Crazy Mommy

Don’t watch the clock, you’ll drive yourself crazy. Feed on demand, when baby tells you their hungry and let them eat for however long they need. Sometimes baby may eat for five minutes, sometimes an hour. Remember, you’re not only your child’s food supply but also their drink. On a hot day your baby may be thirsty and may just want to feed for a moment. The first little bit of milk that baby eats is lower in fat, then as baby is truly hungry they will suck more which will eventually produce higher calorie milk.

Did you know that your breasts never really empty and that you don’t need to wait in between feedings? Your breasts may feel empty but don’t let them fool you, there is no need to wait for them to fill up.

I think all mothers worry whether or not their producing enough milk, and when baby is fussy during a feeding it doesn’t help your worries. One way to know if baby is getting enough milk is how many diapers you’re going through. Between four to six (disposable) diapers a day (after the hospital) is a good indication that your baby isn’t starving. Another way is by baby’s stools. The yellow stools are an indication of the higher calorie milk, and greenish stools show that your baby had more of the lower calorie milk. One mistake I made was thinking that my daughter wasn’t getting enough milk at night. She was fussy for weeks, not wanting to sleep until 5am most nights and sometimes even later then that. She was cranky for hours, even when I’d try and feed her. My husband and I gave in once or twice and fed her formula, and of course we felt instantly like my milk supply was the problem. However, it’s important to realize that bottles disperse milk quicker than your breast so baby will swallow the milk that’s dripping into their mouth and this will cause more milk to disperse so now it looks as though baby is vigorously sucking away on this bottle when really they are just trying to empty their mouths. Try thinking of other problems that could be going on, not just your supply; is baby too hot, too cold, does baby have a diaper rash, need a change of clothes, wet diaper, just needs to be held, wants to be swaddled (misses womb) - maybe you’re stressed and you should try taking a break, giving baby to someone else for a moment. The problem with Em was that I was drinking soda in the day time. Even one or two a day was too much for her and gave her a horrible diaper rash. As soon as I stopped drinking soda her rash was gone completely in four days and she was able to sleep better at night.

Did you also know that sexual feelings can occur while breastfeeding? It’s perfectly normal so don’t freak out. According to “The Baby Book” by Dr William Sears it says, “The same hormones that make milk and make woman feel motherly (prolactin and oxytocin) are also a normal part of female sexuality. They promote feelings of relaxation and pleasure and help mother bond to her baby. Breastfeeding is supposed to be pleasurable. The human race would not have survived if breastfeeding were not enjoyable.”