end of an era

Yesterday I breastfeed Miss N for the last time, its been an awesome journey with her but I needed to stop for some health reasons. She is 21 months this week so I have done amazingly well, my aim was to get to 14 months and I definitely passed that one.

I am a bit sad about it, she is definitely my last child so its the end of  nearly 9 years of being pregnant, breastfeeding, or ttc, man that sounds like ages when you say it like that, I have spent over 56 months breastfeeding, and over 3 years pregnant ( i think)...

farewell that chapter of our lives, and lets see what happens next

on the soapbox.. breastfeeding in Public

Some women I know staged a breastfeeding sit in last week to protest on of their friends treatment in a cafe.... the woman was approached and told not to feed there and that breastfeeding was unhygienic.... seriously? what country are we living in?

When I had K, I struggled a lot with breastfeeding her, and would use a shawl over us when she was tiny to breastfeed in public, as I got more confident I would just feed her whenever and wherever she needed it.... now I am happy and comfortable that I just feed when N needs it too....

I had a woman pull my top down over the side of my breast earlier this year, I found it strange and offensive that she thought she had the right to do that too me, esp as we were waiting in the women's health clinic at the Hospital... I didn't say anything and now wish I had.

Why does a woman breastfeeding in public cause such alarm among some people... to me its perfectly natural and normal to do this, I would never comment to a woman bottle feeding her baby that its unhygienic or disgusting yet people do this to breastfeeding mothers a lot.

I get the whole breasts are sexual thing, but seriously breasts are there to feed babies too... multi functional things breasts are..... but if you are classifying breasts as sexual and that they should not be seen in public like that, then had we better start covering our mouths and hands too. They can be used for sexual purposes too.

And as for the woman's comments that its not good for kids to see breasts... well I don't get that either.... my children are comfortable with me breastfeeding, and what parent has never had their child walk in to the bathroom when showering, little kids don't care about breasts... they are just breasts to them, nothing sexual in it.

Anyway, rant over, and big ups to the women who took a stand on this.

Monday, Monday

and the words to that song often  goes around in my head on a monday morning when I am trying to catch up on things, but this morning I have hung out washing and am about to start tidying the living room, its so warm though that I have got the air con going....

And this afternoon I get to go to breastfeeding group which will be really good, I love going to it, and am proud that I have gotten bubs to 12 months breastfed with no formula or bottles at all, yay, so 2/4 have been breastfed till 12 months, L I got to 11 months, and K to 10 months with formula supplementing the breastfeeding.... to have continued feeding after the disasterous start I had with K is awesome, I had cracked nipples, blisters, mastitis requiring hospitalisation, latching issues, just major mountain to climb, and now its just so easy, I am really proud of my breastfeeding journey and think I am lucky to have had great support to have gotten this far with it.

D

feeling sick

for the first time in over 2 years I have the flu... sore body, sore head and a temperature, Ben got it first, then K, and now me..... I haven't had a temperature for a while now and I had forgotten how truly horrid it makes you feel... thank goodness for panadol and sleep...

what I am finding really hard is drinking and eating enough, esp as I am breastfeeding, has anyone got some hints on something that's easy to eat or drink that wont make me want to throw up?

D

World Breastfeeding week

Breastfeeding Miss K at Sumner beach in the middle of winter

I am pretty passionate about breastfeeding, I think it comes from the huge struggle I had with Miss K, learning how to feed her was horrid, the sore, cracked, (now scared) nipples, the difficulty latching, the low weight gain, neonates, mum being in hospital, mastitis, iv antibiotics, the list was endless.... but we got there, I fed her till she was 10 months, Miss L was feed exclusively by me till 5 months and then until 11 months, she had formula once or twice... Mr O was breastfed till 14 months and Miss N is going strong at 8 months....

girls feeding their babies... aged 4 and 2.. now 7 and nearly 5

My biggest support other than Ben were the fabulous Lactation consultants at the Hospital, the gave me believe in myself that I could do it... so I now like to help others to be able to breastfeed too... I go to a group on a Monday and help support other Mums who are doing this too.....

