Wednesday, April 1, 2009

oh the joys of breast feeding

So it's one am and Chloe's Sleeping patterns are determined when she eats, thats all well and good when it works with normal sleeping patterns but not so much when I need sleep. So this is my time to vent.. and to hopefully let all those mothers to be a warning about why breastfeeding is the best thing and the most intense experience you will go through.

After two nights of staying up until after one because your child is wanting fed every hour on the hour from 8pm to after 1 am you start to wonder what the heck did I get my self into, here are my thoughts

Cluster feedings are not fun, it's like binge drinking for infants and it's relentless.
Growth spurts are also not fun, That is why I am up late right now, since there isn't much resting time in between feedings
Waking up every 3-4 hours every night is hard to do, expecially if you have just had the previous experience. If She does sleep for more than 4 hours you wake up panic, wondering if she is all right, you go back to sleep for an hour when you have to feed her to get some relief or you wake up and pump and then no sooner you get done pumping she wakes up and is hungry at which point you suffer through her eating...grr

This is just the night time issues you have.

my other issues are these, please Help me if you have any advice I would love to hear it.

1. Chloe will not take a bottle, yes I pump and have enough for a day out if needed or a well supply of milk, however to get her to drink from a bottle is a chore. If she gets really hungry she will drink just enough to satisfy her hunger 1 oz at the most and then scream and cry until mommy comes usually has to wakes up to feed her the rest of meal. So does that mean she prefers me or is she picky or who knows?

2. I think that it's more convenient to breastfeed but I hear how 8 week olds sleep though the night because they don't digest the formula as fast as breast milk and moms are happy during the day and can function. Is that ever going to happen and when?

3. Pooppy diapers all the time.

those are my main issues, don't get me wrong I do enjoy breastfeeding as a mom there is a bond that I can't describe and I love it but it's intense and I hope that she will let other feed her soon so I can get some me time or at least some sleep.

4 comments:

Katie said...

Sorry about that! Sounds like Chloe is growing well and her pictures sure are beautiful. I think it depends more on the baby and less on breastfeeding or formula feeding. Mine won't take a bottle well either. This is bad since I am in class three times a week and Ben has to give her a bottle. She eats just enough to make it until I get home.
She also slept through the night at about two months old (6 to 8 hour stretches), even with only breastmilk. However, many mothers tell me that theirs didn't sleep through the night until they were two.
The truth is: Chloe's in charge. I'm sure you're enjoying it (most nights) and you remember that she won't be this little forever.
Good luck!

Jessica Sorensen said...

DOn't worry their schedules are always changing. She may start sleeping through the night and then change her mind and start waking up again. One day she may take the bottle and then the next week refuse it again. At least this is what Addi did. She is still young just wait until she is 4-6 months old it starts to get better and then you forget how hard it was when they were little. Good luck. Addi started sleeping better when she learned how to roll over to sleep on her tummy and started eating real food.
Also be greatful for poopy diapers I had to give Addi an eniema yesterday because she couldn't poop.

Chelsea said...

My advice from my experiences (everyone's going to be different): I loved reading Babywise and taking principles from it to use. For example: Do not feed your baby more than every 3 hours unless it is a growth spurt, then you COULD go to every 2- 2 1/2 hours for a day or so. Otherwise they depend on "snacking" on you whenever they feel like it. Nursing never got very easy for me, it sure can be painful! But rest assured that they will not starve themselves. Also, I remember the first 2 months as complete "survival mode" after that it (slowly) got better. By 4 months parenting started to be fun, but until then it's a love/endure type thing. And despite Ethan not sleeping through the night until he was almost one year old, I survived. It stinks but SOMEDAY you will catch back up. Most people don't have to wait so long. Take naps during Chloe's naps as first priority. When you don't feel tired, then start doing the productive things, but not until then (showering, cleaning, errands...) Almost nothing is worth more than feeling functional by getting some sleep. Good luck! call if you ever just want to cry to someone! We've all had LOTS of those days!

Anonymous said...

Hang in there, Lisa! If she's hungry enough, she will take the bottle. If Gary has to feed her, she could hold one of your g-tops--sometimes babies get used to feeling their texture while they are nursing. It may comfort her so she'll use the bottle. Just hang in there...So happy for you. They grow up so fast. Kyra turns 5 this year. Makes me want to cry!