[DeeEast]

I am so sick of hearing people say that they had such a hard time nursing at the beginning that the best thing for their child was to give up and give formula. AS IF breastfeeding is easy!

It was most definitely NOT easy for me. I had nipple pain for 10 weeks with both pregnancies, both my singleton and the twins. It was so bad that my nipples were raw and my OB saw them and gave me another prescription for Vicodin just to keep BFing. Yes, that's how bad the pain was with the twins.

Plus recovering from an emergency C-section, along with a no -med vaginal delivery, plus my DS was life-flighted to a hospital 1.5 hours away and I was left with a preemie who couldn't latch.

It was a freaking nightmare, and I came very close to giving up, but couldn't imagine not giving my babies their birth-right of breastmilk. God save me but I am NOT super-woman and don't deserve any special praise. I just hate hearing how woman who gave up say "it had to be so easy for you successful mothers!" OMG I want to get sooooo angry! NO, it wasn't easy!

 

[hawkfeather]

Good for you for working so hard for the well being of your loved one!

 

[blsilva]

I'm totally with you on this one! I had a hard time bfing, too, though not as hard as you did, from the sound of it. I had to fight my ex-ped because every time we went in (which was daily during his first week) she told me that he wasn't gaining weight fast enough, and I should give him a bottle. It hurt, he cried constantly, and I was totally convinced that I was starving my baby to death. Luckiny I had a mom who knew better!

 

[gentle_mama04]

Awsome job mama!!!

I can relate. My first was horrible at breastfeeding at first. We stuck it out though. Thank God.

 

[DeeEast]

Don't get me wrong. I was so close to quitting with the twins that I swore I would never blame anyone who quit and went to formula. But on the same hand, I can't stand hearing women say that it was so hard not getting any sleep or being so tied down, or it hurt sooo badly, that they just had to quit for the well-being of their baby. HEY! I had TWO babies, one in the NICI on a respirator for 12 days and another preemie at home, alone with a two year old to take care of, had to BF the preemie who couldn't latch, pump, supplement, take Fenugreek like crazy, and then pump some more. Talk about no sleep. It was insane, and I came very close to quitting, believe me, in the long, dark hours of the night when I cried. But I just couldn't imagine not BFing. Then I read storie about women wtih a singleton pregnancy who just "didn't make enough milk" and I'm soooo happy I chose to formula feed, it was the best for all of us, etc." that I am just left baffled.

 

[moonfirefaery]

When Corbin first latched on those first few weeks I was in so much pain I even cried out a few times. After a few minutes of nursing I'd feel better, but at first the pain was almost unbearable. I've had mastitis 3 times, and I dealt with engorgement, leaking, learning to latch. It's not easy. You have to learn it and work at it... Parenting itself isn't easy. You have to learn to be a parent and work at it...so why not work at nursing?

 

[DeeEast]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonfirefaery When Corbin first latched on those first few weeks I was in so much pain I even cried out a few times. After a few minutes of nursing I'd feel better, but at first the pain was almost unbearable. I've had mastitis 3 times, and I dealt with engorgement, leaking, learning to latch. It's not easy. You have to learn it and work at it... Parenting itself isn't easy. You have to learn to be a parent and work at it...so why not work at nursing?

Exactly. Thank you very much. Parenting is very hard. Where do we draw the line? Now my twins BF at will and its wonderful. They are fat and happy . : )

 

[frontierpsych]

Why do people expect parenting to be a cinch? Another thing I hate is when moms choose not to bf for whatever reason, or give up early, and then tell everyone they COULDN'T bf. It's immature, and very disrespectful to the small percentage of women who went through hell and back trying to breastfeed and SERIOUSLY couldn't. (and of course online it's hard to tell who is who, because there's always a sob story). I feel SO bad for moms who desperately wanted to bf and did everything they could because they are being undermined by women who make up stories just so no one judges them because of their decisions.

 

[St. Margaret]

Well put!