Please help me. I really dislike breastfeeding. - Page 2

[motherhendoula]

At a recent LLL meeting a mom said she had books dowloaded to her IPOD ...(i hope i have that right ...i still like to listen to records)  and i know my son downloads comedians to his ipod ....i know the feeling of not being able to move your hands!  I am a plus sized mama and i carry most of it in my bra.  I think my wrists cramping up was the worst thing about nursing in the beginning!  i still need to put a hand underneath a breast while nursing - so i cant do anything 'productive'  - but i have figured out how to use the remote control.  I worked very hard on learning to nurse lying down - but i seem to get a bad latch every time and wake up with abrasions  - so for the most part i nurse sitting upright.  

Also remember as baby gets bigger they can eat in like 5 - 10 minutes!   - your update sounded great - keep checking in and letting us know your doing!

[JFTB1177]

Originally Posted by Ravin 

My advice:

1. Learn to nurse lying down and co-sleep.

THIS!!!! I pretty much only nurse lying on my side or propped up on my elbow because it is sooo much more comfortable than the other positions. When baby gets up at night I pup him on his side, push a pillow behind his back to keep him on his side, and pop my boob in his mouth. When he's done I either remove the pillow from his back so he sleeps on his back, and he sleeps with me, or I put him in his swing (the only other place he'll sleep beside my bed lol). Usually he just sleeps in my bed with me. Right now dh is still sleeping on the couch so this works (I worry about dh rolling over him if he was in bed with us... guess we need a bigger bed!). If I had to ge tup every time he wanted to nurse, and sit up and prop myself with pillows etc, yeah I would be miserable too!!

[BaileyB]

Originally Posted by blessedwithboys 

I would venture to say that this is perhaps not a simple BF issue.  Is it probable that you would still squirm in your chair while holding a bottle?  I'm thinking you would.  Barring a situation where the actual physical sensation of nursing was intolerable to you, and that is why you fell you "hate" BFing, I really think it's a matter of you having some baby blues. 

I would agree with maybe it's not entirely a BF-ing issue. I know that while my LO is nursing I loved looking at her and felt really great but I had MASSIVE oversupply and letdown that would spray all over and pretty much drown her and it took 4 weeks for everything to even out so I know how it feels to be up by yourself and really distressed because you feel like you and your boobs suck at everything, but it does get better. I would second (or third??) the idea of side-lying feeding. It has saved me many nights as far as getting sleep or at least resting at night. Good luck! I almost quit BF-ing a few times the first month and it was always because of some problem I was having with night feedings.

[mkksmom]

I haven't read all of the responses, but I'll be honest. With my first, I hated it. Hate, hate, hated it. Really. Daytime, night time. I think the hatred really started around 2 weeks. I just stressed about her latch, was she sucking in too much air? Was she getting enough? The list goes on. I called LLL's hotline and got some tips, and calmed down. But my LO was miserable crying in pain. Turns out I had oversupply (which you really should not self-diagnose, by the way), and once my supply evened out, so did my LO. By 6 weeks, it was tolerable, and by 8 weeks, I could even see how I would like it. By 3 months, I LOVED it and was soooo glad I decided to hang in there. I made it 18 months. The best news is that I was prepared with more info and experience for my second and was soooo much more confident. I loved it from the start with her just as passionately as I hated it with my first. Hang in there because it really gets soooo much easier.

[Sandrine]

Originally Posted by motherhendoula 

Also remember as baby gets bigger they can eat in like 5 - 10 minutes!   - your update sounded great - keep checking in and letting us know your doing!

My dds were fast nurser and always only nurse for 5-10mins. As newborns, i would "force" them to nurse as long as 10min but I had to wake them up, etc..  Your dd could be like that. Then you have some dc that takes forever it seems.

You're doing great!!! it will get easier. :)

[hollytheteacher]

The first 6 weeks are def the hardest.  When my first was a baby I remember at the 2 week mark wondering how on earth women did this for YEARS? When I kept thinking I had to get through one more day...just one more day of bfing and told myself that each day, but then it gets SO MUCH better.  For one, the baby gets better at just knowing what to do...there is less adjusting position, wiggling arms, etc....they just know how to find what they want and latch on! lol. Plus you start getting these BEAUTIFUL smiles...they will latch on, stop for a moment with a little milk dribbling down their chin and BEAM at you like you are the most amazing creature in the universe and you rock their little world.  That's when it all gets better and before you know it, you'll LOVE bfing :)

[Hannah32]

Yeah, I really hated it too at first. I almost quit so many times. But now it's the easiest way to mother my son (8 months). 

[BarefootGirl]

If you DO decide you just can't take the nighttime nursing, try pumping during the day so you can at least give breastmilk in the bottles at night - sooo much better than formula.  But try not to stress about watching the clock.  My DS has really never nursed more than about 5-10 minutes at a time, but he is a chunk!  Some of them are just really efficient.  Keep a count on wet diapers and weigh her occasionally if you can.  5 or 10 or 20 minutes of nursing really doesn't tell you if your LO is getting enough.

[Sorilla]

You can definitely listen to audio books, it's a LOT of fun, while breastfeeding ;)!!! And you do not need to sit all the time, just lay down and relax, lol! You will remember this time as best time of you life!

[frugalmum]

I would go out of my mind with boredom if I couldn't read on my laptop while nursing.  She is only two weeks so is in a very fussy/ still adjusting stage.  I bet with time you can gradually get her used to some movement or activity.  could you watch TV for now?

[sissah]

I have an iPad with Netflix streaming on it - I watch movies in 15-30 minute increments and browse the internet. Sometimes I watch TV, and sometimes we nurse laying down. And while my husband usually gets sleep at night, we have an agreement that at the times where I'm so tired I can't function and need him to be awake with me, a swift kick to the shin on my way out of bed is his signal to get up with me. :) I only really need his help rarely, but on those times where I almost can't get out of bed I'm so exhausted, he's more than happy to get up and handle the diapering while I get the extra two minutes in bed and then stay up to rub my back/talk to me/generally be my companion during the crappy night shift. It does get so much better... hang in there!

[Kedrosami]

I don't have much to add except that I also had a horrible time for the first couple months, but I promise you it gets SO much better if you just stick with it! I read a ton of books those early months and now looking back I miss that time, despite the fact that nursing caused me excruciating pain every single time at first. (So that is proof that it will pass!) I echo what everyone else said about side-lying, entertaining yourself with tv/books/music/web and not stressing too much about your supply. Just make sure she has wet diapers and all is fine. Your supply will not stabilize for another month or 2 anyway!

[JudiAU]

The first weeks are the hardest. When they get a little older it requires less effort on your part. Just roll over, nurse, roll over.

Other ideas, low music, tv, etc.

And I'd check out ppd too. It sounds like there is more going on. At the very least, remember that your hormone levels are wild at this point and you might find that you are peaking during this time.

If you really are just bored, etc. at night giving bottle feedings in the middle of the night are no more interesting.