Thursday, August 19, 2010

Night Nursingmares

Seven Months. The first two were hellacious, hovered over baby in ridiculous position. My back aching, tears running down my face. Solution? Figure out how to nurse laying down. Ahhhh. Sleeping while feeding the child. Seemed great. Besides, every baby book said that once baby hits about 12 lbs, he will sleep through the night. Considering he was born at almost 9, I should have known better. But, I had high hopes.

Now, he is a 2 1/2 foot 21 lb man! The past month we have battled. He kicks me and cries every two hours, demanding more and more booby. I have been told by concerned citizens not to take this abuse. "You shouldn't let that baby sleep with you anymore!" Dad says, "I am tired of that baby in my bed!"

What is a tired mom to do? Evict the teething baby, looking for comfort at the breast of his mother? go to a shelter for abused women? I don't know. He expects that connection, day or night. If he wanted a hug, would I say "No son, it is not scheduled for this time, maybe later" ?

It is taking a toll on my sanity. Some have suggested weening. To what? Why would I give him a can of fake powdered milk at this point? would the other members of my family want to start drinking powdered milk too?  No. Pump, some say. Yes, just pump into a plastic piece of equipment while the baby stares at me wondering why. Yes, pump and try to stuff a fake boob in his mouth. He will not take a fake boob. He hates fake boobs. He is a boob connoisseur


So, I will wait it out. Seven months, at least four to go. Some may say it is crazy. But I would like to think my son would say "thank you mommy" if he could talk.

3 comments:

  1. At the beginning, I was a J cup, now I'm back down to a G (yay). Still exclusively breastfeeding. :)
    Sticking my big nipple in my little one's mouth was rather difficult at the beginning - but he grew and it worked out.
    I wasn't able to night nurse till he hit about 7 months - it hurt being stretched like that. So I would get up and nurse him in the recliner on the boppy in the football hold.
    Now, at 11 months, he wakes several times but nightnursing in bed does make it a lot easier. I have learned to put a king size pillow between my knees and strategically put blankets so that he kicks those instead of me, lol.
    My encouragement to you is that it felt like each month got easier and easier. I nurse walking around the store in the Ergo. I nurse while in restaurants and talking in small groups. And I nurse every night while sleeping. Sometimes I have my computer in bed with us, simply because I'm wide awake, and he's not. I guess I don't ever want to feel that I "have to" or "should" nurse, but that nursing is just a way of life right now that I can't imagine doing without.
    If anyone suggests weaning, I just laugh in their face, because I know that human beings actually need breastmilk till at least 2 years old, and since it is becomes easier all the time to nurse, I definitely plan on self-weaning, which I suppose will be around age 4 or 5. My baby doesn't know what century he is born in, or that in America people have a psychological disorder towards breastfeeding - all he knows is milk is yummy, and all I know is that breastmilk continues to be highly nutritious and extremely healthy for as long as he decides to nurse.

    In the second year (12-23 months), 15 oz of breastmilk provides:o
    29% of energy requirementso 43% of protein requirementso
    36% of calcium requirementso 75% of vitamin A
    requirementso 76% of folate requirementso
    94% of vitamin B12 requirementso 60% of vitamin C
    requirements-- Dewey 2001

    Here are two great websites to encourage you on your breastfeeding journey:
    http://www.got-breastmilk.org/Whydelay.shtml
    http://www.drmomma.org/2009/08/books-for-breastfeeding-mother.html

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  2. I've had a difficult journey learning to adapt to my post-baby body as well. Looking forward to future posts!

    dearmommybrain.blogspot.com

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  3. Thank you ladies! I wish I would have had known anyone read this and commented! lol Once again thank you for the support.. how is your journey coming along?

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