Amelia 2: The Boob Chronicles

Okay, so breastfeeding....like natural childbirth, I always said I wanted to "try it". It turns out the natural childbirth thing didn't last too long, and the breastfeeding....well, the jury is still out.

I gave birth to Amelia on a Thursday and we brought her home that Saturday afternoon. I thought I was feeding her well in the hospital because she was pooping and peeing, but we never had the opportunity to have the lactation consultant watch me feed her in the hospital to make sure. It turns out things weren't going as well as I thought!

By Sunday, Easter morning, I realized the poor girl had stopped pooping and peeing. We ended up back at the hospital feeding Amelia formula through a tube and syringe, while I pumped giant milk rocks out of my boobs. The lactation consultant put us on a plan to help my engorgement and make sure Miss Amelia was getting enough to eat, and after that, I felt a lot better. I still wasn't really feeding her well all by myself, so we continued to tube feed her while I fed her at the same time.




We also had to go to Children's Mercy that day, because the pediatrician was concerned that she was dehydrated...what a mess. I had a feeling that, because we were on a plan and she had finally peed, that we were okay, but the Dr.'s office insisted, so off we went on Easter evening, BACK to a hospital, this time with my BFF Elise in tow.

Good thing she was there, because after the day we were having, we needed some serious comic relief! I don't know what those nurses thought when we were laughing and carrying on in the room, but let me tell you...when you're in a bad situation and you are counting on people to lift you up, that's when true friendship is revealed. Elise could have totally opted out, and we would have completely understood, but she wanted nothing more than to wait with us, in a hospital urgent care room, on Easter Sunday, when she could have been spending time with her family. I love her so much because of that. (And so does Amelia.)



(p.s. - don't you just love Amelia's awkward, ill-fitting outfit? In a mad rush to get to the hospital, we didn't have much time to find pants that fit her. I guess we're covered if we decide to dress her up as a hip-hop gnome for Halloween. )

Anyway, that was our Easter, the day after we brought out beautiful girl home from the hospital. Needless to say, I have been a little anxious about making sure she's been getting enough to eat since then. The good news is, the breastfeeding is going so great now. I don't have to pump anymore, and I don't have to use any extra "tools" or anything. Just ME! Being able to feed Amelia all by myself is an amazing feeling, and although there's not a whole lot of bonding going on while feeding yet (she usually has her eyes closed the whole time), I know she's getting what's best for her.

That doesn't mean that I don't want to quit all of the time, though. My boobs are sore sometimes. I hate worrying about engorgement. Breastfeeding in public has been inconvenient, and kind of awkward. Ben can't help me feed her. Every white onesie she owns is stained with breastmilk because of the tube feedings. I have to time every outing in two-hour increments so I make sure she gets enough to eat. She's finally back up to her birth weight now, which means we can relax a little, but still, it's exhausting. I know it will get better soon, when she goes longer between feedings.

Until then, the cans of convenience taunt me.



Stay tuned...