I'm not sure if this is best here or in breastfeeding but I think you mamas are a helpful bunch! My assistant at work is out on maternity leave and returning next week--after five weeks! This is her "choice" because she doesn't have any leave or money to stay out longer. (I'm not in charge of policy or, trust me, it would be different.) ANYWAY, she is having a really hard time. She is mostly on her own with the newborn. She is married but doesn't live with her husband and although he is around and helps out when its convenient for him, most nights she is by herself. She is exhausted and frustrated and sounds like she is just barely getting by. She says the baby is up every hour wanting to nurse and she is going crazy. The baby is sleeping in a crib in her room.
She is trying really hard to breastfeed although it is not particularly supported by her family. They think she would get better sleep and be able to have more help if she was bottle feeding--as they all did. She has started to supplement with formula already.
Obviously I am trying to be really supportive of bfing without being overbearing. I can't see that getting up and fixing bottles in the middle of the night would be any easier. I can't really say though what would be easier or better because I wasn't a single mom.
Any advice that you think I could give her. We talked a bit about co-sleeping but she said she had a really hard time getting comfortable and nursing while lying down. This made sense to me because I don't think I managed it until my dd was like six months old!
I appreciate any advice you can give me to pass along. Any books that might be good for her to read?
Thank you thank you thank you!
She is trying really hard to breastfeed although it is not particularly supported by her family. They think she would get better sleep and be able to have more help if she was bottle feeding--as they all did. She has started to supplement with formula already.
Obviously I am trying to be really supportive of bfing without being overbearing. I can't see that getting up and fixing bottles in the middle of the night would be any easier. I can't really say though what would be easier or better because I wasn't a single mom.
Any advice that you think I could give her. We talked a bit about co-sleeping but she said she had a really hard time getting comfortable and nursing while lying down. This made sense to me because I don't think I managed it until my dd was like six months old!
I appreciate any advice you can give me to pass along. Any books that might be good for her to read?
Thank you thank you thank you!