The Little Prince - Tuesday's Tot Talks (2)

“The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.” 
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

Canada celebrated the arrival of the new prince by lighting up the CN Tower (Toronto) and the Peace Tower (Parliament Hill, Ottawa) as well as Niagara Falls last night. 

(Photos Niagara Parks/Governor General of Canada/The Canadian Press)

Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the arrival of Britain's newest little prince. I have to admit, I never really understood the hype around this young couple (especially around their wedding), but then I sat down the night of their wedding (when I was pregnant) and watched the entire ceremony online, and cried and smiled and felt really excited. It is kind of like a real-life Disney story or something. Haha. Anyway, since then, I have been a fan of the young royal couple and very excited to hear about the birth of the new prince yesterday. I can't wait to hear his name - a lot of people are guessing James, which I think would be really nice!! 

Today seems like a fitting time (in some ways) for me to tell the story of breastfeeding Molly. A lot of people are wondering whether the Duchess will breastfeed the new baby and I know advocates are hoping that she does because it sets a great example for those on the fence about breastfeeding. In some ways, breastfeeding is a very private and personal decision...but in other ways, it is difficult to ignore the health benefits for your baby. When I first found out we were having Molly, I was 100% determined to breastfeed her as long as I possibly could (my goal was at least 6 months and preferably 9). After her birth, she did not feed well in the hospital. My milk did not come in for a few days, and she rapidly lost weight. The doctors were worried about her, so we even stayed an extra day in the hospital (she was born on a Monday and we left on Friday - sigh). I pumped in the hospital, and she breastfed and then had the bottle I had pumped (very little milk). 

When my supply came in, she did a bit better, but she liked to sleep a lot and did not gain back enough weight in those first few weeks. We had a routine where she would breastfeed, and then get topped up with a bottle of breast milk. I had to wake her up every 2 hours in the night to feed for about a month. On average, it took her about 40 minutes to feed, and she would fall asleep during it, so I had to tickle her toes and keep her in her diaper. Only to start again in about an hour and a half. It was exhausting for awhile. We consulted lactation consultants, used a nipple shield, and tried everything but she was growing slowly and always very hungry. Finally, at about 2-3 months of age, we took her to a tongue tie specialist in Halifax who snipped a bit of an anterior tongue tie and Molly flourished (mostly) after this. The whole time, I was also taking Domperidone (which is a) not recommended anymore by Health Canada, b) led me to be CONSTANTLY hungry and thus gain weight) and still pumping as often as possible. It was not easy, but by about 3-4 months, it was much easier. I could breastfeed her in public without too much concern, she was getting full, and she was generally happy. We continued this until she was 8 1/2 months old when she weaned herself and had formula for several months and then whole milk. 

Overall, I learned a lot from my experience with breastfeeding. I truly expected it to be an easy and natural experience, and it was not. It is difficult to teach a newborn how to latch properly, and difficult to know whether you are making enough milk for them, whether they are getting enough fatty hind milk, and whether they are satisfied. Although it was challenging, I am grateful that I had the opportunity to give this to Molly for as long as I did and I look forward to experiencing this with another child in the future. 

Advice that I would give to first-time mothers who want to breastfeed:
1) Don't be afraid to ask for help. Lactation consultants are SOOOO helpful and I would not have been able to do this without them (including my own wonderful aunt who provided insight via Skype from New Zealand)
2) Don't give up (if this is something you want). Seek help. Talk to other mothers and doctors. For the first two(ish) months, it will seem like you are constantly feeding your baby. After about 3-4 months, it is much less frequently, feeds take less time, and it will get easier.
3) Use a breastfeeding pillow. I also had a breastfeeding cover that I used in public, because it made me feel more comfortable and it helped Molly to avoid distractions when she got a bit older.
4) Rely on your partner for support. Brian brought me a glass of water almost every time I fed Molly for the first little bit and he was endlessly supportive. This was paramount to our success with breastfeeding.
5) Seek help online as well. Kelly Mom and Dr. Jack Newman are both helpful sites.

I'll be back tomorrow with a recipe and some other fun things!!