So consider yourself warned. :)
Anne will be 11 weeks old tomorrow (!) and after a rough go at the outset, breastfeeding (and pumping) went along swimmingly for the past little while. All of a sudden, though, I remember why breastfeeding can be a challenge even for experienced nursing moms.
NIPPLES. I suppose I should have put a warning about that word too, in the title. Henry, though a poor sleeper and an extremely fussy baby, was a champion nurser. He did it well right from the outset, and I never had a problem aside from a clogged milk duct issue that persisted when I went back to work and my supply changed due to all the pumping. All this through about 15 months. I never even thought about formula. And I would have happily continued nursing longer if he had wanted to, but he weaned right around 15 months.
And then there's Anne. I call her my little barracuda. She's a much more demanding nurser, and my nipples are taking a beating. I noticed a few days ago that I was starting to dread nursing her on my right breast, and would brace myself whenever she latched on. I don't think we have thrush. I don't see any white patches in her mouth. I think I've just gotten lazy with her latch, and my nipples developed a soreness. I've been applying Lansinoh Lanolin religiously, and hoping that it gets better.
Right now, I'm looking to 6 months. I think that's a good and realistic goal. If we make it there, then I'll look to the year mark. I know that around 6 months, nursing gets infinitely easier with the introduction of solids, so if I make it that far, I'm pretty sure I'll make it to the full year again. But baby steps. I'm not putting pressure on myself this time.
I'm just thinking of my poor right nipple. There was some...BLOOD today. *cries* I'm very squeamish. Seeing my own blood makes me woozy, and all this despite two births. I just can't slough that off.
Anyway, if you have any advice aside from watching her latch and using the lanolin, let me know. I'm hoping we can move past this within the next few days.
In other nursing news, my Udder Cover continues to please. I used it in the middle of the mall the other day, the true test. Reading my last issue of Fit Pregnancy over breakfast the other morning, I saw an ad for a competing product called a "Hooter Hider." Now, doesn't that just seem unnecessary? They couldn't come up with a more couth name? When I showed it to Mike, he made a few comments about other potential irreverant name combinations, one in which both words started with a "B" and another more vulgar one in which the name starts with "T's." It was pretty funny, actually.
Onward, nursing soldiers...
I ended up using a nursing shield with Sadie for a month to let my nipples heal and it was a lifesaver. I bought one for Mae and never needed it. I know other people have problems with them, but we never did, we just used them until I'd healed and then stopped, and it gave me the little break I needed to get better!
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