It doesn't mean I don't love my child

This is a topic that always seems to get me going. Breast is best, I agree with that statement. The bonding that takes place between mother and child during those moments is worth every. single. challenging moment breastfeeding may bring. It is utterly amazing the how connected you can feel to that sweet little person in those special moments that just the two of you share. A bottle can not give you these moments, it just can't. I find it sad when mothers don't even attempt to nurse. My heart breaks for them because they will not have some of those special moments. All of this being said, I also understand that some women can't breastfeed despite all their best efforts. It just isn't in the cards for them. I understand that we also live in a society that says, "Breast is Best." but only when you nurse in private, covered up and hidden away. Don't get me wrong, you could just whip it out in public but your going to be looked at or in my friends case you might be asked to leave the ladies locker room at your local family Y! I've spent many hours in my car, in various dressing rooms and in bathrooms nursing both children. Wyatt wasn't easy to nurse. We dealt with some issues and never really got it figure out. I was determined to make it work this time, my goal, 3 months. McKinley was instantly a better nurser than Wyatt ever was. It did get a little frustrating at times, her reflux was a battle in the evening and made nursing hard. We pushed through and made it 3 months. No, we didn't exclusively breastfeed for 4 months, but we made it with a combination! I'm very happy with this. I went back to school a week and half after she was born and we didn't have much of a choice in the matter. Sure I pumped but it doesn't always produce enough. Pumping is another story in it self and we won't go there!

Both Wyatt and McKinley were pretty good night sleepers right from the start. At 2.5 months Wyatt was sleeping through the night and at 2 months McKinley was giving me 6 hour stretches here and there and by 3.5 months she was sleeping through the night. I'm not sure if bottles or formula had anything to do with it but I love it! I LOVE it!

My breastfeeding journey with McKinley is at an end and while there are times I miss it, I am not as sad about it this time. I am happy that we made it as long as we did. I am happy that she is on a great feeding schedule. I am happy that she is sleeping well. I am happy that with this new formula she is on, she no longer has to take medicine. She is happy and that is all that matters.



http://toddandnicolebarnes.blogspot.com/2009/12/leaving-with-guilty-conscious.html



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