Four Month Breastfeeding Update: Hang in There, Ladies! It's Worth it!

At four-and-a-half months in, I am so glad that I stuck with breastfeeding my baby.  All the kinks have been worked out, thank goodness!  My nipples are no longer sore; I don't have to use any type of cream on them.  I pump twice a day at work, and once before bed.  Pumping before bed keeps me from being engorged when I wake up, which is wonderful.  As a result, I don't have to worry about blocked ducts or mastitis (which I had the first time my baby slept through the night a few months ago, not fun).  My supply has regulated, so I'm not leaking through my breast pads, and my milk generally doesn't let down in between pumping/feedings.  Nursing is so much easier than dealing with bottles.  I could go on...

When I first went back to work, I was afraid that my supply would take a dip, but one thing that has helped me maintain my supply is drinking lots of water throughout the day.  I have plenty of milk, which is great, because I can keep an extra few ounces in my refrigerator to mix with baby cereal. 

Another thing that helped me with latch issues was to place my index finger on my baby's chin  in the indention right under his lip, and pull his chin down so that his mouth would be open wide when he latched on.  After a few days of doing that, he figured it out himself.  I haven't had any problems with sore or cracked nipples since.  If only I'd thought to do that sooner! 

Though in the beginning breastfeeding had a steep learning curve, I'm glad I stuck with it.  It is so worth it!

Things I've Learned After Being a Mom for 10 Days

• If you are cloth diapering, and plan to use cloth wipes as well, then baby washcloths make great cloth wipes.  In fact, I use them for a ton of other things as well - baths, of course, and wiping baby's face, even as a makeshift breast pad in a pinch.  I use them so much that I went out and doubled my stash when I caught some on sale.  
• Don't be surprised if your baby never fits into newborn size clothes and/or diapers.  At nine pounds one ounce, our bundle of joy went straight to size 1-3 months.  Luckily, I was warned about this, and so didn't have much newborn stuff to begin with.  Bring a newborn size and a 1-3 month size outfit to the hospital, just in case you have a big baby!
• If your baby is crying but just ate, has a clean diaper, and isn't sleepy, try feeding him/her again.  Our little man went through his 1-3 week growth spurt a few days ago, and I felt like all I did was feed him.  Every hour, day or night, he would want to be fed.  By the time I would feed, burp, and change him, he would be ready to be fed again.  I was worried about it at the time, but after a few days of this (and a great weigh in at the doctor's office), things settled down and he was sleeping through the night with only one midnight feeding, and wanting to feed every two to three hours during the day.
• Stick it out if you're breastfeeding.  The baby's latch will get better, and you will work out the kinks.  Google and your local lactation consultant are your friends.  I had oversupply issues, and a Google search led me to try block feeding, which seems to be working so far.
• Your baby's fingernails are sharp, even after you file them down really well.  It looks silly, but put socks over his/her little hands to keep scratches from happening.  I recently found a pair of hand-me-down baby mittens in my son's sock drawer and gave them a try.  I didn't buy any because I read everywhere that they just fall off.  Well, I love the ones I have.  They stay on great and don't leave sock fuzz all over his little fingers.  I plan on buying some more next time I go to the store.
• Breast pads - you will need a ton of them.
• Nursing tanks are awesome; get some.
• If you are breastfeeding, get lots of cloth bibs with a plastic backing.  They absorb breast milk, but don't let it soak through to baby's clothes.
• For postpartum recovery, stock up on comfortable pads, Tucks pads, hemorrhoid cream, and A+D Cream.