Feeding Miss L in neonates

I do other things too, like put random photos on web pages.. this lead to a story being published today....It's about breastfeeding and jaundice....

feeding mr O aged 9 months

I am lucky breastfeeding has gotten easier for me, but I will not forget the struggle that it was, and will not judge other Mums for their choices.....

Feeding Miss N aged 3 months

I didnt forget....

I just wasn't in the mood to blog, I didn't feel like I had anything worth saying so I didn't say anything at all, and maybe it was also that I felt disheartened when I looked at my blog pages and never see any comments, yeah there are some occasionally but I felt a bit sad that there often are not...

Anyway I am back... and I am typing away about nothing in particular, I went to Breastfeeding support group today, its awesome, its neat to feel like I can help other mums to do something that was so difficult for me when I had K, it was a bit easier with L, and with O and N, its been a breeze. Its also become a baby wearing group, we play with slings and how to wear them etc, tomorrow I am going to make some wrap slings, they are great for carrying little babies or for when bubs isn't being too interested in the world, most of the time though I prefer my ring sling.

Its nice to go to a group where there is no competition that "my baby can do this" sort of thing that I have hated about other groups, our babies are different ages but we are all there because we breastfeed and like the support we get. One of the lactation consultants from the hospital also comes which is awesome, we can ask all kinds of questions and get lots of help. She was a huge help to me with K when I was terrified of feeding because of the pain etc.

love D

one week till xmas

its a week to go and I am semi organised, we aren't going anywhere this year which will be nice, its our first Christmas in our own home and as a family of 6. It would be nice to have been with the rest of our family but its going to be good being at our place too.

We are part way through our shopping, the kids presents are sorted, just Ben and I and extended family to do, but we have some ideas, and some things that we will make over the weekend.

Miss N has had a growth spurt this week which was really tiring for me, she wanted to feed every 2-3hrs which meant that I was quite tired. Last night she went back to sleeping 4-5 hrs though which was great. Breastfeeding is still going really well, and I am enjoying our wee baby girl. The big girls finished school and kindy for the year, so its them and I and the new nanny home for the next 5 weeks.

D

day 11

Sorry I haven't posted for a few days, N is doing great, she sleeps around 3 hours at a time and is breastfeeding beautifully. Its like she has always been part of our family, or maybe its just that I am confident that I can do this so its just easier.

I have had Mum staying since last Sunday, it was great having her here esp as I got a chest infection and tonsillitis on Monday night so was very crook with that. Mum went home on Friday so now we are adjusting to being our wee family of 6.

I am still having issues with my hips, they haven't gone back to normal after N's birth, I am still getting pain walking or doing most normal activities. I am going to ring physio this week and see what they suggest that I do, I am still using the smiley belt, and am contemplating using crutches again, I find if I walk to school its semi-ok if I push the pram, a bit like a walking frame.

The older kids are really good with N, O is having a few issues but some of that is just that his position as the baby has changed in the family, L and K have taken it all in their stride, L had N as her news at kindy the other day which was very cool for her, I will take N to school one afternoon this week so K can show her to her class.

We have gotten a carrycot for our double mountain buggy which is great it means she has a bed for when we go out anywhere, we have used it a couple of times now (for school athletics, and a tri club race today).

K had her school athletics on Friday, I was really proud of her, even when she missed the height on the high jump she kept trying, and she wasn't last in any of her races like I would have been.

D

day three...

I am a bit of a weepy mess today, I was expecting it though so its possibly better than it could have been. I managed to get out for a wee while today though which was nice, just to ezibuy and farmers with my sister and bubs, was nice to be out of the house for a while.

I am currently sitting at home alone.... the first time I have been by myself for days and its really nice in some ways, Rebecca and Ben have gone to print photos etc and the kids are all sleeping, I should probably have gone to bed too but I want to have a shower before bed and I wont be able to hear N if she wakes so I will just wait for a while before I have one.

N is awesome, shes breastfeeding beautifully, my milk has come in so we don't have to deal with yucky meconium nappies anymore either which is great, we had Paula visit today and shes happy with how the both of us are doing. She took the clamp off N's cord stump and did the heal prick test, the girls weren't very impressed with that part of things today. N is sleeping ok, but its hard to get used to being up at strange hours to feed her. I am managing to get some extra sleep in the daytime though which is helping.

