Finally, I can get topical: Day 1 and 2
Okay - Anjali is here. And I am officially breastfeeding. I can quit feeling like an imposter, eh?
Day 1:
I was supposed to be at the hospital by 7:15 pm to be induced. I ended up getting there by 6pm because labor had already started after all. She was born by 10:27 after some incredibly tense moments in which an ob for a c-section was summoned. I pushed and pushed for dear life and fortunately, she came without needing a c-section. I was able to breastfeed her straight away, the latch was NOT a good one, she mostly had nipple. Because of the position I was lying in on the bed, I simply could not “get to her” any better. The good news, is that from the very beginning, she’s had a good, strong suck and LOVES nursing.
Day 2:
Since I am less sore, not drugged and in a regular bed (not a hospital bed), I am able to experiment with different positions. Far and away, the best is sitting “Indian style” on the bed with a nursing pillow and getting her latched on with football hold. Since I am more experienced this time and can determine myself whether she is properly latched on or not, I can report that it IS true — if the baby is latched on correctly, there is SO much less pain. I am starting to get sore nipples, but I am not in agony like I was with my son and a proper latch is indeed, critical. However. Even though I am an “experienced” mother, it is still damned difficult to shove enough breast into a newborn’s mouth! Their pieholes are just so teeny-tiny that it still takes me a few tries.
I will say that I had forgotten about 2 things - the uterine contractions spurred by breastfeeding are SO painful. Yep, they are necessary, but I had forgotten the pain. However, I’d also forgotten how incredibly sweet and awe-inspiring it is to see your newborn’s eyes looking up at you as he/she is gulping away. She LOVES nursing, is anticipating it now and opens her mouth wide. Which helps with the latch, thank goodness.
Housekeeping Note:
This will be in a “Dear Diary” format. I’d like to do this for at least the first 2 weeks to try and document a realistic, real-time experiment with those early days of breastfeeding. All these entries will be under the “Dear Diary” category but I will still do other, separate posts for news and interesting articles.
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July 11th, 2007 at 8:49 pm
You so rock my socks, girl. So glad to hear she’s here and that nursing is going SO GOOD.
July 11th, 2007 at 10:15 pm
Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 11th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
Thank you so much for doing this! I plan on breastfeeding my first when she comes this December, and it’s wonderful to be able to see someone walking through the trenches of those early days.
Welcome, Anjali!
July 12th, 2007 at 6:43 am
1.) “piehole” cracked me up! I used to tell people that my boob would shut her milkhole though.
2.) The contractions brought on by breastfeeding that help your uterus return to its previous size are supposedly worse with the second (and other future) babies.
3.) Getting the baby to open her mouth was the hardest thing for me. My LLL leader also recommended saying “open” and opening your own mouth and sticking out your tongue because even little teeny babies can imitate.
4.) Congratulations again!!!!!!!
July 12th, 2007 at 8:51 am
Congratulations!!!
I breastfed all seven of my babies, and each time forgot how painful the contracting could be.
I also found that my milk came in very fast for all but the first one. The first took about 4 days, the next 6 took 1-2 days.
Enjoy the skin to skin moments, they are precious.
July 12th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
So happy for you!!