The debate over breast-feeding and formula is crazy!
I still can't believe how it wasn't even mentioned during my pregnancy. I think there is a great amount of information (and pressure) out there to breast feed how to's and such but just what happens if you can't or like me, have a low milk supply. Then what. . Starve them? No. You have to use an alternative - formula.
I don't see the harm in it. Yeah, comparing it to breastmilk there is a bit of an outweigh but still formula does have it's pros. I wish I could fully breast fed as opposed to mix feeding him but I did have to stuff it up. People say to eat but don't give you reasons why you should. I'm the kind of person that if told "If you do this then you wont have to deal with that. And if you have to do that there are all these problems . . ." How time consuming is buying (or lately, finding) the formula you have chosen, preparing the feed and sterilising the bottles beforehand, having pre-boiled cold water!! So exhausting. Sure makes for a well thought out dreamfeed. I took for granted just popping a boob in that's for sure.
If only I had been told. Hey, Melissa just so you know there's a thing you can have called a low milk supply. Now some people just get it and it's their body. But you, you're going to struggle with feeding and eating. . looking after yourself. You're not going to find time and boy, it sure is hard to, but you need to. If you don't you wont have enough milk to feed him. If you're lucky you'll spot it before he looses weight. He wont sleep properly because he's hungry. He'll cry lot's. Oh and you know that little time you had. . where you could maybe eat but will decide to sit there in thought or just blob watching tv until his next feed (you'll probably fall asleep) well, instead you'll be using that very little time to now prepare bottles and the bottle feed for him. So now you really have less time to yourself and very VERY little time to eat.
. . . . . Now that you have very VERY little time to eat your milk supply will decrease even more.. it'll slow riiiight down as you'll have less and less calories and energy to burn . . . . .
Great. A never ending circle.
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On positive news I have discovered an AMAZING wrap. It's called the miracle blanket. Here's one place you can get it from -
the sleep store! (click!!) They also have great sleeping information for newborn to pre schoolers. My lil button no longer can get out of it! It's great because there's still so much room for him to move in it (pediatrician approved!) and it's not tight at all. So easy to use, no velcro, no nothing! So easy peasy. This will make a few things easier.
Oddly he hasn't been feeding or sleeping a lot in the last 48 hours. I've put him down to bed today a whole hour early (great as he was starting to take an hour longer at the night feed) and he drunk almost as much as he normally does (boobs and bottle) before he fell asleep. So cute.
I love breast feeding him and just wish I had of known EVERYTHING about it all beforehand. But that would have been too easy hey?
