Okay I will admit it I am pro breast feeding... As I am preparing to hang up the breast pump for the last time I have been reflecting on my breast feeding journey and how different my experiences have been.
Firstly just let me explain why I am pro breast feeding. Apart from the many nutritional benefits it is free! Unlike formula which I have learned recently isn't cheap, we go through approximately one tin every second day and whilst we are waiting for an account to be set up this is about $18 per tin.
Secondly it is the ultimate convenience food any where, any time. If you are lazy like me it also means you don't have to take as much with you, a few nappies in the handbag, some wipes and your out the door. Whereas the alternative means bottles, formula and if you have fussy babies like me a method to heat the bottles. That isn't even taking into account the 5 minutes you are meant to boil the water for before you use it.
I am sure there I was going to say but that will do for now. But going back to my first experience with breast feeding. Within minutes of Oliver being born just over 3 years ago he attached to the breast within minutes from birth and was exclusively breast fed for his first 5 months of life before we slowly started introducing other foods and he was weaned just before his first birthday, mainly because I had had enough. We had an easy breast feeding journey and looking back it was for the most part a great relationship.
Now my feeding journey with the trio has been quite different... As you may recall they were born by emergency cesarean 10 weeks early and there was none of that gooey baby straight on your chest moments like I had experienced with our first born. Instead they were whisked away (understandably) with the NICU teams with their father on their tail while I was sewn back on and eventually taken into to see them on my stretcher in the NICU on my way back to my room. A few hours later I woke groggy to a persistent midwife squeezing my breasts as my precious babies needed colostrum now! So that is what started at least a month of expressing 3 hourly around the clock until my supply was well established then I dropped down to just once over night. Then were the daily milk runs and by the time they were about 4 weeks old (or 34 weeks) I did tried them all on the breast unfortunately they were never all that great at it and Spencer was the only one who ever fed well, so by the time they came home 8 weeks later I had decided I would express what I could for them and top up with formula. Which has worked very well for us until recently when I decided it was time to stop.
I am very much at peace with that decision now and looking forward to attempting to take up running after my big birthday next week. 30 eeeek!!! As someone kindly pointed out to me recently 9 months is a huge achievement and much longer than I ever thought I would last for.
While I am pro feeding I am also a realist and know and understand for whatever reason sometimes breastfeeding just doesn't work out and that is fine too. After all our babes have been on supplemented feeds for a while now and that's okay :)
One thing I have recently been privileged to be a part of is milk sharing. While I am still lactating on a much smaller scale at the moment and no longer need to give my babies the milk I have discovered a wonderful community of mothers who either need milk for their babes or like me, they have milk to share. I have been fortunate enough to have been able to assist two families in need and I am so grateful for being able to have had this experience. Will have to cut this one short now as all three babies are awake and wanting some tucker...
