The difference 8 weeks makes

I haven't mentioned how nursing is going lately, so I thought I would take minute (while nursing actually) to reflect. If you read this blog then you know we have had a rough time with nursing.

Griffin was in the NICU for the first two weeks of his life, so the beginning was slow. He didn't get to eat period until day four of his life, and we did bottles of pumped milk and a little formula then. We got to nurse for the first time on day six or seven maybe? Griffin did great with it and latched on awesome right away. We of course had trouble keeping him awake during the feedings (like most moms do). We continued to do bottles as well during his hospital stay bc me going up at every feedings would have been nuts!

We got to "room in" with Griffin the weekend before he got discharged from the hospital (meaning we got to stay in a hospital room with him for all day and night). This was our first experience nursing exclusively, and it seemed to go really well. We continued to nurse exclusively when we took him home that Monday.

Then that Tuesday he suddenly had issues. He would scream his head off during nursing sessions, every session. He pulled off a ton and did not want to stay on and eat. But he was fine the rest if the day, so it wasnt colic or reflux. By that Wednesday night I was exhausted and discouraged. Justin made me pump and sleep and he took over Griffin. I so needed that! After that it got a little better but it was still a struggle every session. We ended up going back to pumping and bottle feeding at every other feeding, thinking he was just a lazy nurser maybe.

I went to a lactation consultation and they thought I probably had too much milk from pumping, so my letdown was probably too strong for Griffin. I had to nurse in only the side lying position for awhile, because it slowed the flow. Nursing improved a ton at that point!! Around this time though, he started throwing up more.

So from then until I started work nursing was ok, but still not great. He still screamed quite a bit. But when I went back to work something changed or clicked for Griff, because nursing has been great!! He is nursing faster and so much better. It's a sweet time and I LOVE it now!! It really is a special me and him time that I am really treasuring these days! So glad I didn't give up. I thought about quitting sooo many times during the hard times.

So that's our nursing story (more for my records than your amusement). Currently Griffin eats every 3 hours and usually sleeps eight hours at night, so we nurse 3 to 4 times a day and he gets 3 bottles. He actually is really struggling with the bottles, but that's another post.

What was your experience with breastfeeding or feeding in general? Or if you don't have kids, what are your questions about it?


- Mrs.Pate via my iPhone