Dear Friends and Family,
It's only in retrospect that I can write this post. It's too much of a nightmare to write it while you're living it.
Week 1: Set Up for Failure
milk production: non-existent, you're producing colostrum, great stuff, but not milk
joint venture status (aka the latch): trust me, it's not instinctive on either side
scheduling: baby sleeps 24/7, in other words, no interest in eating
You're a mess physically and hormonally from giving birth. The baby's a mess from being born. No one's done this before so it's a learning experience for both parties. Everyone wants to know how you're doing. Everyone expects to hear you're doing fine. No one wants to hear you're falling apart at the seams.
Week 2: The Pressure's On
milk production: MILK? it's beginning to come in, kinda sorta, maybe, not sure
joint venture status (aka the latch): reading books, surfing the web for tips
scheduling: baby sleeps 24/7, in other words, no interest in eating
By the end of week 2, the baby's supposed to be back at birth weight. You have a doctor's appointment where they'll be checking. You suspect the birth weight was inflated from all of the fluids that puffed you up, but that's the number you're going to be held to. Get to work!
Week 3: Make or Break Week
milk production: MILK! now everyone wants to know how much
joint venture status (aka the latch): good latches, poor latches, no consistency
scheduling: baby sleeps 24/7, in other words, no interest in eating
Lactation consultants. Formula supplementation. This is the week when you either find your groove or you toss in the towel. Anyone can put up with two weeks of %$#@!, but sooner or later it either gets better or you have to make the call for the baby's health and your sanity. This is the heavy guilt week - with all of the pro-breastfeeding propaganda that's in play.
Week 4: Light at the End of the Tunnel? Or is it a Train?
milk production: seems to be enough
joint venture status (aka the latch): seems to be getting consistent
scheduling: baby begins to wake, sometimes
This is the confidence week. Things seem to be falling into place. But, it feels like a house of cards that can collapse at any moment.
Week 5: A Factory Toyota Would be Proud of
milk production: consistent
joint venture status (aka the latch): consistent
scheduling: baby waking most times
So far, this week seems to be the week when everything starts rocking and rolling. Now, we get to think about things like stockpiling for when I return to work and how to feed away from home.
Cheers!
mouse
It's only in retrospect that I can write this post. It's too much of a nightmare to write it while you're living it.
Week 1: Set Up for Failure
milk production: non-existent, you're producing colostrum, great stuff, but not milk
joint venture status (aka the latch): trust me, it's not instinctive on either side
scheduling: baby sleeps 24/7, in other words, no interest in eating
You're a mess physically and hormonally from giving birth. The baby's a mess from being born. No one's done this before so it's a learning experience for both parties. Everyone wants to know how you're doing. Everyone expects to hear you're doing fine. No one wants to hear you're falling apart at the seams.
Week 2: The Pressure's On
milk production: MILK? it's beginning to come in, kinda sorta, maybe, not sure
joint venture status (aka the latch): reading books, surfing the web for tips
scheduling: baby sleeps 24/7, in other words, no interest in eating
By the end of week 2, the baby's supposed to be back at birth weight. You have a doctor's appointment where they'll be checking. You suspect the birth weight was inflated from all of the fluids that puffed you up, but that's the number you're going to be held to. Get to work!
Week 3: Make or Break Week
milk production: MILK! now everyone wants to know how much
joint venture status (aka the latch): good latches, poor latches, no consistency
scheduling: baby sleeps 24/7, in other words, no interest in eating
Lactation consultants. Formula supplementation. This is the week when you either find your groove or you toss in the towel. Anyone can put up with two weeks of %$#@!, but sooner or later it either gets better or you have to make the call for the baby's health and your sanity. This is the heavy guilt week - with all of the pro-breastfeeding propaganda that's in play.
Week 4: Light at the End of the Tunnel? Or is it a Train?
milk production: seems to be enough
joint venture status (aka the latch): seems to be getting consistent
scheduling: baby begins to wake, sometimes
This is the confidence week. Things seem to be falling into place. But, it feels like a house of cards that can collapse at any moment.
Week 5: A Factory Toyota Would be Proud of
milk production: consistent
joint venture status (aka the latch): consistent
scheduling: baby waking most times
So far, this week seems to be the week when everything starts rocking and rolling. Now, we get to think about things like stockpiling for when I return to work and how to feed away from home.
Cheers!
mouse
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