The first six weeks

In article ,
"Cheryl S." wrote:

Today DS is six weeks old - the miracle milestone where bf gets
infinitely better :-) And it is.

So glad it is working out!

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Jeez; if only those Ancient Greek storytellers had known about the astonishing
creature that is the *Usenet hydra*: you cut off one head, and *a stupider one*
grows back..." -- MJ, cam.misc

Nat wrote in message
...
Good on you girl great to hear someone is have a good time.
I am just about to give up on breastfeeding. My baby (9weeks old) is a
very unhappy baby cries all the time never smiles for plays and they have
put her in hospital for 3 days only to give more drugs which didn't fix
the
problem I just feel like giving up on it all. It seem as the weeks go on
things get worse.

Nat (Australia)

Nat,

If you really don't want to quit. Make a new post and include as many
details as you can and perhaps some of us can help you. Remember, if you
switch to formula, the baby could get even more fussier and she still needs
to eat. Then you will have to buy and prepare bottles. Even though you can
make many bottles up ahead of time, just popping a breast in her mouth would
still be easier. Hang in there and it does get easier. Also, she might be
going through a growth spurt.
--
Sue (mom to three girls)
I'm Just a Raggedy Ann in a Barbie Doll World...

Wow, it sounds like bf went pretty easy for you this time. I was not
thinking it was a breeze until closer to 4 months old. 3.5 months was
pretty good. 6 weeks was just about the worst time for us with my dd
having a huge growth spurt for 9 days. I had low supply, and low
supply is such a drag for baby and mom because nobody gets enough
sleep with all that marathon nursing going on. Even with it being so
bad for so long I never considered quitting. I was dedicated, and now
I am loving it and dreading when she will want to quit some day.

KC -
buy or rent Whittlestone Breast Expressers at:
http://www.alittlestore.com

"Cheryl S." wrote in message ...
Today DS is six weeks old - the miracle milestone where bf gets
infinitely better :-) And it is. I thought I'd post a brief recap of
the preceding six weeks for others who are still in it, or yet to
experience it.

Week One
Learning to latch, learning what "hunger" is, learning that nursing
fixes hunger. He latches extremely well and nurses eagerly. Milk comes
in starting on day 2, engorgement hits morning of day 4. I use lots of
massage, a little expressing, nursing as much as possible, and once, a
cabbage leaf to deal with engorgement. Still, it affects his latch and
my nipples get sore. Main issues for me, recovery from birth and
engorgement.

Week Two
Learns that breathing is important. Learns that sometimes it's hard to
breathe and nurse at the same time, and begins fighting the breast.
Pushes away with his hands, fusses, pinches and scratches my poor, sore
nipples (how does a two week old baby have such good aim?!? ).
Finally learns to suck, swallow, breathe, repeat. Begins growth spurt.
Main issue for me, still recovering from birth.

Week Three
Growth spurt from hell continues. I am exhausted and totally sick of
bf. Once, I got so tired I cried. The exhaustion makes me not care
enough about getting latch correct. Constant nursing, with slightly
less-than-optimal latch, makes nipples more sore. Harder to get latch
correct on left side than right, so left side is much more sore.
Starting to feel recovered from giving birth.

Week Four
Growth spurt is over. Nipples have healed quickly. Right side doesn't
hurt at all, left side is moderately uncomfortable. Poop "issues"
begin. DS is gassy and this makes him fussy at the breast at times.

Week Five
No bf issues, just DS' difficulty with learning to poop.

Week Six
He's had one night where he only needed to eat once. I am hoping for
continued progress in sleeping longer stretches at night! So far
longest is 4 hours of sleep. Breastfeeding is easy and going great, I
would never begin to consider stopping now.