Miss E is two months old now. And I’m still breastfeeding! Doesn’t sound like much of an accomplishment but I’ve overcome a lot.
Finger feeding to nipple shield with tube.
Nipple shield with tube to nipple shield with formula squirted in the tip and supplementing.
Nipple shield with formula to Nipple shield alone, still supplementing.
Nipple shield to nothing, no supplementing!
Well to be honest, I have to give her an ounce of supplement in the evening because my milk supply is always just low in the evenings. I’ve had rough spots here and there with some very painful clogged ducts. But overall I feel like a normal breastfeeding mom now. And that is huge!
At six weeks she went from taking an hour to eat to taking 20 minutes. And now she takes less than 10 minutes.
I want to say thank you to all of you who encouraged me or sympathized with me because it HAS gotten easier and it’s SO much better. But it definitely wasn’t easy.
I know that sometimes it just doesn’t work and a mom shouldn’t feel guilty for doing her job, which is just to keep that baby fed. But having been in the position of feeling like a failure/judged for giving my baby formula, I feel like this is preferable. And now that I can do it without any props, it’s so much easier than worrying about going out and running out of formula or whatever. And it’s free (you can’t beat that!) And I feel more part of the ‘club.’
When I had a C section with my first baby, I felt so left out when moms started sharing their labor stories. I didn’t go into labor, I barely remembered the birth. And after I had my second vaginally, I finally had something to share. It feels like that now with breastfeeding. I have something to contribute. I can sit in the Mother’s Lounge at church with all the other nursing moms and chat about our crazy lives. I can ask my friends my questions about it. And I can act all cool about nursing like it aint no thang. Oh yeah!
But seriously thank you, my friends. I read and try to respond to all your comments. They give me so much encouragement.
And now that she’s getting older, I have found some time here and there to start sewing again. I got some fun tutorials coming up!!
Hi! I'm Heidi and welcome to Honeybear Lane! Stay awhile and check out my craft, sewing, and home decor projects. And visit the Honeybear Lane Shop for puff quilts and other goodies! 
