 hours old, my boobs were all she had!)

I felt a little strange, like maybe I should have asked the midwives for help? Then I told myself I was being silly, she was my daughter and I could do this, by myself!

So I did.

The midwife came in about 9pm to check our temperatures and was amazed to see me feeding my daughter (again). Her look of shock was priceless as she asked ‘You’re feeding her?’

‘Yes’

‘But, you didn’t ask for assistance!’

‘I didn’t need it’

‘But everyone needs help. Wait, does it hurt?’

‘Nope, I can feel her sucking, but there is no pain’

‘Oh. Well, that is great then.’

Amy wasn’t a sleepy newborn and she spent the night alternately sleeping on my breast or feeding. I couldn’t get her to latch on on my right side, so we fed on the left all night.

The next morning I asked the midwife on duty for help attaching Amy to my right boob. After some crying and some twisty turny boob groping she was attached.

The midwife did the rapidly-becoming-annoying spiel.

‘Does it hurt?’

‘No, I can feel the sucking, but no pain.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes, I’m sure!’

‘No pulling or pinching?’

‘No’

‘Oh, well I’ll leave you to it then.’

‘Thankyou for the help’

‘That’s okay’

My milk came in less than 24 hours after Amy was born. I spent most of the time I was in hospital feeding her.

Everytime the midwife came in they would see me feeding and ask about it.

‘You’re feeding her again?’

‘Yes, she wants to feed.’

‘You know newborn babies don’t actually NEED that much milk?’

‘Yes, I KNOW they don’t NEED it, but she WANTS it, and I don’t want to listen to her cry because she WANTS to suck.’

‘Oh. Okay then.’

Half the time Amy was actually asleep on my bare breast, but I liked seeing the midwives discomforted by us. Yes, I’m a bitch sometimes.

We wet home and Amy spent 90% of the day feeding. When she wasn’t feeding she was screaming because she wanted to feed, so I fed her. Path of least resistance and all that jazz.

She grew bigger and got more attached to my boobs. She spent (and still spends) every opportunity with her hands down my top.

I swore I wanted to feed until ‘at least 12mths’. At my 6 week check, I was told I would have to take extra care of myself because ‘there isn’t much of you’.

So I did.

12 months came and went and somehow I didn’t feel like weaning. Amy was a boobie addict and refused to give them up. We eventually stopped night feeds completely after Amy minced my nipple with her newly cut teeth.

(Note to Amy? Yeah, teeth are bad. Love Mummy)

So, here we are, 9 days off 18mths and she seems more boob addicted than ever. I am trying to cut her feeds down to 1 or 2 a day, but she is having none of that.

She can get into my boobs herself now and every day I am so glad we made it this far. I am taking it a day at a time, as she feeds and twists and turns while still holding my nipple in her mouth. Lately she has taken to trying to wiggle backwards out of the chair, while still feeding. Not my most favourite move.

So I have a few bits of advice for anyone wanting to breastfeed.

-Wet some newborn nappies and freeze them. Wrap them around your boobs to help with the heat and swelling of engorgement.

-For engorged boobs, heat will help the milk flow, so use a heat pack and massage before and during a feed and use ice compresses afterwards.

-Buy a good barrier cream and use it for any grazes, cuts or blisters. I didn’t need one at first, but after the teeth came through, Amy minced my nipples regularly.

-I used my hands to help Amy attach. I used to squeeze my nipple and areola into a flattened biscuit type shape. This meant that she got a good mouthful of boob even when she didn’t open her mouth wide enough. I needed to do this until she was around 6 mths old.

-If what you are doing isn’t working, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Ask your friend, a nurse, a midwife or your buddy on the internet what they did that made it easier for them.

-If you are badly sore, rest and express until you heal. Don’t be afraid to say that it hurts. Even when I KNEW Amy had a good latch and we knew what we were doing, some feeds were excruciating, no matter what we did.

-Loose tops that lift up are more discreet than button down shirts if you are nursing in public.

Feel free to leave any advice of your own in the comments. Also, if you have any questions, please don’t be afraid to ask. Another great person to plague with questions (I do it all the time and she still loves me) is Tara. She is actually a Peer Lactation Counsellor and she is lovely.

You can see more (breast)feeding stories here. 

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So this week has been hectic, what with the packing and the bleeding and such, so again, I only have a few photos for you. Yes, I know, I will try and be better next week and keep my camera charged for the move.

