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The things no one tells you about breastfeeding.....


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I'm on my third little nursling...first nursed till 28 months and second till right after she turned four. My third is now 8 months old.

 

Before you have your first child, people tell you about nursing every 2 hours, the threat of mastitis or thrush, the importance of making sure you are drinking enough water to keep up your supply. They tell you about nursing in public, finding the right nursing bra, and pumping your milk.

 

However, NO ONE warns you about gymnastics babies who thrash around while nursing, who attempt to get up and crawl off of your lap with your n*pple in their mouth, and who turn circles because they are hungry and want to drink milk, yet have places to go and people to see....so they attempt to do both at the same time. And yet, br*asts are not portable....not in that way, anyways.

 

No one warns about about a baby who begins to nurse, gets sidetracked on other things and cries to get down, yet she has sucked enough to cause letdown and now you have milk spraying everywhere and a baby who is uninterested in sucking. So now you've sprung a leak and can't do anything about it.

 

No one tells you about these things LOL. :lol: She's my third nursling...she's 8 months old...you'd think I'd have been prepared for this stage by now LOL.

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:lol::lol::lol:

I can definitely relate to the one about babies who want to look around or crawl off while continuing to nurse. Ouch!

 

One I didn't see mentioned is the baby who falls asleep while nursing, then wakes up & fusses when removed, only to fall back asleep the moment the n*pple is back in his/her mouth. And he/she does NOT want a binky, only the real thing!

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Chuck likes to beat me up. She'll hit me, kick me in the face, slap me, pinch me, shove her finger up my nose, kick me in the arms. I feel that if logic worked on a 16 month old I could tell her, "You know, I'm doing this as a favor to YOU! I would be perfectly happy weaning you at any time, so if you want the milk milk to continue, stop hitting me!" I have a feeling that conversation would go right over her head though. Little goober :glare:

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Chuck likes to beat me up. She'll hit me, kick me in the face, slap me, pinch me, shove her finger up my nose, kick me in the arms. I feel that if logic worked on a 16 month old I could tell her, "You know, I'm doing this as a favor to YOU! I would be perfectly happy weaning you at any time, so if you want the milk milk to continue, stop hitting me!" I have a feeling that conversation would go right over her head though. Little goober :glare:

 

Oww. I remove them and put them down when they try that. So far, that's been effective after a few times. I keep waiting for a baby who will keep it up every time anyway, just to teach me a lesson. :tongue_smilie:

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Totally forgot that my 8 month old also "kneads" my arms with her hands while nursing. Only she doesn't gently knead them....she pinches the living heck out of them. I have so many scratches on my arms where she has drawn blood LOL.

 

Second DD liked to "twiddle" the other n*pple while nursing...man, that one was embarrassing when trying to nurse in public LOL.

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No one warned me that my twins would reach a stage where they would want to nurse and smack each other at the same time. I believe that was right around 8 mos as well.

 

Oh my word!!!!!

 

Oww. I remove them and put them down when they try that. So far, that's been effective after a few times. I keep waiting for a baby who will keep it up every time anyway, just to teach me a lesson. :tongue_smilie:

 

Don't manifest that!

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Oww. I remove them and put them down when they try that. So far, that's been effective after a few times. I keep waiting for a baby who will keep it up every time anyway, just to teach me a lesson. :tongue_smilie:

 

I agree with this. I don't feed babies who are hurting me. She won't understand all of what you say, but if you say something like "gentle touches! No nursing if you hurt mommy" and then put her down for a minute or two, she'll get it. May take a few times, though. My oldest daughter weaned because she didn't like my "rules" for nursing. :001_smile: She was just too busy. A wonderful lactation consultant told me to think of my baby and I as a nursing PAIR - and at a certain age, they have to give as well as take.

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No one warned me that my twins would reach a stage where they would want to nurse and smack each other at the same time. I believe that was right around 8 mos as well.

 

:lol: I remember that one!

