Boobfest 2012
Like an actual festival...only, less fun.
Baby Loquacious has been on supplemental formula for the past month due to my previous low milk supply *and* the incompetence of my doc's locum underprescribing me the milk pills. I didn't think much of it initially, since baby girl always nursed before she took the bottle. However, in recent days Baby L's appetite has increased significantly (perhaps due to the switch from regular to lactose-free formula reducing the amount of bloat in her tummy), and her mommy milk-to-formula ratio has been getting out of hand.
At a month of age, apparently the supplement route is no longer a necessity (so says my doc), but more a choice. So now I'm faced with a decision: do I continue to supplement and run the risk of eventually having baby rely mostly on formula, or do I return to a more militant breastfeed-only way of feeding so that I can make enough milk to nurse baby until I'm ready to wean her? Obviously, as with most 21st century semi-granola-when-it's-convenient mommas, I chose the latter option.
However, that means a few things. It means nursing on demand or every 2-3 hours, and nursing on both breasts if possible, and no formula even if my supply doesn't automatically amp up. It also means greater fatigue for a mother who already has little sleep, and even more fatigue for a daddy who has returned to work but continues to wake up for middle-of-night feedings and daytime relief for me. Oh, and it means sore nipples, too. Finally, it means that a strong-willed, somewhat-fussy baby will become even more inconsolable as she is forced to return to breastfeeding and slower eating.
We are only giving this the ol' college try for a few days. After that, if things don't change or work, we will return to supplementing and try other alternative methods of weaning, and if *that* still doesn't work, we may throw in the towel on breastfeeding and go the pumping route (while I suffer bad-mommy guilt in silence for the rest of my life). Let's hope and pray that this works. Hubbs has had to reduce his hours at work to accommodate this constant feeding; it's not great but thank God he has a job that allows for this sort of flexibility for the time being.
So, if you don't hear from me for a few days, you'll know it's because I'm at Boobfest 2012. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.
Baby Loquacious has been on supplemental formula for the past month due to my previous low milk supply *and* the incompetence of my doc's locum underprescribing me the milk pills. I didn't think much of it initially, since baby girl always nursed before she took the bottle. However, in recent days Baby L's appetite has increased significantly (perhaps due to the switch from regular to lactose-free formula reducing the amount of bloat in her tummy), and her mommy milk-to-formula ratio has been getting out of hand.
At a month of age, apparently the supplement route is no longer a necessity (so says my doc), but more a choice. So now I'm faced with a decision: do I continue to supplement and run the risk of eventually having baby rely mostly on formula, or do I return to a more militant breastfeed-only way of feeding so that I can make enough milk to nurse baby until I'm ready to wean her? Obviously, as with most 21st century semi-granola-when-it's-convenient mommas, I chose the latter option.
However, that means a few things. It means nursing on demand or every 2-3 hours, and nursing on both breasts if possible, and no formula even if my supply doesn't automatically amp up. It also means greater fatigue for a mother who already has little sleep, and even more fatigue for a daddy who has returned to work but continues to wake up for middle-of-night feedings and daytime relief for me. Oh, and it means sore nipples, too. Finally, it means that a strong-willed, somewhat-fussy baby will become even more inconsolable as she is forced to return to breastfeeding and slower eating.
We are only giving this the ol' college try for a few days. After that, if things don't change or work, we will return to supplementing and try other alternative methods of weaning, and if *that* still doesn't work, we may throw in the towel on breastfeeding and go the pumping route (while I suffer bad-mommy guilt in silence for the rest of my life). Let's hope and pray that this works. Hubbs has had to reduce his hours at work to accommodate this constant feeding; it's not great but thank God he has a job that allows for this sort of flexibility for the time being.
So, if you don't hear from me for a few days, you'll know it's because I'm at Boobfest 2012. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.
Comments
Just know this: You are doing the best that you can. You are working very hard. You are a wonderful Mother. And Hubbs is a great Dad. In the end, you and your Hubbs will decide what is BEST for the health and sanity of you, Hubbs, and Baby L. Babies are quite resilient in spite of the method selected to feed them. I've had both types of babies: formula-fed and breast-fed. They are both doing wonderful, by God's beautiful grace.
Hope that didn't become advice. :)