Breastfeeding

Yeah, so I said this was a cooking blog and not a personal things blog, but with the formula recalls, and all the breast is best posts I've been reading lately, I've been thinking about it.  And it does kind of fit in with a cooking blog, being as how it is about eating.

Today I ran into an old classmate who is about ready to give up on the whole breastfeeding thing.  I am going to go see her on Saturday, to help her, or at least see if I can, before she gives it up.  I find myself on the fence, because I know that not everyone can breastfeed as easy as I did, but you know when something comes easy to you, how you can't really see how it doesn't come easy to someone else?  And so I am having issues, with putting myself in her spot, in the spot of someone who can't do it easy, to whom it isn't clicking.

I have to figure out by Saturday how to try and figure out what may be the problem, if it's a latch issue, or if its just a problem of taking too much time, and effort, while a bottle is easier. 

When I have talked to people who have latch issues, one of the things I have noticed being a common factor is the waiting to feed.  The baby has been crying, or they are doing a feed on a schedule thing.  I need to find out if this mom is doing this.  I found that if there was ever a time I didn't feed on demand, or feed at the first signs, it didn't come as easy.

Breastfeeding for me was the easiest thing I have ever done in my life.  Doing something else just didn't even come into my mind.  I loved the bond, I loved the cheapness, I loved it period.  Though, by the end, with Ciera, I was beyond done, just because she wanted to nurse so much, and she was so big.

I'm hoping to help this mom, to help her find her breastfeeding groove.  To be honest though, I'm not doing it because I hate formula, or because it's recalled, or because I think it's best.  I'm doing it because this mom is poor, and formula is expensive.  I'm doing it because I want to be able to help someone who really wants to breastfeed.  And I'm doing it because I'm hoping someone else can find the joy I found. 

She has let me know the baby is fussy on formula, and gassy.  Hopefully this will help her with that as well.