Topic Archive: nursing

January 25, 2012

When Breastfeeding Isn’t Easy

When you’re pregnant, everyone is eager to tell you that breastfeeding isn’t always easy. Books, classes, friends, relatives — they all warn you that it doesn’t come easily for some. Yet somehow you think: not me. I’ll be a natural. I’ll be the best breastfeeder that’s ever existed. Just you wait.

Of course that’s what I thought: How hard can it be? I mean really. The lactation consultant at the hospital murmured things about my “excellent anatomy” and told me I’d have no problems with nursing. Sure enough, the first couple weeks after my son was born were fine. My husband kept remarking, “Look at you! You’re a natural!” as I whipped a breast out at the dinner table or while watching TV. I got this, I thought. No problem.

What no one warned me about though was that when it comes to breastfeeding, it really does take two to tango. And as with any relationship, problems can go both ways. So while my anatomy may have been up to the task, unfortunately my son did not agree. After a strong start, he suddenly decided that he really did not like nursing. (more…)

January 16, 2012

New Year’s Reminders

It’s the New Year and the traditional time to make resolutions. I’ll be honest, with the baby a month away, I’m not really looking to set steadfast goals. Would I like to write a book? Absolutely. Brush up on my French? Oui. Drop each and every pound of baby weight? I think that answer is pretty obvious. But, with this being my third baby, I know what lies ahead and I don’t want the pressure of caring for a newborn, while feeling guilty if I don’t have the energy to meet certain objectives. So, I’m not making resolutions this time around. Instead, I’m reminding myself of what I feel is important and desirable. And, so, my New Year’s reminders are as follows:

• Finally settle on a baby girl name.
• Have a natural birth with a healthy mom and baby.
• Spend at least the first year nursing without complaining about the time commitment.
• Read a lot, even if I’m tired from caring for a newborn.
• Run. And feel blessed to be able to do it again.
• Encourage a good sleep schedule for the baby, but don’t be beholden to it.
• Be more flexible. And I’m not talking about touching my toes (though that would be nice, too).

What about you? Did you set any resolutions or reminders?

December 3, 2011

My Last Pregnancy

Based on the title of this blog post, you might wonder, “How do you know this is your last? How can you be sure?”

Well, here’s my disclaimer: I can’t confirm with 100% certainty that this will be my last child. But, as much as is in our control, my husband and I are happily rounding out our family with baby #3 and then closing this baby-making chapter of our lives.

Now that I’ve explained myself, let me elaborate on all the exciting things that I can anticipate after this baby’s arrival next spring. (Of course, some of these things may happen sooner than later.)

Get rid of my maternity clothes
Need I say more? Well, I guess I should. I spent a small fortune on maternity clothes because I worked through two pregnancies, so I needed professional-looking attire for my bump. The “investment” was worth the pain of shimmying my planet-sized belly (even at 6 months) into full-panel pants and wearing balloon-like shirts (because those seemed to fit best on me, sadly). Even more so, I gladly handed off my maternity wardrobe to my sister who got lots of wear out of them while working through two of her pregnancies. So the point is: I got my money’s worth. But more importantly, it must go. All of it. As soon as I can fit into my regular jeans without breaking a capillary or raising my blood pressure, I will hand over all of my preggo-wear to the local thrift store or another expectant mom with a “no-return” policy. I will do so with as much enthusiasm as the crazy Target lady from those black Friday commercials. Additionally, getting rid of all my maternity clothes will open up much-needed closet space, hopefully for a new pair of skinny jeans (dare I dream?) or a second pair of Mizuno running shoes. (more…)

November 22, 2011

Preparing Our Nursery

I was listening to the recent PregTASTIC episode on decorating the baby’s nursery. Suddenly I realized just how different this pregnancy is from my first. With #1, we took time to set-up the nursery, acquire the desired furniture, paint and decorate, and get all the clothes and diapers in order well before Jonas joined us. I’m not sure a nursery will even exist when #3 joins us. Sure, it will at some point, but in those early days, weeks and perhaps even months, there might not be a designated nursery.

Nursery #1

After #1, we joked about the how the crib didn’t even get used. Jonas preferred to sleep in our arms, our bed or in the bassinet right beside us. Anytime we attempted to put him into the crib, he woke up and started crying. It wasn’t until he was about three months old that we transitioned him into his crib and finally his own room. Until that point, the nursery served as the changing room and little else. Our second worked pretty much the same way and we plan for #3 to be likewise. But with #3, it’s not just about co-sleeping and late-night nursing sessions. There is one other component in the equation: the fact that I will lose my office. (more…)

July 30, 2011

Things I Wish I’d Known (Before My Baby Was Born)

I’m now nearly two months into being a mother — hard to believe it’s already been that long! — and already there are quite a few things I wish I’d known about having a baby before going into all this.

Here’s just a few, first about giving birth:

•  I wish I hadn’t bothered taking a so-called birth preparation class. My husband and I spent four of our final Friday nights as non-parents in a stuffy classroom at the birthing center being lectured about how to give birth naturally. I had no qualms about using medication, and so most of the coping techniques were kind of lost on me. I wish we’d gone a movie those nights instead. (more…)

April 10, 2011

Sheep Don’t Live Here (My Baby’s Sleep Habits)

It’s difficult to talk about my baby’s sleep habits without inviting an onslaught of advice from all of the parents who get enough sleep to put together full sentences and want to tell me just how to do it (is this a run-on sentence?).  At first, I welcomed the advice.  I thought, “I’m doing it wrong, and these people are obviously doing it right since their babies sleep from 6pm to 7am.  So I’d better listen and try it out.”  There are a few problems with this.  The main one being that I’m going completely insane. (more…)

Episode 213 | March 29, 2011

Maternity Clothes: Smart Shopping Tips

Shopping at any stage of pregnancy can be a lot of fun, but it can also be overwhelming once you’re standing in front of that full length mirror. When is the best time during your pregnancy to start shopping? What type of fabrics (more…)

March 28, 2011

The Four-Month Slump

The honeymoon is over.  I have entered a period I like to call the “four-month slump.”  It’s a little phase that I never knew existed before I had a baby, and one that I always forget about until my hair starts falling out around four months after giving birth. Literally. By the handful.  Pretty gross, right?

I hit the four month mark, and I hit a wall.  I think it’s a perfect storm of hormones shifting and exhaustion taking its toll, but three times over, I’ve had the same experience. It’s not depression, by any means. It’s just a feeling of being a little down and overwhelmed, and it always begins with the postpartum hair loss and ends about two months later.

My hair might be falling out by the handful on its own, but I’m also ready to pull the rest out! (more…)