 

Or two nurslings coming over and foraging while I was sitting on the floor, standing up and pushing each other. There were days when I felt like, as mammals, we are misconfigured in the mammaries. It would have been so much easier to flop over on the floor and let those two feed if I had rows. :D

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You're reminding me of times, oh so long ago now, that my youngest ds did acrobatics while nursing in bed at night. He would often climb up over the top of my head on to the pillow and then latch on while hanging upside down over my shoulder. Sometimes he'd look up at me and laugh then grab back on again. You are right. No one tells you about things like that.

 

Being a mom is sure some adventure, huh?

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

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No one tells you that thrush hurts like cr@p!!!

 

True dat. :glare:

 

You're reminding me of times, oh so long ago now, that my youngest ds did acrobatics while nursing in bed at night. He would often climb up over the top of my head on to the pillow and then latch on while hanging upside down over my shoulder. Sometimes he'd look up at me and laugh then grab back on again. You are right. No one tells you about things like that.

 

Being a mom is sure some adventure, huh?

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

 

:lol::lol::lol: Yup, I've had that one, too. Now he sings little songs while nursing or pops off to poke it, giggling and singing. So much for being discreet. :lol::lol::lol:

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.:lol::lol: I totally understand!

 

My 9month old has scratched my boob silly trying to "squeeze" the milk out - lol. It looks like I went through a rose bush without a top on!

 

Oh, the scratches!! I looked really beat up for awhile... His little nails were like razors!

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Nobody told me to wear eye protection. My 2nd dd was waving her hand around, poked me in the eye, and scratched my cornea while nursing. I think it hurt worse than labor! And of course, it was the weekend, so I had to go to the ER. :tongue_smilie:

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:lol: I remember that one!

 

Or two nurslings coming over and foraging while I was sitting on the floor, standing up and pushing each other. There were days when I felt like, as mammals, we are misconfigured in the mammaries. It would have been so much easier to flop over on the floor and let those two feed if I had rows. :D

 

When my duo were infants, I spent a lot of time wishing I had extra arms like a Hindu goddess and bOOks on the side like a pig. Basically, I guess I wanted to be some sort of perfect but freakish twin mother.

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No one tells you that one day you'll be enjoying some perfectly good teA time when things will go haywire and you'll be having your teA with milk. Sexy, no???

:lol::lol::lol: Oh my!

 

With Pigby I leaked all the time while I was pregnant, all the time after he was born. I had to wear nursing pads the entire 12 months, I was leaking so often! I had to wear my bra with pads to avoid the milk and TeA problem. The things you never think of pre-children.

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However, NO ONE warns you about gymnastics babies who thrash around while nursing, who attempt to get up and crawl off of your lap with your n*pple in their mouth, and who turn circles because they are hungry and want to drink milk, yet have places to go and people to see....so they attempt to do both at the same time. And yet, br*asts are not portable....not in that way, anyways.

 

No one warns about about a baby who begins to nurse, gets sidetracked on other things and cries to get down, yet she has sucked enough to cause letdown and now you have milk spraying everywhere and a baby who is uninterested in sucking. So now you've sprung a leak and can't do anything about it.

 

No one tells you about these things LOL. :lol: She's my third nursling...she's 8 months old...you'd think I'd have been prepared for this stage by now LOL.

 

No one warned me that my twins would reach a stage where they would want to nurse and smack each other at the same time. I believe that was right around 8 mos as well.

 

:lol::lol::lol:

I guess I was pretty lucky. My mom actually warned me about most of these. She used to tell me that while they are just learning what 'no' means, that it was important that I do try and teach them to respect my body, because they would do their best to detach my nipple at best or worse the breast from my body by the time they were 9 months old. So I guess she was a little off on age (at least with your kidlets) but I'm grateful that she warned me. My oldest liked to scratch, my middle was the type that wanted to see everything and still eat, which meant either milk everywhere or my nipple being stretch like crazy, and my youngest was the gymnast.

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Totally forgot that my 8 month old also "kneads" my arms with her hands while nursing. Only she doesn't gently knead them....she pinches the living heck out of them. I have so many scratches on my arms where she has drawn blood LOL.

 

Second DD liked to "twiddle" the other n*pple while nursing...man, that one was embarrassing when trying to nurse in public LOL.

