Mummy Monday: My view on Breastfeeding

I decided to try and put up a "mummy post" each monday. Munchkin is turning 8 months on wednesday and therefore I will write an 8 month post next monday. So I thought I would write about my experience when it comes to breastfeeding.

Before giving birth to Nathanael I really wanted to breastfeed. My goal was at least 6 month. However, if it didn't work, it just didn't and I was ok with that as well.

So when Nate was born the midwife tried to get him to latch on pretty much straight away and he was doing so good. He latched on and got down to business. I have to admit it was kind of painful.
Well, it turned out that the midwife helping me to get him to latch on somehow didn't do it properly and I basically had bruises all over my nipples. It hurt. It really did. So every time he latched on it was super painful. The nurse gave me a nipple shield so it would hurt less. My milk came in, I think on the 3rd day and Nate was really doing great.  I nursed him whenever he wanted and I actually had to wake him up during the night so he could feed. The thing is that he had jaundice and turned quite yellow so he had to drink as much as possible.

So it went really well. Even at home it was all good. I was still using the nipple shield and my midwife told me to try stop using it which I did. BUT it was painful. As I was used to using the nipple shield it hurt pretty bad when I tried to nurse without it as my nipples weren't used to the straight on eating action of Nathanael. But I kept on trying and I would say round about the 2 month mark I was doing better without the shield.

Then some other problems surfaced. I was having difficulties mainly with my right boob. I had clogged milk ducts and I was sore while feeding and even when I wasn't feeding. Two or three times I was even quite worried to actually get a mastitis. I did some research online and asked some other mums what I could do. So I ended up putting a hot washcloth on my boob before feeding and a cool pack  after the feeding. At one point I even considered stopping to breastfeed. I DIDN'T! and I'm proud of it.

Up until the time when I just fed in the mornings and evenings I was having trouble with my right boob and from then on everything was ok.

We started Nathanael on solids when he turned 5 months old (I might to a different post about that). I kept on feeding 3 times a day and then went to twice a day (mornings/evenings) and now we're down to one feed a day. I breastfeed in the mornings and I want to keep it that way as long as I produce enough milk and I feel comfortable doing it. We do feed him formula in the evenings now. Mainly just because I don't have enough milk anymore to pump and we were away for 2 nights and I didn't have any breast milk in my freezer anymore.

To sum it up.
Breastfeeding has been amazing. I love doing it and I would do the same with our 2nd child. It was super easy (if traveling somewhere, nursing on demand). I was nursing in the car, restaurant, train, at home, in our garden, basically wherever I was and whenever he was hungry. I never felt ashamed or uncomfortable doing so. I loved the experience of being so close to my child and sharing such a intimate moment with him. I would totally recommend doing it to any other mother. However, if it doesn't work, if there's not enough milk, way too much pain and so on... well, then don't. I'm totally not anti-formula.. Do whatever works best for you!!!

And now I can enjoy a good glass of wine from time to time... :D

weekotos #4: a lil' late

oh man! I tell ya. I have been so damn busy! the weekend was crazy and yesterday and today weren't any better.
so I'm late for my weekly recap but here it is... taaaaddaaaaaa

what I see almost every day

at the hairdresser

homemade pizza

cruising

mountains

smiles

mum and aunty in zurich

lunch in zurich

loubi shop in zurich

trying to cool down with starbucks

train by car

the zurich crew 

blackberry dessert

fruitsalad

kittens

breastfeeding?! or the evil look

yummy salad

morning kisses

on my way to someplace

chilling and watching the big bang theory

on the road again

trying to escape the heat

"the city"

driving through the forest

the view from above

thirsty pup

lie down under the trees

just me

way too hot!!!

the "whys" of my life

I have been thinking. you hear that right. thinking. it's pretty hard sometimes but I'm up for it occasionally.

some questions I have been asking myself lately.

why does my head hurt so badly right now? I have been drinking lots of water and I have slept enough and my head just hurts like it's about to fall off..

why is it so hot?

36°C on sunday AND monday???!!!!! are you kidding me?! That's 96°F! That's way to hot for me. come on I live in the middle of the alps. there are mountains and there's lots of snow in winter it can't really be this hot right now. I'm gonna die.

why did I buy a new cellphone? nonsense it was! I tell ya!!! I have been a strong apple supporter for years. I admit that. I know it's stuff that is waaayy too expensive and you pay for the looks and the name but who cares. I was happy with the products. We have everything apple. so it's works great together. Of course I had an iphone as well. what else do you expect. one of my friends used to call me "apple melly" :) I was happy in my little apple world.. *sigh* until the day when my iphone started to mess with me and I just didn't have the nerve to cope with it. I breathed and I was ok again. then my iphone messed with me once more and I ended the relationship. I got myself a brand new samsung galaxy note. it's HUGE!! and I mean huge. I didn't really choose to buy it but the lovely lady kinda talked me right into it. it's ok. I like the size now as I'm used to it now and I always carry a handbag with me so it works for me. but now this phone is messing with me as well. I've had it for like half a year and it's messing with  me. I had my iphone for almost 2 years when that one started acting out.

