Breastfeeding

Happy World Breastfeeding Week and National Breastfeeding Month!

What can I say about breastfeeding? It's healthy, organic, emotional, challenging, rewarding, demanding, and probably one the best bonding moments you'll ever have with your child. But on another note, it's not for everyone and that's OK! Which ever works for you and as long as your baby has the nutrition he or she needs, that's all that matters.

In my experience, I was fortunate enough to have my milk come in early but I'm not gonna lie...I did have struggles. Well for one, Brage was tongue tied and had difficulties latching on properly. He was latching onto my nipple and not my breast, which made me so raw within the first 24 hours. Luckily, my lactation nurse showed me a few tips that helped a little but not until I had his tongue revised was when nursing him was a whole lot better. Another struggle was that he was a preemie. My little guy was 5lbs and 1.4 oz at birth but came home at 4lbs and 11 ounces. So yes, I worried and questioned. Was he going to gain weight faster if I had him on formula? Was I producing enough milk? How much of my fore milk and hind milk was he getting? Am I over feeding? It all freaked me out but I decided to stick with breastfeeding. I wanted to prevent and reduce any infection risks and give him the best I could offer, my liquid gold. Brage soon started gaining weight and literally doubled his size by his first check up. Proud mama!

Now at 7 months, we are still at it but we've now included solid food and bottle feeding during the day. We started Brage on solids at 5 months with one meal and also tested the sippy cup. He enjoyed it so much that we increased it to two meals of solid foods a day. As for transitioning him to bottle feeding, with my milk of course, he took it really well. We actually never had any issues with him taking the bottle but he hates the pacifier. Its quite funny because he has a love/hate relationship with his pacifier. Some days he'll take it and some he won't.

Anyways, I've now come to realize that my baby has a mind of his own and no longer as helpless as a one month old. He's also TEETHING! no surfaced teeth just yet but he's salivating more than usual. I hope to transition him to only bottle feeding with my milk once he's 12 months but for now...I'm going continue with breastfeeding at night until he's ready.

Hope you've enjoyed this read and good luck with your feedings.

Comment below if you have any questions or tell me about your feedings and success stories.

Love Always,

Debbie X