 

 

That's me!!!!:lol::lol::lol::lol: I had not heard of anyone else with this problem.

 

He also has to rub his knees on the other one too and can get quite agitated if I tell him no when we are public.

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.:lol::lol: I totally understand!

 

My 9month old has scratched my boob silly trying to "squeeze" the milk out - lol. It looks like I went through a rose bush without a top on!

 

This is my current DD. Most of my kiddos have "kneaded" the br**st while nursing but this one pinches and if she has any nails, I get scratched like crazy.

 

Just the other day, DH walked by while I was nursing DD, he stopped mid stride and said "ouch, doesn't that hurt..it looks painful." :tongue_smilie:

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No one tells you that one day you'll be enjoying some perfectly good teA time when things will go haywire and you'll be having your teA with milk. Sexy, no???

 

:lol: Always bring a towel to bed. I remember telling a new nursing mom that and laughed so hard when she caught me and said, "you were right!"

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:lol: Always bring a towel to bed. I remember telling a new nursing mom that and laughed so hard when she caught me and said, "you were right!"

 

Glad to know my husband isn't the only one who finds the smell of milk slightly erotic.

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Yep. All of those going here too!

 

Some of mine - that it wouldn't be dad the one that got jealous of BooK time. No. It would be baby! I had one baby that would just be nursing all contented until dh walked by or heaven forbid sat next to me, then that baby would give him the hairy eye, nurse harder and put a leg and other hand over the other breast! All while looking at dh out of the corner of the eye. Protect the food supply at all costs! LOL

 

Current little guy likes to rock on like a head banger every time music plays. Even while nursing, but of course, he doesn't want to stop nursing to do it. Ouch. And the 3 year old thinks it's hilarious, so she will start singing or playing her toy guitar or whatever when I nurse to try and get him to do it.

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Yep. All of those going here too!

 

Some of mine - that it wouldn't be dad the one that got jealous of BooK time. No. It would be baby! I had one baby that would just be nursing all contented until dh walked by or heaven forbid sat next to me, then that baby would give him the hairy eye, nurse harder and put a leg and other hand over the other breast! All while looking at dh out of the corner of the eye. Protect the food supply at all costs! LOL

 

Current little guy likes to rock on like a head banger every time music plays. Even while nursing, but of course, he doesn't want to stop nursing to do it. Ouch. And the 3 year old thinks it's hilarious, so she will start singing or playing her toy guitar or whatever when I nurse to try and get him to do it.

 

:lol:

 

Fun - and true- thread! I'm nursing my third one too - 1st one 3 1/2 years, second one 3 1/2 years, this sweet baby girl going strong at 16 months :)

 

All three were so curious. My girls are the most aggressive nursers- they pull, twist, fiddle with, raise shirt, are impatient.. My ds I remember being a chill gourmand - once I clocked him nursing for 4 hours! He was my first ;)

 

With the acrobatics and all, I love nursing my babies. Especially when they're sick and it's the only big comfort and nutrition you can give them.

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Man some one should have told me my oldest dd would bite me from the time she was 5 months until 10 months when I weaned her because I couldn't take it any more.:blink: Those tiny teeth are something else. Luckily my other kids were much more gentle.:lol:

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Gah, nursing is so fun, eh? :D

 

I think I have experienced everything mentioned between my six nurslings. Although with #6 is the first time I experienced thrush or cracked and bleeding n!ps right after delivery. :( :glare:

 

I have tandem nursed 3 times now and at some point a few babies ago I started laying them on top of each other so I could nurse both of them while laying on my side. For awhile, every time my 2yo laid next to me to nurse he wanted the baby laying on top of him nursing from the other bOOk. :lol: He would pull the baby over and try to pull him on top of him so they were stacked next to me. :D I think he just wanted to share, or he liked the closeness of the baby near him.

 

My current baby also scratches me when he nurses. I have to make sure his fingernails are clipped all the time or else I will get cuts and it will itch. He digs his thumb into me.

