Tomorrow will be Archie's first birthday. I can't believe it where has my tiny newborn gone. This time last year I was waiting for Aidan to finish a half day of work so we could head to the hospital where I was booked in for induction. At that appointment I changed plans and was booked in for a c-section the next day.
Archie from the moment he was born apart from a short time in recovery when I was getting stitched up and Archie was getting his after birth checks, has been with me. He was bought over to me by Aidan straight after he was born and wrapped up and I held him on my chest. Once I met up with him in recovery he immediately latched onto my breast and that's where our breastfeeding journey began.
The first month of breastfeeding was hard, I experienced the discomfort of rock hard, leaking, heavy engorged breasts once my milk came in and my body was trying to regulate its supply. My nipples became cracked and bloody and when he first latched on I would have to brace myself and prepare for the excruciating pain of the first suck. But time went on and my body adjusted and he became an expert at feeding.
It amazes me that something so natural can be so difficult what happens to poor woman in third world countries, do their babies die if breastfeeding doesn't work out? In the first two months quitting breastfeeding popped up in my mind so many times and sometimes I was so tired and Aidan would be trying to give me a break by settling Archie and he would come to me exasperated, apologizing for having to return Archie for a feed and I would cry and beg him to go get a tin of formula "OK fine" He would say "But that doesn't help in the meantime he needs to be fed now" And after Archie was fed and had fallen asleep in my arms I would feel so blessed that I was able to breastfeed him.
Time went on and soon we had reached the 3 month mark of breastfeeding and we were still going strong. It became easier than formula feeding is and we both enjoyed not having to worry about washing and sterilizing bottles and packing a huge bag full of formula and bottles. We began to co-sleep and night feedings became a matter of switching sides to feed on in the night.
The next thing I knew we had achieved six months breastfeeding and I wouldn't have it any other way. The only hard thing about breastfeeding became the way I could never be far from Archie's side.
My favorite thing about breastfeeding is holding your little baby close to you while nourishing your baby and knowing that you are the only person that can do this for them. I love the way Archie often looks up at me while feeding with his big blue eyes and I love watching them flutter closed and then reopen when feeding makes him sleepy but he's trying to fight it.
Now we are coming up to a year of breastfeeding. I would say we are pros at it now. Archie still wakes often in the night for a quick feed but he has a quick drink and he doses right back off. He will come up to me for a feed and often only has a few quick sucks before he has to get right back to whatever he and his sister were exploring and playing with. Sometimes if I am having a busy day running errands without much one on one time with the kids, Archie will whinge and cry at me until I pick him up settle into a comfy chair and feed him. Afterwards he loves to have a lay in my arms, a nice little snuggle before we are both off again.
Breastfeeding is such a special relationship with your baby and I feel so blessed that we were able to overcome our hardships and achieve our goals. Now I wonder what breastfeeding into the second year will bring us...
No comments:
Post a Comment