[blparent] Update and Question-Breastfeeding Issue-Please don't read if you do not feel comfortable with the topic of breastfeeding

[Brandy W]

Congratulations on your little one. I wouldn't worry about these people, and
you have no reason to give her rice. Rice is for babies who aren't full, not
sleeping, and not satisfied or not growing enough. If you are ok with waking
don't worry about it. I'm a firm believer in God gave woman milk to feed
their children, and that many many babies are fine with it and to continue
what you are doing. Rice is not a nutritional need, but rather a skill
builder and tummy filler, and your baby will be fine with out it. It is most
common to start the rice between 4 and 7 months depending on the baby.
Continue to enjoy the journey and ask the sources like doctors, us, Kelly
mom etc when you need honest advice not big headed uninformed people.

Hugs to the family.

Bran


-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of RaLynn McGuire
Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2010 5:22 PM
To: 'blparent at nfbnet.org'
Subject: [blparent] Update and Question-Breastfeeding Issue-Please don't
read if you do not feel comfortable with the topic of breastfeeding

Hi all,
        First of all I wanted to take a moment to reintroduce myself.  My
name is RaLynn (pronounced RayLynn) and I am visually impaired and my
husband is totally blind.  I think the last time I posted to the list I was
still pregnant.  I found it to be a great resource as we were planning for
our little one.  On August 5th our daughter KaraLyn (KaLy for
short-pronounced like Kayly) was born.  She weighed in at 8 lbs and was 21
and a half inches long.  Since then we've all learned a lot! Lol.  We were
very lucky and we had no trouble with the breastfeeding process.  The only
issue we had was people wondering if she was getting enough to eat because
she would wake often and want to eat.  I kept reassuring everyone that she
was eating like a little piglet but it still shook my confidence a little.
Luckily we stayed the course and at her 2 month check in she weighed in at
nearly 13 and a half pounds and had grown to nearly 24 inches.  No one
wonders if she's eating enough now!  It's been "fun" trying to decipher if
what people are telling you is good advice or just personal opinion.  I
guess what I mean is I've learned that when everyone said "Don't stock up on
newborn clothes since they won't stay in them very long" they were
absolutely right in our case!  I just packed up a box of clothes that KaLy
never even wore because she was already 8 pounds when she was born!  But
I've also come to realize how many people really do not understand or
support breastfeeding at all!  This seems so strange to me as mothers have
been doing this for ages and yet there is still so much misinformation out
there about it.  While our experience in the hospital was mostly great we
even encountered a nurse who, after our repeated statements that we were
breastfeeding kept offering or nearly insisting she take the baby to the
nursery and give her a bottle so we could get some sleep.  We just stuck to
our guns and kept politely declining.  We were lucky to be able to have KaLy
in our room the entire time and go home after only on!
 e night so we didn't have to put up with that for long but it really
shocked us!  We didn't expect to encounter anything like this while we were
there.  Oh well, we got through it.  Many of the women in my family didn't
breastfeed because either they weren't able to or they simply chose not to
so I didn't really have much family support.  In fact my own mom kept
pushing the benefits of using formula during the first few weeks because she
just felt it would be "easier" for me.  I have to say, I do not judge those
who choose not to breastfeed.  It's hard work!  We were lucky to have good
local resources such as breastfeeding classes and lactation specialists but
even all of the information in the world doesn't prepare you to wake up
every two hours, spend half an hour feeding the baby, spend fifteen minutes
to half an hour to get them to go to sleep, dragging yourself back to bed,
and then having to start the whole process over again after about half an
hour of sleep! Lol.  Things are much easier now that we're beyond those
first few weeks and I know I've learned to function on a lot less sleep!
I'm back at work for now and really struggling with having to be away from
the baby during the day.  We are still successfully breastfeeding which has
been wonderful.  I was worried that the baby might prefer eating from a
bottle and wean herself after I went back to work.  Luckily this hasn't been
the case at all.  Anyway, I don't mean to ramble on and on.  I was just
curious if any of you had a similar experience with lack of family support
if you chose to breastfeed?  When did it seem to subside?  Did you do
anything or just let your chunky satisfied baby speak for him/herself.  I
feel like now that KaLy is so obviously eating well that the concerns have
pretty much gone away but now of course I'm getting the "Oh well you should
start putting rice cereal in her milk now" and so on.  Which, I think at
this point is pretty ridiculous!  She's only 2 and a half months old,
sleeping very well at night, and is growing like a!
  weed.  I know it's all just part of the process of learning what "advice"
to listen to and what to ignore but it just seems like a bit of an uphill
battle when it comes to feeding!  And in this case it's not with my baby but
others who think they know better.  Our pediatrician is wonderful and very
supportive thank goodness because I don't know what I'd do otherwise.  I'm a
little worried as I read the posts lately that feeding will continue to be
an issue in one form or another! Lol.  Thanks in advance for any input.

RaLynn McGuire
Disability Access Consultant/AT Professional Arizona State University
Disability Resource Center PO Box 873202 Tempe, AZ  85287-3202
Department: (480)965-1234
Direct:           (480)965-4732
Fax:               (480)965-0441
RaLynn.McGuire at asu.edu

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