Friday, September 19, 2014

Breastfeeding Journal ~ Katie Part 3


My Breastfeeding Journey Part 3 – Thoughts on Tandem Nursing

 This is the final installment of a three part series by Katie who experienced the ups and downs that sometimes present themselves when breastfeeding.

I continued breastfeeding through this pregnancy.  I had dreamed of being able to tandem nurse but would I and could I nurse THAT LONG?!  I began asking other moms questions on should I tandem nurse or began to wean him.  When I was 32 weeks pregnant I was showing signs of early labor and by 34 weeks I was placed on bed rest and was encouraged to stop nursing.  Here was my momma’s boy who nursed several times a day and I was supposed to stop cold turkey?!?  I went to a couple a times a day and faithfully just stayed in bed.  At 35 weeks it looked closer and closer to labor time and I had to make it to 37 weeks to VBA2C with a midwife out of hospital.  I made the decision to not nurse anymore and quit.  I made it to 37 weeks!  And sure enough all signs of labor let up!  Of course, right?!  So Candan asked for milk, and I gave it to him!  J  Happy day!  He still wanted me and what only I could give him!  Annalise, my third was born by cesarean too.  I could write out a whole other story about my efforts to keep trying to birth, but I have a pelvis that only 3% of women in America have and only 1% of white American women have.  It’s not impossible to give birth vaginally but the cards are definitely not in my favor.  I just held on to hope that it COULD happen.  This caesarean was better and I was able to put sweet Miss Annalise on my chest and nurse right away after birth!  To make my birth story short, my husband came down with a bad virus during labor and so within hours after delivery, the nurses asked my husband to leave until the next day at least.   On a positive note, it was just Annalise and I so I kept the sheet pulled up on both of us and lay skin to skin for her first 24 hours of life.  No one but me held her and she was at my breast about 80% of the time.  This was the image I always had imagined after having a baby!  Because I was nursing my second one (who was 25 months old at this point) my milk was already in and I was able to meet her every need.  There was nothing more fulfilling then this!  My nipples were not sensitive since I had never stopped.  I went through no soreness.  I can’t even express with words how perfect it went.  When we arrived home, I didn’t know what would happen with my 2 year old.  He nursed once and then didn’t like it!  Well, there went my dream of tandem nursing.  L  I was sad, but really okay with it.  It gave me time with just Annalise.  Six weeks later to the day, Candan crawled back into “the position” and said “I want milk.”  Really?  I reluctantly gave my breast to him and there he went!  So, after a six weeks period of time, our journey started back up!  There are times that I truly tandem nurse with one on each breast.  But mostly I will nurse Annalise and then if Candan choses (every morning and after nap at the least) he will crawl on up and nurse.  Annalise is such a sweet nurser.  I love when she grabs my breast with her little hands and then gets that precious look of fulfillment on her face.  And then there is my sweet big boy Candan, who is so thankful for the security that momma can give him.  I love how is able to ask for “milk” and then also say “thank you.” My favorite moment, is the first time, he let out a big, “ahhhh…I am done.”  Sometimes nursing two is hard.  I have to deal with jealousy issues at times.  Candan really is so big, strong-willed and determined that he throws fits when it’s not his turn.  We are both learning patience on this journey, to say the least.  I am not sure how much longer we will continue tandem nursing, or who will “quit” first.  I am just taking one day at a time.  With Annalise being my third, I nurse everywhere while doing everything.  I cover sometimes and I just nurse modestly other times.  She is now 4 months old and has never had a bottle.  I struggled with oversupply the first three months and pumped here and there to give away to other C-section moms who struggled with their supply at first (I co-lead a local cesarean support group, previously ICAN).  But with tandem nursing, I couldn’t nurse two and pump and give the attention needed to my little ones so now I do no more pumping. 

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