How can I make it work longer this time?

[Pandora114]

Ok, Here's the BFing story of my DD.

Had her at 38wks 2days at home with CNM's. BFing got onto a good start right off the bat. Had a plugged duct in the beginning but everything went beautifully after that. I pumped a bit with a hand pump just to make sure I had a stash "just in case" And she had no bottles/pacis in those early weeks.

Well, we nursed successfully, moved to live with my parents. Mom pressured me into giving her solids at 3 months : (Mistake #1)

Then when she hit 8 months, I noticed I had zero supply, plus she was super distractable...She totally lost intrest in the breast.... So, weaned she was...

So...what can I do better this time, other than dont introduce solids so damn early (thanks mom : )

Like I want to nurse till at least 2 years of age, in lieu of my DH's severe seasonal/environmental allergies....Allergy immunity is passed on from momma to babe through the placenta, as well as breastmilk. I dont have many allergies except for hayfever, and that's it. He's allergic to everything under the sun I swear...

Thanks!

[alegna]

Okay- this is Angela's extreme nursing plan!

birth at home if at all possible, no suctioning
nurse immediately
No bottles, no pacifiers
no solids until: at LEAST, sitting unassisted, no tongue thrust, can feed self
do not feed- allow to self feed.
co-sleep
nurse on demand
teach sign and word for nursing
nurse often
NIP whenever/where-ever
commit to nursing for at LEAST 2 years (the WHO minimum) no matter what.

good luck!

-Angela

[crysmomofthree]

Originally Posted by alegna

do not feed- allow to self feed.
nurse on demand

nurse often
-Angela

I think these are the three most important! I can't say how much I believe that "self feeding" allows the baby proper nutrition (ie not to many calories being stuffed in their face, baby needs to be "ready" for solids before it will self feed )

I think some super active easily distractable babies need to be taken to another room or quiet corner to nurse it allows them to focus I think also If you use breastfeeding for so much more than nutrition your child will depend on it more and won't be so likely to give up. I nurse when babe is too tired, too stimulated, hurt, sad, lonely, bored, If I want to occupy the baby, and for food

Good luck! it can be alot easier with a subsequent baby

[Clarinet]

Yep, that's what I did. With #1, I started cereal "on time" at four months and by 9 months she was on a regular schedule of meals and snacks with breastfeeding as a secondary source of nutrition (ped told me to!). She gave it up shortly after 10 months and I didn't push.

This time, I delayed solids until nearly 6 months and she rarely gets pureed food. I cook veggies/fruit until near mushy, cut it up small and basically it's a distraction so she'll "eat" with us at dinner time. #2 is almost 11 months old now and gets most of her nutrition from me. :

[Pandora114]

Originally Posted by alegna

Okay- this is Angela's extreme nursing plan!

birth at home if at all possible, no suctioning
nurse immediately
No bottles, no pacifiers
no solids until: at LEAST, sitting unassisted, no tongue thrust, can feed self
do not feed- allow to self feed.
co-sleep
nurse on demand
teach sign and word for nursing
nurse often
NIP whenever/where-ever
commit to nursing for at LEAST 2 years (the WHO minimum) no matter what.

good luck!

-Angela

Hehehe. *points to siggy* DD *was* a homebirth. I know if I were a hospital birther, she would have been a C-sect for FTP (read I would have been so stressed by strangers going in/near me I would have stalled, Pit, Epi, AROM, More Pit C-sect would have ensued and I would have been stuck in the looney bin after due to PTSD)

I did the co-sleeping thing..work smarter not harder IMO...I'm lazy by nature and why the heck should I get out of bed to nurse when it was right there for her on tap all night? heheh

I know I went wrong with the solids. This time, no solids till kid is literally grabbing off my plate and stuffing in his/her mouth.

Just the distractability. How the heck can I nurse when kiddo wants to look here there and everywhere right? Sure they have things to see and do at that age, but my word, they gotta eat too ya know? (and I gotta nurse to keep supply up) *it's even worse when kid insists on looking with nipple clamped between gums/teeth DD did that...OUCH!!*

[alegna]

Originally Posted by Pandora114

Hehehe. *points to siggy* DD *was* a homebirth. I know if I were a hospital birther, she would have been a C-sect for FTP (read I would have been so stressed by strangers going in/near me I would have stalled, Pit, Epi, AROM, More Pit C-sect would have ensued and I would have been stuck in the looney bin after due to PTSD)

Yeah, I knew you did great on that one, just thought I'd toss it in the list.

Remembered one I missed-

for the whole first year, nurse before solids.

-Angela

[RoadWorkAhead]

DS did the too distracted thing at that age, so I nursed when he was almost asleep, woke him up before I went to bed and made him nurse *too tired to be distracted*, and used a quiet place all by ourselves at the height of distractibility. It wasn't too l,ong of a stage. NOW he may pop off look around, but promptly goes back to the boob