I have to comment here on the breastfeeding too
I'm another breastfeeding advocate... I made up my mind before I ever had my daughter that I was going to breastfeed no matter. I really thought it would be so easy. Well, it wasn't... I didn't have milk issues either - I had plenty LOL. I cried ALOT. I struggled every single time I tried to feed her and I felt like she was never getting enough. I was up every two hours on the dot and I let her use me for her paci. I remember being home, about 10am and I felt like I had been trying to nurse all morning and she would only latch on for a few minutes and then pull off and we both cried. and cried. and CRIED. I called my local lactation clinic (good idea to look up this number and call them now so you have the correct number to call with questions). Anyways I was bawling, they had no openings but they saw me anyways. They were so kind and caring and helpful.. Showed me different ways to position her and helped me know what a good latch is. They also weighed her before she ate and after and even though she only ate for 5 minutes on each side she was getting PLENTY of milk. It took me another 3-4 weeks until we got it down. It was bout 6 weeks old that it really clicked and from then on it was a breeze. There was a time that I even went out and bought a bunch of bottles to try and feed her that way w/ my milk. Then the next day I tossed them all (well gave away) and made another go for it. We got it and it was a beautiful experience. I nursed until she self weaned at 18 months and I wouldn't trade the sleepless nights and lack of alcohol (lol) for anything. I loved being able to soothe her, loved her falling asleep in my arms, loved the bonding and just loved everything about it. But mind you I'm a hippie at heart and always envisioned this is what I would do.
On the pumping... I totally pumped before I went into labor. I heard that could help move things around so I did and it was uncomfortable but not too bad. I took her to work with me for 5 months and after that I pumped every day while she was at daycare so she still always had my milk. I worked really hard so she wouldn't have formula. That was what I planned and who knows maybe part of it was the guilt of me having to work and that's why I wanted so bad to nurse. More than once I thought at least she'll know her mommy is the one that feeds her from the breast. In hindsight I'm sure she knew that LOL but that thought was comforting to me.
I had my membranes stripped. It wasn't bad but maybe I have a high tolerance. I was a week late, then they found she was in distress. So don't take the stress test appointments lightly. They sent me right to the hospital, no going home, no waiting for hubby, had to right over. They started pitocin immediately. I planned to go all natural and after 15 hours I had an epidural. Epidurals are like breastfeeding in a way - if you planned to not have it and you end up getting it don't be ashamed or feel any less of a woman or a mother. She was born 24 hours after pitocin (she wouldn't decend for like 4 hours and it was too late for a c-section). My midwife was unable to deliver as planned due to the complications. I had an awesome doctor come in who used forceps. got her out without a mark on her and she had her umbilical cord wrapped around her neck - twice. She was grayish but healthy.
Birth for me was totally not what I expected. I remember laughing with my mom about my birth plan LOL. I had it all planned out to a tee on how everything would go.. ha, ha it went nothing like I planned and we all laugh about it now.
Ok, now that I've wrote a novel I'll stop LOL.
Google kelly breastfeeding. they had a lot of good info on there.
It's going to be amazing kayleigh!!!
