Yes, I'm starting get used to the lack of freedom I have now with a baby. At first I felt stifled, caged, and it was really getting to me, but I'm growing into this precious time with my baby boy and don't feel so upset about it anymore. There are a few things I've had to come to terms with. One being that I'm just not one to breast feed. I thought I wanted to, but that just makes the trapped and stifled feeling 10 times worse so I'm not going to risk my mental health for something that can be replaced with formula. I still pump and feed him breast milk in a bottle, but even that is restricting so I'm starting to use more and more formula. I did make the mistake of not pumping for an entire day and got engorged which turned into mastitis which gave me a horrid fever that started with the chills for hours and then ended with me being absolutely drenched in buckets of sweat. I now get the title of Panic At The Disco's song "A fever you can't sweat out". I also got a stomach ache and took ibuprofen for that not realizing that it would help break the fever. Also I've never had a fever like that so I didn't realize it was a fever.
Anyway, I thought I had more to talk about but now I can't remember. I'm so tired. Besides, baby boy last ate at 7am so it has been 3 1/2 hours and he should be waking up hungry again very soon.
2 comments:
I know that feeling. I couldn't breastfeed cause my daughter was lactose intolerant, so we had to start formula feeding her when she was a couple of months old. I was really upset about not being able to breastfeed cause I actually did enjoy it, but bottle feeding gave me soooooooooo much more freedom... especially since anyone could feed her. It didn't always have to be me. Plus bottle feeding goes faster than breastfeeding, so it saves you time that way too.
I've heard anyway that it's the first 6 weeks that are most important for breastfeeding cause after about 6 to 8 weeks their bodies start producing its own antibodies and they don't need them from the breastmilk anymore. A lot of people frown on those who want to bottle feed these days, but I don't see what the big deal is. Babies who are bottle fed don't seem to be any less healthy than those who are breastfed, so do what you think is going to work best for you.
Hope you feel better soon! Oh I also heard several people on the parenting board I visit talk about putting a cabbage leaf over their engorged breasts and apparently it's supposed to help. Not sure if it does, but these women swear by it, so thought I'd pass that on.
*hugs*
turiya
My baby boy is almost 6 weeks. Personally, although I thought I'd enjoy breastfeeding, it just didn't click with me. I felt like I couldn't go out with friends or even really leave the house because I didn't want to nurse in public and he wanted to nurse every 2 hours. I guess I thought that since I gave birth naturally then I'd easily be able to get through nursing him, but no. Although I'd definitely do the birthing naturally again, nursing just isn't my thing. Like you said bottle feeding gives you so much more time!
I heard about the cabbage leaf thing too, thanks for passing it along. I will have to try it out.
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