All About the Boob Part 2

The beginning of our breastfeeding journey.  This was right after I woke up from my c-section.  I couldn't walk yet, but I really wanted to hold my baby, and nurse him.  They decided they would wheel my gurney into the NICU (something they'd never done before, apparently). He took right to the breast.

Skin to skin.

When he was tiny (read: under 8 pounds) I needed to feed him at least every three hours.  I set an alarm throughout the night.  Most of the time, he'd wake up before.  I was so happy when he had gained enough wait to let him tell me when it was time to eat. 

The hardest part was early on, when I was really sleep deprived, and my nipples were still not toughened.  I remember sitting in our recliner, in the middle of the night, nursing Bertie and sobbing.  I used all sorts of creams, and balms (they didn't help much).  Then one day, it didn't hurt anymore.

 

I think this was before I stopped using a cover. I fed him in quite a few fitting rooms.  I still do from time to time.  Sometimes it's the closest place with a seat.

Feeding Bertie in the great outdoors.  (At the boy scout camp, when no scouts were there.)

This is my favourite position to feed him.  I'm not sure why it took me so long to discover this.  I fed him upright for a long time.  (I read recently that it doesn't work well til about 2 months, so maybe that's why).  This is easiest now, because he really likes to kick, and then he falls off the boob.

Asleep on the boob.  This happens a lot.

This one is from last week.

Now that I'm back at work, he gets a few bottles a week.  It makes me kind of sad.  Like the first time I missed a feeding.  I pumped before I left, but it wasn't the same.  I love being snuggled up with my boy.