We should have our keys on Friday 29th Feb.

Our plan at the moment is to do a final inspection on Thursday, sign all the forms and receive the keys Friday and move on Saturday/Sunday.

Saturday night should see us sleeping in our new place for the first time!

The house needs a good clean before we can move anything in, because they have been smoking inside and honestly who knows what is hiding in the carpet? So Friday afternoon we will be getting our hands dirty in order to make the new house clean.

Not to mention the kitchen! How am I supposed to make delicious food like this when the kitchen has had goodness knows what in it?

Click on the photos to get the recipes.

So yes, packing, cleaning, moving, unpacking, cleaning is the order of the coming week. Exciting times, my friends, very exciting.

Even more exciting than that? (stop rolling your eyes, this is exciting. honest)

We can get a puppy in the new place!

Yay puppy!

Toddler entertainer in one (not so) tidy little package. I am looking forward to it. You should too.

Because we have been busy this week, this is how Amy has spent all her time.

Standing at my legs, clinging to me and asking to be picked up. She doesn’t want to cuddle, she just wants to travel around the house on my hip thanks.

Mummy-transport! No need to fear the Mummy-unions (do we have unions? I want a union membership plskthnx) because Mummy-transporters can always be paid in kisses. Or chocolate. Or sleep.

All the cool babies get Mummy-transporters. Unfortunately Amy seems to think her Mummy-transporter needs constant attention (in the form of a toddler-ball-and-chain attached to my leg) or else I will magically run away and disappear. (Like to the toilet! *GASP*)

Life is hard for the Toddlers of the world I am sure.

See more Weekly Winners (with less words) here 

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Google searchers! I wonder what they were actually looking to find?

Celebrites with big bodies – Why not celebrities with freakishly small bodies? Why do you want to know about large celebrities?

wombat in my yard – I had one too! Messy critter it was.

trying to conceive “got my period” – You and me both. Damn TTC.

bloody POSSUM – Now, why did you feel the need to capitalize the possum bit? Lets just shoot all the possums and then my life would be good.

refusal stories – refusal to do what exactly?!

my toddler refuses to wean – Mine too. Want to be my friend? I swear, my nipples are going to be numb forever.

toddler squeezes moms breast – Yes, mine also twiddles my nipples, pull up my top just to kiss me and then spends ages just checking that everything is the same.

Lotus and Braden – Sweetie, you don’t want me. Here is the lovely lady you were after.

my daughter says no to everything – I am waiting for this stage. I bet I will hate it.

why sleep is important to babies – Because without it their mothers would go insane. Trust me, EVERYONE needs sleep.
Amy Feather Jones – Uh okay?

What is keeping me from going insane – The little voices in your head saying it is a bad idea.

feather tickling stories – I’m not gonna ask. But I promise you won’t find it here.
he was wearing a dress – I dressed my little brother up in a dress and makeup once. He wouldn’t let me take photos of it *sigh* such a pity, he was such a pretty girl. He was 5.

Looking up dresses in public – Just don’t do it. Someone will kick you eventually!

I am a teenager and my daddy makes me sit in a trolley at the supermarket – That is just creepy.

Photo saggy breasts – I have them, but I am not going to photograph them.

How to catch a possum – Well, you could always try sprinkling salt on it’s tail…

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Today as we were driving into town, Nathan and I were chatting. Amy was in the back seat talking away to herself when we realised exactly what she was saying.

‘Shit!’

‘Quick!’ I gasp, trying not to giggle, because giggling would be bad. ‘Don’t pay any attention to her. Ignore it.’

We studiously didn’t giggle (I am so proud) and she said it again.

‘Shit!’

[strangled gasps from the parents]

‘Oh dear’ says Nathan, ‘I think we have been swearing too much lately’

‘Uh huh’ I agree. ‘We need to swear less’

‘Shit! Shit! Shit!’ says Amy ‘Shit shit shit’

‘No, you need to swear less’ says Nathan.

‘I don’t swear that much!’

‘Yes you do’

‘Bugger off, I don’t. Shit. Oh shit! Bugger, I’m doing it now aren’t I?’

‘Yup.’

‘Oh dear’

‘Yup’

Luckily, at that moment, a good song came on the radio (Men at Work – Land Down Under) and we turned it up and sang along. By the end of the song Amy had forgotten about her new word, especially as there were drinks to drink and balls to drop.

THANK GOD!

Ooops, I mean thank goodness.

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