Mr O is very good with N, hes a wee bit rough at times but hes only 2 so I dont expect very much from him, he gives her kisses though and calls her baby. The big girls are great with her, they love giving her cuddles and talking to her.

I can hear N snuffling so had better get organised for the next feed. D

bump is growing

Some days I just stare at my tummy with amazement, it just moves on its own which is quite strange but cool as well. I will be 28 weeks this Tuesday so finally in my last trimester, seems strange that we are in the final stages of my last pregnancy.

I am beginning to enjoy being pregnant too... its hugely obvious that I am pregnant, but its nice to be feeling that I am coping and that things will be OK with it all.

Miss K talks to my bump, she calls it cheeky monkey, its very cool, shes very interested in this pregnancy and I am pleased that shes old enough to enjoy it with us. Miss L thinks its a girl still, and I actually aren't sure what sex it is. K wants a boy for equity amongst the sexes in our house.

I don't even think Mr O has realised that anything is changing and if he hasn't he certainly isn't able to tell us.

So the last 12 weeks of my last pregnancy begin, Its sad in some ways that I wont ever be pregnant again, but for us four kids is a large family and for me four pregnancies and one loss is enough. My body isn't what it used to be and over 7 years of being pregnant or breastfeeding is enough for any one woman.

D

Breastfeeding vs formula feeding

I have done both so have no set line on one which is better, but I do know that for me I prefer breastfeeding my babies, K was bottle and breastfed, L breastfed until 11 months, and O was exclusively breastfed till 6 months then continued feeding till 14 months.

Lauredhel has an interesting blog on discrimination against breastfeeding that women face. I read this and thought about it a bit and knew I had to link to it. People do think that they can comment on you breastfeeding your child in public, especially once the child is over 1 yr old. Breasts are made for breastfeeding, they arent sexual property in this case. Women should be supported in which ever way they decide to feed their child, we are all mothers together and need to remember this instead of allowing people to make us feel crap about the job we are doing.

One on thursday

yep hes one this week, it doesn't seem like a year since i gave birth to the wee fella, maybe time does speed up as an adult. This time last year i was in oamaru, with my parents and Ben waiting for this wee chap to arrive, he took another couple of days and arrived in the same rush as his two big sisters. We didn't know that he was a boy which was an awesome surprise when our midwife handed him to us saying its a lovely surprise for you.

He weighed in at 8pd 12 oz and took 2hrs 10 minutes from start to finish to be born. he is also my first baby that i have breastfeed till 12 months, i am really proud of myself for achieving this as i had huge problems breastfeeding k and l wasn't always very easy either.

So Happy birthday little man, we love having you as part of our family

undermining breastfeeding

breast or bottle? the debate continues.... I just read an article on stuff and it made me feel sad.... http://www.stuff.co.nz/4681127a19716.html Only 11% of american babies are exclusively breastfed till 6 months.

I wonder what the %s are like here. I didnt exclusively feed my eldest, she had formula and breast, number two had breast till 9 months then some formula too.... number three has been exclusively breastfed on demand, and still hasnt taken formula.

I arent hugely one way or the other on this, but 11% seems like a very small number of women who are being supported in breastfeeding to get to 6 months, WHO recommends breastfeeding till at least 12 months.

I realise its about mothers choice etc, but giving out free formula samples cannot be a good way to encourage new mums to breastfeed....

Anyway rant over....

boobs.... strange thoughts

I went out last night, was really nice, no kids, no hubby.... and a real bra lol. I have been breastfeeding off and on for 5 yrs now so being able to wear a real bra with wire was a treat.

Its strange though that having my bust up higher made me feel better than when I am wearing my hotmilk maternity bras, or maybe it was that the bra wasnt designed for feeding, anyway it was great to feel normal lol.

What I also wondered is why cant i be one of those women whose boobs shrunk after feeding babies, mine seem to have gotten bigger, which would be great if i was small to start with, but frankly I am over having an F cup... its so over rated.

What I also dont get is why the other half seems to be rather attached to them... they are saggy bits of flesh that feed our babies.... well not always lol... but its interesting thought that straight men seem to claim them as their own.... cant say I want to claim his penis as mine though.......

anyway enough ranting, am enjoying having puter back after 5 days with no modem....

D