Our little sweetie is finally gaining weight. I got really agressive with her feedings this week, plus I started taking fenugreek, which boosts my supply. Our baby girl gained 3 ounces in 3 days!! I am still supplementing, but Vera doesn't want them most of the time. I'll start feeding her formula, and she spits it out and starts gnawing on my arm. The doctor told me that this was completely normal. I can't remember if I wrote this last time, but I considered changing pediatricians, because I didn't feel like she was supportive of my decision to nurse. It turns out that the nurse was just unfriendly. The nurse today was very kind and encouraging. Thanks so much for all of your prayers for our baby girl and for your comments as well. Laura, I want to thank you especially. I was struggling with feelings that I would be a bad mother if I had to formula feed. You just reminded me that my baby eating was more important than how she was getting her food. I had a lot of people encouraging me to keep nursing, but you mentioned that not nursing was not the end of the world. Thanks so much!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
7 comments:
hi kelly
i dont'knwo if you knew anything about our nursing problems, but i would love to talk to you about it if you need to. long story short, nursing was/is incredibly important to me, but it doesn't work normally. i have to supplement about 80%, but we use donated milk and a supplementer. that way, you can supplement and still nurse. you can supplement with formula too, through the supplementer. i know how you feel, except i can hardly nurse at all.
Jana, thanks for the information! I am hoping to stop supplementing by Monday, but if the doctor insists on me continuing (which would only be if she stopped gaining weight), I do plan on getting a supplementation aid of some kind. I've already asked around and know where to go to get one. I didn't know how difficult things were for you when it comes to nursing. I'm really glad you figured out a way to make it work for you! Congrats on the little boy, by the way. They're SO much fun!!
Jana, thanks for the information! I am hoping to stop supplementing by Monday, but if the doctor insists on me continuing (which would only be if she stopped gaining weight), I do plan on getting a supplementation aid of some kind. I've already asked around and know where to go to get one. I didn't know how difficult things were for you when it comes to nursing. I'm really glad you figured out a way to make it work for you! Congrats on the little boy, by the way. They're SO much fun!!
Thanks Kelly! I think we or others put so much pressure on ourselves to live up to some unattainable and subjective view of motherhood. I felt it when I was pregnant, when my kids were babies, when they were toddlers and now especially now that I am homeschooling!! Its hard to know what is constructive advice and what is just someone's opinion!! Everyone will always think their own way of doing things are the best way!! You and Jonathan are the only ones that are responsible for the raising of Conlan and Vera. Everyone else in your life that loves and supports you is icing on the cake. You do what is best for your family NOT was someone else thinks is best. Listen to advice, consult family and friends, pray about it and then do what is best by you and your family!! I wish I would have learned that earlier!
God is good and I am glad that Vera is gaining weight!! You are a loving, attentive mother and she will continue to grow in body and spirit!!
Dear Kelly,
Thanks for sharing all of this. Once we start having kids, I want to nurse. It's good to know ahead of time some of the challenges it may involve.
We'll keep praying!
Annie
Yay!! I am so happy she is gaining weight! =) That is too cute that she goes for your arm. =P Her booties are in the mail! =)
I can go back 54 years and remember when I tried to nurse my firstborn boy I finally had to suppliment with a bottle. In those days it was cow's milk. It wasn't the doctor that told us to use a bottle, it was the baby wanting to nurse nonstop because he was still hungrey. He wouldn't stop fussing and wanting to feed until we finally tried a bottle at 2 in the morning using a formula we found in Dr Spock's book for babies. We did that for over 3 months and then he got 6 teeth. A 3 month old with 6 teeth are a formula for bottle feeding only. Breast feeding is the perfect way but it isn't the only way, what is the best way is what the baby thrives on and you are the kind of mother that will make sure her baby thrives. Vera has been born to almost perfect parents that will always make sure she is given the best of what is important and that is love. Grandma Janice
Post a Comment