Oi Vey...what a first couple of weeks...

I've nursed 4 children successfully with little thought (except the first one -- a learning curve went with her about everything).

I was shocked at how sore I was nursing the first baby, but after that...it's been really no big deal.

• I don't like leaking, but I love not washing bottles.
• I love that I don't have to store formula or heat anything up.
• I love that I don't have to worry about which nipple or bottle is best to buy.
• I love that baby's spit-up doesn't smell that bad or stain.
• I love that baby's poop isn't toxic (until he starts eating solids).
• I love how healthy it is for baby and that the milk changes as the baby grows to suit his needs.
• I love that it helps keep baby from getting colds.
• I love that it's like a drug in helping baby sleep.
• I love that it helps me bond with a defiant toddler whose driving me crazy.
• I love that it's FREE!

As much as I appreciate how wonderful God is in giving me this easy FREE way to feed my baby the best possible nutrition...if this had been my first experience nursing, I think I'd have quit by now.


It hurt. It's been 3 1/2 years since I last nursed. I expected it to. It really hurt. After just coming off of my most painful birth, I had to breathe and concentrate through the pain like I did during labor. I always make a lot of milk and it comes in really quickly, so I wasn't surprised at all when my milk came in after 24 hours. It hurt so bad to nurse that I was painfully engorged in a few hours and had plugged ducts & mastitis in a few days. I went to bed and within 12 hours my fever was gone. I tried pumping, but it felt like razor blades cutting me.


The midwife's nurse came for a visit at 5 days post partum to weigh the baby (pic at right) and was unhappy that he was still loosing weight. I'd been cracking & seeping and peeling. She said it was a classic case of yeast that had gone into my ducts. GREAT. After she left, I started bleeding and the baby got a HORRIBLE diaper rash from the yeast. Through several conversations and many articles from this website, I got a prescription for Dr. Jack Newman's all purpose ointment, Gentian Violet & grapefruit seed extract for me. The baby refused to nurse with the grapefruit seed extract on me, so I tried that orally and it made me really sick to my stomach (boy, I couldn't blame the baby for not wanting that stuff). I kept him naked for about 4 days and nights trying to air out the yeast on his bottom and get light to it. (I had to do 3 loads of tiny baby clothes, cloth diapers & receiving blankets each day to keep up - but I couldn't imagine how bad that diaper rash hurt with all those open sores). I used a 10% vinegar-to-water solution each time to clean his bottom (no wipes) and the all purpose ointment. Things weren't getting better very quickly, so I used Montistat on his bottom. His rash flared red and swelled, so I switched to Lotrimin. That seemed to do the trick along with the Gentian Violet orally for him.


Between all the laundry, and mess and hassle of applications on me after every feeding and applications on baby after every small bowl movement, it's been a fair amount of work these first 2 weeks. The kids have been very understanding, though and Dave's been accommodating with all my efforts - the house has been pretty trashed, though. Things are almost all better. Just in time for his circumcision next week.


I got a call today to pray for a 2 day old baby from our church that had to be rushed for heart surgery. My small hassles are so insignificant compared to what some people have to deal with. Please be with that baby, Jesus, and be with mine. Amen.