I'm going back to apple. I swear! this is my punishment for not stayin loyal throughout the hard times...

http://www.techcharisma.com/2012/03/galaxy-note-surpassing-iphone-4s.html

why do I keep buying shoes that I most probably don't wear in the future? another addiction of mine. shoes. I'm a girl and a total sucker for shoes. I love them all. high, low, flat, colourful, plain, platform, wedge, sneaker, ballerina, pumps, slingback, peeptoe you name it I most probably have a pair somewhere in my closet. the thing with shoes is that you will fit them forever (most probably). 1 or 2 or even 10 kgs more on your hips, the shoes will stay by your side unlike the pants and the shirts and skirts. they will stay loyal to you no matter what will come. most of them at least. so I might see a pair on sale knowing that I won't wear them every day I still talk myself into buying them because you know it's a classic. everyone should own a pair of these. you can wear them for a nice dinner or when you have a job where you have to be dressed up or or or.... get the idea? and of course you can never, I mean never ever own too many chucks! never. :D

http://everybodylovesb.blogspot.ch/2011/04/khloe-kardashian-has-shoe-envy.html#!/2011/04/khloe-kardashian-has-shoe-envy.html

http://solecollector.com/news/retired-teacher-penny-gold-owns-700-pairs-of-converse-sneakers/

(not my closet but I would love to have a closet like those two.but mine is awesome too. yes. awesome!)

and last but not least for todays philosophy lesson:

why do I suck when it comes to time management? I have been working on it. let's say I tried. accomplished? not really I'd say. I just tend to do most things right at the last minute. it starts with simple things like vacuum cleaning. I could to it now but I decided to do it later but then I might meet my friends and so it gets pushed further away until I 'm in a real hurry to do the cleaning and well.. I'm stressed.

that's the same for most things. housework, homework, telephone calls, paying bills.. I don't like that. But I'm basically and openly speaking just too lazy to change anything. Procrastination is my middle name. It has worked like this for me forever and so it's most probably gonna stay forever. nah, I'm really trying to change something. I might just start today! positivity!!!!!!!

http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/t/time_management_skills_gifts.asp

tonight (and I mean tonight not tomorrow mel!) you will do the washing and the cleaning! so you can enjoy the rest of your weekend! let's try this....

Weekotos #3: dog overload!

my lovelies! I'm sorry for not posting anything over the weekend. I had my day off on friday and we had a visitor who stayed till sunday evening and I just didn't come around to do anything. SOOOOORRRY! *pathetic look*

so as I missed my weekly recap  yesterday as well, I will just tell you what we have been up to this weekend and will post loads of photos.

BEWARE there is gonna be a lot and I mean A LOT of doggy photos this time around.
ares had a friend staying for the weekend. our friend carou, a blue great dane. so we had 2 big slobbery dogs staying which means I have to do the cleaning tonight. there was just no way in cleaning this weekend as it felt like there was either of the dogs drinking all day long and then walking through the house with saliva pouring off their mouths. so the house is a mess but it was a good weekend.

hubs was supposed to work night shift but he got a call friday evening that he doesn't have to come in to work and we went to some friends house where we stayed till 4am! 4AM!!!f*** I haven't stayed up that long in ages. no alcohol for me, I was the sober driver.but it was fun. I was drinking about 5 coffees to stay awake as hubs was having such a good time and I didn't want to be THAT wife. *rolling eyes*

saturday way mostly dogs, walking, quick visit at my parents place and chill out.
sunday was once again dogs, and cows. well there is this swiss tradition where you have black cows fighting. not that we (the humans) make them fight but it's a way that they figure out who's the "queen" of cows which means the alpha cow. they don't really hurt each other. it's more a pushing around. so they had that in our tiny village and there were loads of people coming. but it was way toooooooo hot. so we just stayed a little and went back home..

 now I'm back at the blogging front. trying to catch up on the reading of all my favorite blogs and posting some things. I have something planned for tomorrow and there is something else on my mind as well..
all I can say is : I'M BACK! and enjoy the photos!

little zeus

@ dog school walking around in the forest

hubs, my mum and a friend @ dog school

postcard from teneriffa

dessert: strawberries, grapes, butter cookies and mascarpone

 

hubs enjoying the dessert

made myself a latte machiatto

walking the dogs I

ares and sheila

our baby boy

playing with his friend carou in our front yard

hubs driving our car

me with the boys

rocking some contact lenses so I can wear my sunnies

2 big dogs on the leash

my boys

the three of them

on our way to our friends' place

 

friends and drinks

finally in my bed

carou our visitor for the weekend

the cows

dogs playing in our back yard

more cows

on the way to my parents

noodles with veges