Breastfeeding

I want to document my breastfeeding journey just so I will be more prepared the second time around , so here goes :

As lame man as it sounds breastfeeding is just latching your baby onto your breasts. Simple as that.

But oh boy was I so wrong.

Your nipples hurt LIKE CRAZY during the initial latch-ons. I questioned myself and questioned the lactation nurse who tried to help me. I told her I was feeling very strained due to the lack of rest post partum. My head feels groggy all the time. Even lifting my baby up feels like a chore. So why do you want to torture the mother to breastfeed ?

But I perservere without asking too much because if others can breastfeed their baby until they are a year old so why cant I do that ? My goal was just to reach the sixth month mark.

The situation just continue to go downhill. My top was always stained with milk. The breasts will leak whenever there is a let down reflex. Like a running tap that goes on without my control. I was in a mess , literally messy and smell like a milk bag all the time. To add oil to the fire , the breasts get engorged so easily whenever milk ducts get stucked. I can be clearing the milk ducts for days , rubbing on the spots several times a day. The feeling is similar to a bruise , you keep rubbing against it until  the milk ducts are cleared.  There were many instances I feel like giving up. I told hubs that I was going to stop breastfeeding soon. I was THAT close to giving up.

But then I held on because I spent a bomb on the brand new pump set from Medela. In case you are wondering Medela is alike Prada in mummy's world. Breast pump and bottles - they don't come cheap.

I remember Sister Wong (the lactation nurse whom I desperately call every other day for help ) spoke very patiently to me over the phone and keep encouraging me to go on. She told me I just have to keep latching baby on until my milk is established and that will take around eight weeks to happen. EIGHT WEEKS ?! I thought she was kidding and if that is true I thought someone should just knocked me over right there and then.  It was the 5th week that I had that conversation with her I was trying to see if there was a way I could pump my milk out and give it to Lil S so poor sleep deprived mama can take a rest.

That was roughly how the first month went and things got better in the following months.

In month 2 , I was pumping and latching at the same time. I did not heed the advice of a full latch on until the 8th week because I was going crazy already.

Two weeks prior to work I was pumping exclusively , I felt I had a lot more time on my hands as pumping took a little less effort than latching.

In month 3 , I was officially back at work. I pump and store and everytime I see my milk bags get filled up I feel a sense of achievement. I was a happy cow.

I encounter some inconvenience at work as there is no proper room for pumping , it was just a makeshift location at one of the meeting rooms. It was and still is embarrassing to be pumping in between two male managers room.

As of today ( gentle note : we are currently at 3rd month and 2nd week ) , pumping has become second nature to me. I was more comfortable as my breasts do not leak that often and get engorged that quickly. My goal of reaching the sixth month mark seems like a possible mission after all.

But sometimes life just like to throw lemons at you. Just as Lil S and I have got into a routine of our own , I was told to go on a work trip to the states. The STATES ?! You kidding me ?

Lil S will only be four months when I go for my trip. I hope this trip will not jeopardise my breastfeeding goal.

What a challenge for breastfeeding mothers , I shall post again ( if I survive ) on how a lactating mother survives a 10 days trip in the United States while trying to keep her milk supply up. I hope when I return I will not be dried up. Fingers crossed.

And why oh why outlet shopping in the states does not seem of interest to me right now ?

Oh ya I am a mother there are some things that have changed inside me. *winks*