Re: I have a question about breastfeeding????

[Guest guest]

Jeannie,

I am currently bf'ing my 11 week old baby. It's going quite well

now - he's gaining lots of weight and I'm losing it! At first

bf'ing was SO SO SO SO SO difficult (and painful). He was a poor

sucker and didn't get a drop for more than 36 hours. We had a rough

first two weeks during which he lost more than 10% of his body

weight and didn't gain birth weight back till 3 weeks.

HOWEVER - it had NOTHING to do with my surgery AT ALL. Bf'ing is

just a lot more difficult for some women. I have large breasts -

even now at 183 lbs. Currently, I'm a 42DD - I measured a 42G the

day my milk came in (I had to go out and buy new bras on my first

day home from the hospital since none fit me anymore).

I weighed 209 when I got pregnant at 4 months post-op. I lost 18

lbs during the first trimester, gained back those 18 lbs during the

second trimester and gained 20 more during the third. When I got

home from the hospital, I was 208. Now I'm 183 and I've not been

dieting or really restricting myself at all (or worrying about

eating enough). I feel like the bf'ing is really helping the weight

loss!

Good luck with it! And seriously, DON'T give up even if it's really

hard and painful (my nipples peeled right off). It's just not true

for a lot of women that nursing is this easy/natural thing - you and

the baby have to learn how to do it together - and it's SO worth

it. I ended up paying $150 for a WONDERFUL lactation consultant and

she really helped us work out the problems in the beginning. Now

there's no pain at all and it's just this easy, wonderful, sweet

time that only I get to have with my baby.

Just my (very opinionated) two cents.

Del Buono

post-op 8-8-02

296/183/?

born 9-29-03 (8 lbs, 13 oz)

amanda @ delbuono.com

[Guest guest]

Chrystal~

I have to agree 100%! I thoroughly enjoyed breastfeeding both of my

girls and I plan to extend my time doing it with this final

addition. I also had large breasts 52F when I breastfed both of my

girls....I was able to get in touch with a lactation consultant thru

my local health dept....boy was she a life saver. She literally

showed me & baby how to latch on. I had very small nipples at that

time and thought BF was going to be next to impossible. She also

showed me different positions, holds....for anyone wanting more

info, contact health dept or even your local WIC office can offer

some guidance. Also some hospitals now have lactation

consultants/pumps on hand...all you have to do is ask.

I also loved and highly recomend the AVENT ISIS manual pump. I

think I bought mine at Target back in 2000 for $37 during one of

there Avent product sales. BEST $$ I ever spent...I know I pumped

over the 2.5 cans of formula that would have purchased.

I'm hoping to extend my BF time to a full year with this final

addition to our family. For some reason I think the baby will have

no problem latching on, as my breasts have lost so much fat tissue,

I now have much longer nipples and aereola are smaller and more

visible. My bra size has shrunk from that 52F with a double

extender in the back, to a 38DD. I wonder what size I'll be once my

milk comes in??? LOL

I know BF isn't for everyone and for some it's impossible, but I

highly recomend those that can, at least give it a try.

Hey Chrystal, can we start the BF Cheerleaders Club??

*giggle*

Jackie in MI

proud mommy to

Kayla Rose 3/4/98 &

Madisyn 1/7/01

expecting peanut 7/10/04

RNY 2/8/02