Breastfeeding Advice

I have always found it is reassuring to listen to people’s experiences in life, and not to copy but to take on board different ways of doing something, and adapting it to my personal need.  As I have mentioned I have experience of both, and with my babies, made the decision to breastfeed, based on the situation I found myself in at the time.  I have never felt guilty for not breastfeeding, because I know at the time I bottle fed because of reasons personal to my situation.  I did not breastfeed for my first child, because I found I did not feel confident enough, and the situation I was in was better to bottle feed, because I could share the feeding.

However the two babies that I did breastfeed, I found it easier to do it  because I was in a situation where I was not working, and had devoted my time to bringing up my babies.  I was able to relax more, and spend time without thinking of other jobs etc., that needed doing.  Once I had ascertained that breastfeeding was right at the time, I was able to work out best ways of doing it.  One of the problems I came across was how long to do it for.  Unlike bottle feeding I did not know when my baby had had enough.  On average I found that it took between five and 40 minutes, and that is why I felt that I had to have enough time to do it.  It could vary and the worse thing in the world is to feel as if you are rushing your baby.  I found that if I got in a comfortable and relaxing position it helped me to relax.  Sometimes I put the television on, because then I felt relaxed and did not get bored.  Do whatever makes you feel relaxed.

I also found that I had to hold my baby in a position best for me.  I soon learned that my back would ache, if I held in an awkward position.  You will find the right position for you, and this is trial and error.  I found it took a few times before I was confident that my baby had latched on, and sometimes it hurt.  I would then insert my little finger between his gums and my nipple and try again.  You will soon get the hang of this, it takes practice.  Once the baby has latched on the rest is natural.

I didn’t find it easy at the beginning, hence the reason why I resorted to bottle feeding with several of my babies, but once I realised that I could do it, and also understood it needed me to relax, at the beginning more so, I began to enjoy and also knew that it was the best thing I could do for my baby.  One thing I do know is that when it worked it was great, but I have no regrets for the times it didn’t and appreciated the ease of bottle feeding in those situations.