Nursing Moms - HELP!

[GEM]

Double post. Sorry! See below!

 

[GEM]

Oh gosh. I've been avoiding this thread like crazy, but I just want to jump in here a bit at the end, if I can.

Most of you probably know that I am a huge breastfeeding advocate. I believe so much in the benefits for moms and babies. In fact, the 28 month old in my sig pic is still nursing!

I think the key to remember here is that mom's have to do what is best for their family and for their situation. Personally, I would not have been able to leave my four month old nursling for more than a few hours, mostly because breastfeeding was so important to me that I was absolutely terrified of doing anything that might cause problems in that area. Someone else might feel differently, and that's fine. I don't think any mom is a bad mother for leaving a baby with a loving daddy or grandma for a few days, but she should realize that it does create the potential for problems with her breastfeeding relationship with her child. If she's going, I honestly would just reccomend that she just pump and dump to keep her supply up. I know I wouldn't want to worry about freezing, storing, trasporting, etc. on vacation.

For what it's worth, my little guy was also very premature. He was a 27 weeker. He weighed 1lb and 7oz and spent 83 days in the NICU. We also spent many nights sleeping in the chair beside his isolette, not knowing if he was going to be alive the next morning. For the first month, every time we left the NICU to grab a bite to eat or breathe some fresh air, I was terrified we would return to find out he had died all alone while we were gone. Now, at 28 months old, he's fine in every way - but it is a true that an experience like that changes you totally, all the way to your core. I'm truly sorry for any family who has been through anything like that.

The bottom line, though, is still that all mommies and all babies are different. They have different histories, different philosophies, different personalities. My sister is expecting her first child, and a few weeks ago she asked if I had any advice for her. I told her that the only advice I had was not to listen to anyone who tried to give you advice. They're only telling you what worked for them, and that information is pretty much useless, as far as I'm concerned. Everybody's got to muddle through it for themselves and do what they think is best.

If the mommy in question does ultimately go on the trip and needs any pumping advice or has any problems when she gets back, she can feel free to contact me. I pumped for Paul the whole time he was in the NICU continued to pump regularly after he came home. I also worked through all sorts of problems getting him to latch on and nurse. So, if she happens to experience any problems in that area after the trip, maybe I can help. Obviously, I did something right, since, as I said earlier, he is still nursing almost two and a half years later!

 

[rjthkids]

Obviously, I did something right since, as I said earlier, he is still nursing almost two and a half years later!

I just want to say that totally rocks. We were never able to establish breastfeeding with my daughter, she had such lung issues that she used up way to many calories just breathing and eating. I did, however, pump for 18 months straight. I'm so glad I did it, but man, can I tell you by the end of that 18 months I never wanted to see that pump again. Seriously, whenever someone would ask sweetly when my son was little "Oh, do you ever pump and just give him a bottle" I just wanted to Just the *thought* of all the aggravation of hooking up to that pump and preparing a bottle is enough to give me flashbacks.

My 17 month is still a nursling, and it's great.

 

[GEM]

Well, thanks, but, as you know, 18 months of pumping is certainly a huge amount of work and you should be SO proud of yourself for keeping that up! I finally stopped pumping when Paul as 12 months old - and it felt so good! He always nursed well, but I just couldn't seem to quit pumping. I was terrified of having supply issues, so I kept it up. I kept thinking that something might happen and he would need the milk. Well, when we moved this summer, I tossed out an entire deep freeze full of milk!

We were lucky, Paul's issues were mild, compared to what they could have been. He was on a vent for 37 days and then oxygen for a week or so and then right to room air. He came home at 83 days old weighing 3lbs and 14oz - no oxygen, monitors, or meds. We were very lucky. Now, at 28 months, he's never had so much as a cold, runny nose, ear infection, fever, tummy problem, etc. He's not had one single sick doctor's visit! Not bad for a kid who didn't see the outside of a hospital till he was 3 months old!

Anyway, thanks for sharing your story. Whenever anybody asks how long I'm going to keep nursing, I just say it's up to Paul. We worked so hard to get it right, I'm in no hurry to stop!