When I was pregnant with Tucker I wanted to experience everything naturally. I wanted a natural birth, no medication and I wanted to breastfeed because it is natural. If you know me I would stick to 100% natural and be a hippie if I had that kind of will power. Being a hippie is hard work, so I digress. Anyhow I had a wonderful pregnancy, had eaten healthy and STILL got gestational diabetes (I know now it was out of my control, I tried so hard to keep my glucose levels in check so I wouldn't have to put unnatural medication in my body, afraid it would effect the baby, because you just don't know. (how I felt before mind you) So I bopped around all glowy and pregnant telling everyone I was going to do it the natural way. I got a lot of comments that were unwelcome, I mean A LOT of comments saying I would feel differently when I went into labor. I think I let those comments get into my head, because what did I do when I got to the hospital? I immediately requested an epidural. Pushed 3.5 hours and there was my boy. Lo and behold he would not breastfeed. This kid acted like I had spoiled milk in there. REFUSED. I tried for 2 solid weeks to nurse him to no avail. I put blood (literally pumped blood) sweat and tears into trying to force him to nurse. It was a horrible experience. It started to mess with our bond. NONE of the books that I had read about breastfeeding prepared me for this, they never once mentioned "Oh your baby might not latch right away". I was devastated, I obsessed over it, and then I gave in to formula. So my first baby was fed breast milk for 2 weeks then switched to formula for the remainder of his bottle feeding days. So when I got pregnant with baby #2 I didn't go around spouting out this and that. I figured I would go with the flow and save myself the disappointment this time around.
From the first moment I found out I was pregnant I knew I wanted to be the absolute best mom I could be. I wanted to do everything perfect and everything the right way. I wanted to be super mom and experience everything you could experience, hence the reason I wanted a natural birth and to breastfeed my baby. I know now that you can't control everything and you can only do your best, everything is not going to be perfect with babies/kids and you just have to go with the flow and enjoy the ride. If you stress too much over everything being perfect and everything being absolutely right you will drive yourself mad.
So when I went into labor with Grant just like I did with Tuck (same time 1 year 1 month and 1 day later) I waited like I did with Tucker and went to the hospital a little too late, I got what I "wanted" and had a natural birth with Grant. I don't really have much to say about it because it's true what they say, you forget the pain after you bring that baby into the world and your opinion from there on out can be distorted. For instance I would probably do it again, but then I remember begging my nurse for an epidural and telling her I couldn't do it. It was fun. Then after Grant was here he nursed from the start. He is still exclusively breastfed. It is easier in my opinion, I don't have to worry about bottles or expensive formula when we go out and the dishes, I feel like cleaning bottles when Tuck was using them consumed my life. So here I am I have experience formula and nursing. I am lucky I have experienced both because I can tell you that nursing Grant is easier for our life right now. No it is not always easier, for instance when Tucker is feeling extra needy and I have to nurse Grant but it is cheaper and easier so I continue. I am not going to tell you breast milk is better because I believe that formula has come a long way and Tucker is healthy and happy and wonderful I will NEVER put down formula. I will never say breast milk is better because it would be like saying one of my kids are better and that's not the case. I will continue to nurse Grant until it doesn't make sense anymore. Let me tell you though; nursing is HARD WORK, it takes a true commitment. The pain, the stress of always being the one to feed your baby night and day, working full time and keeping up with pumping but honestly I feel like its easier at the end of the day. I wouldn't trade my experience thus far with formula or nursing I am just here to say I would tell a first time mom to not feel guilty with anything you do for your kids, do the best you can and be happy and enjoy all the small, big and in between moments. Life is too short to obsess over anything else. Both boys are happy and healthy, and I know exactly how blessed I am to have them.
From the first moment I found out I was pregnant I knew I wanted to be the absolute best mom I could be. I wanted to do everything perfect and everything the right way. I wanted to be super mom and experience everything you could experience, hence the reason I wanted a natural birth and to breastfeed my baby. I know now that you can't control everything and you can only do your best, everything is not going to be perfect with babies/kids and you just have to go with the flow and enjoy the ride. If you stress too much over everything being perfect and everything being absolutely right you will drive yourself mad.
So when I went into labor with Grant just like I did with Tuck (same time 1 year 1 month and 1 day later) I waited like I did with Tucker and went to the hospital a little too late, I got what I "wanted" and had a natural birth with Grant. I don't really have much to say about it because it's true what they say, you forget the pain after you bring that baby into the world and your opinion from there on out can be distorted. For instance I would probably do it again, but then I remember begging my nurse for an epidural and telling her I couldn't do it. It was fun. Then after Grant was here he nursed from the start. He is still exclusively breastfed. It is easier in my opinion, I don't have to worry about bottles or expensive formula when we go out and the dishes, I feel like cleaning bottles when Tuck was using them consumed my life. So here I am I have experience formula and nursing. I am lucky I have experienced both because I can tell you that nursing Grant is easier for our life right now. No it is not always easier, for instance when Tucker is feeling extra needy and I have to nurse Grant but it is cheaper and easier so I continue. I am not going to tell you breast milk is better because I believe that formula has come a long way and Tucker is healthy and happy and wonderful I will NEVER put down formula. I will never say breast milk is better because it would be like saying one of my kids are better and that's not the case. I will continue to nurse Grant until it doesn't make sense anymore. Let me tell you though; nursing is HARD WORK, it takes a true commitment. The pain, the stress of always being the one to feed your baby night and day, working full time and keeping up with pumping but honestly I feel like its easier at the end of the day. I wouldn't trade my experience thus far with formula or nursing I am just here to say I would tell a first time mom to not feel guilty with anything you do for your kids, do the best you can and be happy and enjoy all the small, big and in between moments. Life is too short to obsess over anything else. Both boys are happy and healthy, and I know exactly how blessed I am to have them.
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