Breastfeeding...Not always easy, even with experience! (Breastfeeding in General)

Member Name: chocaholic110

Product:	Breastfeeding in General
Date:	10/01/09 (60 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Free, immediate, good for baby and Mum, no bottles to wash and make up

Disadvantages: Time consuming, demanding, being bitten!

It was always something I intended to do - I didn't even give any consideration to any other scenario, didn't buy bottles, steralising equipment, nothing. It looks easy enough. Put the baby to the breast and Hey Presto! If only...

I am currently feeding my third baby having fed baby number one with reasonable success and baby number two brilliantly; she was a natural feeder, suckled peacefully and long enough to ensure she was well nourished. I know the statistics, I know how good breastfeeding is supposed to be for the baby. I know it provides anti-bodies and natural immunity. I know it magically induces weightloss and snaps your uturus back into shape quick as a flash. Obviously, the third time after all the practice I had it would be a breeze...?

Sadly not. Baby number three was a difficult feeder from the word go. Obviously he hadn't read the books about the benefits of breastfeeding. He struggled to attach and one of the abiding memories of my stay on hospital is repeatedly having a nurse grab my nipple and thrusting it into his mouth.

As the days turned to weeks, turned to months he has improved slightly. But this time round breastfeeding has certainly not been the natural, peaceful bonding experience I had with my daughter. For a start, he is what I would describe as a snacker. He likes to feed little and often - not great when you're out and about or during the night. Secondly, he tries to scratch, pinch and bite while feeding - not that conducive to a great bonding experience when you're spending the whole time gritting your teeth and waiting for the feed to be over. Lastly, as he's got older he's learned how to demand a feed, plunging his hand down my top or pushing it up, regardless of where we are and who's looking.

On the plus side, I've saved the expense of bottles and formula, I've never had to get up at night to make a feed, the milk is delivered at exactly the right temperature and I've never had to make a screaming baby wait while I cool boiling water. It does have many, MANY benefits. Just dont expect it to come easily, no matter how many times you've done it before!

Summary: Just my own personal pros and cons of breastfeeding a baby