Nursing Elise

Before you read on please note that this may be graphic to some.  I will be discussing breastfeeding in detail.  It's your choice to continue on reading or not...

Breastfeeding has been a challenge at times. Every child is different. As always I have trouble with the first couple weeks with my body getting used to the demands upon it.  My nipples tend to crack and bleed.  On top of that normal issue, Elise and I have trouble with the right side. 

I should mention that I nurse using the football hold.  I have never been able to do any other position well mainly because my breasts are too large.  I can't get a position that doesn't suffocate the baby.  But the football hold works, and I got used to using it with my twins, who were excellent nursers!  I nursed them simultaneously.  They were the easiest nursing experience of all my children.  Oddly enough.

Back to Elise.  For some reason I can never get them to latch right, that is my singletons.  I think maybe I try too hard or something.  :)  If I was busier like with twins maybe it would be less of a challenge.  But nonetheless.  I am determined to nurse this one at least to a year.  Jasperlyn stopped nursing at 9 weeks.  I pumped then for 10 months.  So she got breast milk only until right before her 1st birthday.  But I would really like to just nurse and it not be such a hassle.  So despite a fairly severe tear on my right nipple I'm persevering on.  I am nursing more on the left.  And I am pumping on the right, when i skip a right nursing.

Nonetheless.... this will be an ongoing adventure i am sure....

Until next time...