Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Why don't babies have an easy button?

Yikes! Ever sense Levi got teeth, my nipples have been cursing me! His latch has ensued this. I've tried breaking him of it, to no avail. At this point, I'm wondering whether or not I should go back to pumping, and give the kid half formula/half breast milk. I don't know if my nips can handle too much more of his "gnawing". 
On another note, does anyone else have problems getting their 6 month old to go to sleep? Levi seems to think that he should only sleep when he's riding down the road, attached to my breast, swinging in his swing, etc. When I lie him down, he goes nuts! When he awakes in the middle of the night, I am sometimes in there an hour trying to coax him back to sleep. He'll be sound asleep when I go to lay him down, but once his face touches the bed, it's all out war! I pat him, rub him, talk softly, but, after an hour of screaming, I either have to walk out for a few minutes, or pick him back up. 
When we first transitioned him from co-sleeping to his crib, he did pretty good. He was waking up 2, maybe 3 times a night. He did this, again, when he became sick with a cold. Other than that, I'm up for what seems to be, all night. I don't ask my hubby to get up, because he works, and often has to take 12+ hour drives to make a delivery. Thus, this momma is always tired! Honestly, it doesn't matter if I give him a bottle, or just nurse, he awakes when he wants to, and doesn't go back down, until he's good, and ready. 
When he stays with my mother-in-law, he still awakes at least 3-4 times a night. I know all babies sleep through the night when they're ready, but, I'd settle for some consistency! I put him to bed at the same time, every night. He has had the same routine for months, and still does this.
 I read somewhere that when babies are over 5 months they start using nursing for more than just food supply. I can see how that might be the case, but, what's a momma to do when their little one uses them all day, and all night?? I'm sure my hubby would love a night where we could enjoy each other's company without me having to run off, sometimes, every hour, to two hours. Some nights, this kid wakes up every thirty minutes! Yeah, on those nights, you probably already guessed, I wish I could tag out! 
On a plus note, summertime has finally arrived, so I now have our 9 year old little girl to help me out during the day. If you've never seen a sister love a baby brother, you should look no further than my daughter. She was an only child for 9 years, and, even during my pregnancy, didn't want a brother. Once she saw him, though, it was love at first sight. They're kind of magical to watch. They both light up when they see each other. 
Anyways, I guess I'm about to start making some jambalaya for my hard-working hubby, who was on the road all day. Yes, I'm a magnificent cook, so if you need some REAL cajun recipes, comment on this blog, and I'll start blogging about my EPIC food! ;)
Until next time, the cajun milk-maker   

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

He's 6 months old, today!

I'm starting this blog way too far into this, so those of you reading this, forgive me if my details sounds sketchy, at times. It's because I have the memory of a gnat, these days. Seems most of my thoughts are of when Levi might wake up to nurse, again, did Faeth feed the cat, did I remember to turn the dryer on for the 5th time, etc.
As I'm writing this, tonight, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I've made it breastfeeding for 6 months now. Even though we supplement because of all the damage done to my right breast from mastitis(I'll come back to that), I'm still proud to have made it this far. There were so many people who told me I shouldn't, and that I couldn't, in the beginning. Mostly because I tried with Faeth, and was told when she was just over 2 weeks old that I had to stop because I had mastitis.
Lo and behold, I got it, again, when Levi was exactly the same age as Faeth was when I got it with her. My right breast, up until that moment, had been the "bread winner" of breasts. They try to tell you how bad mastitis is, but, until you have it, you'll never quite understand. Kind of like how it feels to give birth. Now, there's a pain all women love to talk about. Anyways, when I found I had gotten it, again, I just knew breastfeeding was over. I didn't give up, though, and I'm glad I stuck it out.
Levi gave me all kinds of trouble, from the very beginning, with breastfeeding. He had a latch that would make a cow want to trample you. It feels like a chip clip is being attached to the very sensitive, bruised, and now ruined nipple that feeds this kid. You would think he'd be a little nicer to the ole gals. My husband swears that one day, I'll get the old girls a lift. I sure hope so. After the things these breasts have been through, the least they deserve is to not look like flat tires, anymore.
I wish I had asked more questions at that breastfeeding class I attended back when I was pregnant. I'd have asked her how to get a teething baby to stop biting the breast that feeds him. I'd have asked her was she going to show up and nurse my baby at 3 A.M., when he's nursed so much my nipples are dry, and my breasts have been tapped dry, because she thought formula was evil.
 She was the first one I ran to when my supply didn't come in, and guess what she gave Levi? Formula! That's right! Good ole, pre-mixed formula. The kid was starving! Same thing happened with Faeth, though I didn't know it, when she was born. There are so many things that can go wrong with breastfeeding, but, the lactation consultants don't want to talk about those things. I wish I had given myself a break, in the beginning, and just relaxed. I'm sure my husband would have appreciated that, too. I was so worried about looking good for the nurses, I forgot I'm only human.
But, I'll pat myself on the back, for even drudging through all the problems I had, and some I still have. As for tonight, I'm going to hope that little stinker lets me sleep more than 3 hours, consecutively. I long for the nights he'll actually sleep though the night. I keep hoping it's tonight. Then again, when that happens, I'll wish for the nights he needed me, won't I?

Until next time, the sleepy milk-maker.