Skip to main content

Nursing babies

I am proud to say I have breast fed all 3 of my children. It can be so much work, but I believe it is totally worth the hours, the stained shirts, the occasional pain, the sacrifice and the great rack I get for the duration. After watching friends struggle to make it work, I know how blessed I am that it came easy for me. Here is a reflection of my nursing relationship with my girls.

30 minutes of feeding a newborn
Baby is screaming. Try to calm down squirming bundle and convince her that her hand is not your boob. Take deep breath and cringe as baby finally latches on. Realize it is a bad latch, unlatch and try again. More screaming. Get baby successfully latched. Kick yourself for not noticing earlier hunger signs. Take deep breaths until it doesn't hurt. Notice baby is falling asleep instead of eating. Rub her back. Tickle her head. Bounce. Thump baby's feet. Unlatch and burp a totally comatose baby. Poke her until she wakes up enough to latch on to other side. Flinch. Watch baby eat in peace until she dozes off and totally unlatches herself. Wipe off milk drool from baby's half smiling face. Sniff the sweet smell of tiny baby. Repeat in 1 hour and 20 minutes

30 minutes of feeding a 3 month old
Lift up shirt. Latch on baby. Drink coffee and read People magazine. Smile at baby, enjoy baby smiling back. Burp baby and listen to sweet coos. Repeat every 3 hours

30 minutes of feeding a 10 month old
Pick up baby who is hanging on your leg screaming bloody murder. Try to keep baby from lifting up your shirt or reaching down the front to help herself while you walk to the couch. Lift up shirt as baby hoovers on target. Baby unlatches to talk to cat. Resumes eating. Baby unlatches to watch sisters playing. Resumes eating. Mama gives up nursing in the living room and moves to nursery, all while baby eats. Mama tries to read, baby steals magazine. Mama tries to take a drink while baby swats at cup. Remove baby foot from mouth. Encourage baby to do more eating and less nose poking. Try to convince baby to stop pulling on your ear. Watch baby try to nurse while up side down. Hold baby firmly as she tries to roll away while still latched on. Baby bounces while eating. Baby bites, mama gives up. Baby howls indignantly as mama pulls her shirt back down. Repeat every 2-4 hours.

There is a part of me that is sad that this part of my life is coming to an end. I will miss the cuddle time, the sweet babies and the way my chest so nicely fills out my shirt. Here is to all the mama's who sacrifice to do what there babies need, be it breast or bottle. Enjoy it while it lasts, they grow so quickly.

Comments

Kari said…
Hehe...that is cute!
03 September, 2010 16:19
Amy Cecil said…
Way to go, Gretchen! :) I too have nursed all 3 of my kids, and it is such a joy! I love your description of the 10 month old, so true. Hopefully I can keep Nathan interested for 8 more months! I wean at 13 months, at the latest...by then I want my body back!
08 September, 2010 23:26
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Working on my Domestic Goddess Badge

I looked at the to-do list I made last week and am happy to say I can cross off almost everything on it. It only took me 2 weeks. I think I either need smaller lists or more time. Here is what I have been up to: -I have made 2 loaves of banana oat bread, 1 batch of blackberry strawberry freezer jam, 1 loaf of gluten free bread. -From 12 juiced grapefruit I made grapefruit curd and a pan of grapefruit bars. -My garden is almost completely done, including a upgrade in size. I am growing tomatoes, onions, peppers, potatoes , cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower , herbs, lettuce, spinach , green beans, snap peas, cucumbers, and kohlrabi. -I hung herbs to dry -I have folded massive amounts of laundry...with more yet to do. All washed with my homemade laundry soap. -I recovered the "green monster" which is another post entirely. -I added a sitting area in my bedroom, where I am currently sitting, so that my laptop has a home other than the kitchen table. - I got a new dining room table a...
23 comments
Read more

Blogging

So I have lost the love of blogging. I have always believed it is a narcissistic pass time, yet enjoy it anyway. I have found I easily spend entirely too much time tied to my computer. By the time I check Facebook , e-mail, friends blogs, etc I can easily waste an hour, if not two, of time. A friend of mine just blogged about the same thing. Yes, I get the irony of a blog post about not blog posting, but alas, here it is: I just read a good friends blog about my blog. A great leader here in Boulder, Kevin Colon wrote this: “Hugh moved to Denver to do a training deal for an organization and he ended up starting a church. His blogging is not incredibly frequent but when he does blog….it’s good!” Now, while I’m humbled that a man like Kevin would even want to read my blog, I figured it was a good time to state once and for all why I only post once or twice a month. Simply this……..”I prefer to spend my time with people.” I’ ve always wondered how people have time to read blogs, let alo...
15 comments
Read more

Birth Story of Jamison Drake Crocker

Not everyone likes to hear how a baby made his way into the world. If you are one of those who just wants to know that baby has arrived and everyone is doing great, then read no further than this paragraph. Jamison Drake Crocker was born at 10:45 on Friday morning, May 18th. He is a big, healthy boy weighing 9lbs and 2oz and is 21.5 inches long. Mama and baby are doing great, sisters are in love and papa is proud. If you are still reading, consider yourself warned. Birth can be messy, and while I have every intention of keeping this non-stomach churning, not all stomachs are made of the same stuff. On Thursday night, Matt had to be in the city for a press event. Around 10:00 I texted and asked him for an ETA and he said he would be home around midnight. I took my very round self and went to bed. I slept fitfully, big and uncomfortable and being woken up by contractions every so often kept me from falling into a deep sleep. At 3:00 am I got up only to find Matt wasn't home. I ...
9 comments
Read more