Nursing. I have milk and a baby willing to suck -- two things I never had during my 4-month trial (and failure) with Hila. My nipples aren't even that sore.
And yet...
Eh. I'm not loving it. I miss the 3-4 hours schedule that you can immediately implement when you're using formula. I don't like having leaky boobs and having to wear nursing pads all day, every day. I don't like feeling like I can't go out because maybe (definitely) the baby will need to eat and I'll have to sit on a park bench or in a restaurant for an hour trying to feed her without exposing myself. I don't like feeding every hour, maybe two hours, maybe even three hours at night, but most probably 30 minutes (during teh day). I don't like feeling insecure that Meira isn't getting enough to eat since there's no way to measure what she gets in a single sitting.
I've already given in and feed her one bottle of formula at night -- and oh how I look forward to it!
But it really does seem like a shame to quit when things are actually working out, especially after my struggle last time. And it's not like I have much else to do during these next few weeks...
I am going to take this one day at a time.
Meanwhile, in an effort to make sure Hila doesn't try and give Meira food or drink or any sort, we're had the following conversation a few times:
Me: "Hila, can babies eat pizza?" (or whatever we're eating at the time)
Hila: (laughing) "No!"
Me: "What do babies eat?"
Hila: "Only mommy's boobies. Only boobies."
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4 comments:
Sarah, I feel the same way. 7 weeks and we are still not on a real feeding schedule. But giving her nightly bottles is really smart. The nurses told me not to supplement, and now Noam refuses bottles, which means I can't leave him for more than an hour or so because he will likely get hungry and start screaming from hunger but refuse the perfectly good formula (or breastmilk) being offered to him in a bottle. We're currently working it... But I totally support your efforts! Maybe you'll be better about getting Meira on a set schedule (and making sure she eats enough each time) than I have been with Noam :-)
I just read something might encourage you to keep nursing. Babies who take formula are fed the same thing every single day. Babies who nurse get some variety because your milk tastes different depending on what you eat :-D
P -- not convincing enough. i've fed a baby formula for a year before -- she never seemed to get bored of it and her palate doesn't look like it's suffered.
still nursing...we'll see how long it lasts... I'm impressed with your endurance. if at 6 weeks she's still eating every hour or even two, i'd quit. meanwile, i think i've already ruined my milk supply by giving formula. i'm just getting lazy.
love!
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