 

I've also experienced the slapping, pulling, pinching, jamming fingers into my mouth, playing with my eyelashes, wanting to play with the other side, after awhile I get too overstimulated and panicky. I can't have the other kids climbing on me while I am nursing or else I get really panicky.

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My dd was a twiddler too :D And I really agree on the missing it thing - dd still remembers being nursed and we both remember it fondly.

 

No one ever told me that for MONTHS I'd wake up in the night with my bed soaked with milk - I would let down on both sides at the same time, and dd coslept and nursed on demand. I ended up putting multiple layers of the heavy fabric bedpads like they use in nursing homes covered with fleece baby blankets so that when one got full of milk I could just pull it off and there was another underneath. During the day I had to use a towel on the side she wasn't nursing on.

 

No one ever told me that it would take a year for my milk to dry up after dd weaned herself onto formula at 13 months due to not liking the taste of my milk after medication changes.

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No one tells you about all the weird comments and looks you will get. I have no issues nursing in public and baby doesn't always allow a cover so it is what it is ya' know. I'm not going to the car where it's hot or the bathroom where it's dirty to feed my baby.

 

Someone told me I needed to give him a pacifier :confused:

 

"How long are you planning to do that?" Ummmm....as long as I want to!?!:tongue_smilie:

 

"Give him a bottle that's what he wants!":confused:

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For some reason, no one told me at first that I'd need to put a nursing pad on the other BooK when baby started nursing. I have a distinct memory of seeing a silver stream of milk shooting up into the air as I saw it in the moonlight from my window. I laughed so hard I'm surprised I didn't drop my baby!

 

No more nurslings for me. And when I was in the thick of it (2 kids with 8 years of nursing between them!) I never, ever thought I would miss it so much.

 

That is what no one told me.

 

That is SO true! I'm a grandmother, and I still cherish the memory of nursing my babies. I remember well the feeling of letdown, and also of looking down at my babies' little heads slightly bobbing as they sucked. There's nothing like it in the whole world.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

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No one told me about rusty pipe syndrome :glare:

 

No one told me about being able to shoot milk about 6 feet across a room from the unused side when you let down. I hit DH one time when he was standing at the foot of the bed :lol:

 

No one told me that I would have people "turning me in" to security personnel at the mall for nursing in public.

 

And no one told me how much I would enjoy that bond. My 3rd child self-weaned very early, it caught me by surprise how much I missed it and how I actually was not ready for us to stop.

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That is SO true! I'm a grandmother, and I still cherish the memory of nursing my babies. I remember well the feeling of letdown, and also of looking down at my babies' little heads slightly bobbing as they sucked. There's nothing like it in the whole world.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

 

This. I know this is our last baby and I am holding tight as I can to the nursing memories. I just want to suck the marrow from every moment - even the scratchy ones :D

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That the one that was the hardest to get to nurse in the first place will be the hardest one to break of it as he nears age 3!

 

I believe in letting kids nurse as long as they seem to need it, but never had one keep going this long. Sometimes I think it's the sweetest thing in the world, but the bigger, stronger and more impatient he gets, the more I feel like one of those cows you see out in the countryside...the one with a nearly-grown calf trying to latch on and she keeps kicking it out of the way. :lol:

 

NOT that I am mean to my child about it, at all. But you'd think it was the end of the world when I tell him "Not now" when we're in situations that nursing isn't convenient for me.

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There was a long period of time when C's preferred style of nursing was lying on my shoulder upside down. Then she'd try to do a somersault off, with n$pple in mouth....

 

Also, no one tells you that you might be in the checkout line at the grocery store one day when the children are home with Dad, and the baby in line behind you starts to cry and you let down and wind up dripping all over the floor. It looked like a bottle of milk had leaked, which I guess it did.

 

Also, nobody will tell you about being in the car on the interstate going 75 miles an hour with a two year old child wailing in the back seat for milk, so in desperation you try to hand express milk into a bottle clutched between your legs. You manage to get 8 oz, but you also wind up spraying milk all over the windshield and the dashboard, making it look as if you ran through a Ghostbusters screen shot.

Edited by Terabith
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