Saturday, November 21, 2009

in which i pat myself on the back

Earlier this month Baby Boy turned 6 months old (already!) and this milestone marked the achievement of a goal that has been very important to me: 6 months of breastfeeding.

For 6 months I struggled struggled struggled. For most of that time I took literally 20 pills a day to combat low milk supply. I nursed on demand all the time to keep supply up. I pumped in between and on top of all those feedings. I still had to supplement every feeding with a small amount of formula, for most of that time just .5 - 1 ounces. That meant that after sitting down and nursing for 45 min I would go prepare a bottle and sit down to feed and burp him again.

People encouraged me gently (Hubby) and frequently (my mother) to give up. But it was important to me not to. There were times I wanted to quit and times when I questioned my own motives. I know without a doubt it would have been easier to just formula feed.

I wanted Baby Boy to have the almost innumerable benefits of breast milk. Foremost, I wanted him to have that extra edge towards good health. And that is the reason why I fought, and I fought hard. I kept going with my heart and mind set on making it to the 6 month mark. And I did!

Baby Boy has been nursing less and less well, often showing a clear preference for the bottle. I've stopped popping pills, I do not nurse at every feeding and I offer Baby Boy more formula. While I hope/plan to continue nursing to at least some extent through 9 months things are winding down and I will no longer break my back trying stop it.

It's not the way I wished it, but considering the circumstances 6 months of breastfeeding is an achievement. I reached the top of my mountain.

1 comment:

mama of the valley said...

I did make it to 9 months...just barely! Baby Boy is 10 months old now and it feels good to have the worries of breastfeeding be a distant memory.