Thursday, November 26, 2009

breastfeeding woes and, eventually, thanks

P.S.A.: I talk about my brea.sts a lot in this entry.
Wow, I wish I could say I am in blissed out "we finally had a baby" land, but really, the newborn thing is hard. I told Mr. S this weekend that I feel like I am under 'nipple slavery'.

I developed a breast-yeast infection, and was diagnosed last Friday. The treatment was semi-working, but then I started having more pain, and just crying from the pain, and imagining each feeding with major worry and sadness. I called my midwife center yesterday, and they had me check some symptoms(fever: no, hot bre.asts: yes) and they said "Come in!") I went in and they winced when they saw my cracked, red nipples. They said it makes sense I've been crying a lot, as the pain would bring anyone down.

Turns out I have the bre.astfeeding trifecta: Cracked nipples, a yeast infection(in the b.reasts) and mastitis. So, I have been forbidden to bfeed for 2 days, and am to pump and feed her that way. I am medicining it up. I am starting to feel better, but the all pumping thing is a time sucker, oh man! And, I have this weird feeling of odd irony that on the day of feasting I have to use a machine to get milk to put into a bottle to feed my baby.

But, that brings me to part two of this entry...
I have a baby! This time last year we were coming up on 3 yrs ttc, and I was still dealing with the very physical effects of my miscarriage. I was wondering if I'd ever have my own baby.
Now I do!
I told her this morning about Thanksgiving, a day of feasting, family and gratitude. I told her that she is what we are most grateful for, and how long we've waited for her.

This holiday, this year, has made me realize that the need for a holiday like thanksgiving was called for by trials, hardship. It makes sense to balance the feast with gratitude of what has brought us to this feast, to this day of thanks.

7 comments:

  1. OUCH!!! I am so sorry to hear you are having problems - I am so nervous about that. Hope your poor breasts are on the mend soon and you have smooth sailing from there.
    Happy Thanksgiving - it is truly a time to give thanks!

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  2. So much to be thankful for this year!

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  3. Hey all, check below link if you want to get detailed information about Baby and BreastFeeding.
    http://doctoruncle.blogspot.com/2009/11/health1.html

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  4. I'm so glad you've got a plan in action to help your poor breasts and nipples heal. What an awful combination. Yes, pumping SUCKS and it feels unnatural to feed your baby by a bottle, but ... as with everything else (getting pregnant, having a baby, being a parent, etc) there's what we think it'll be and then there's reality. And in the moment, you take what you are given and work with it as best as you can. That's nice that you told her about Thanksgiving,and you are so right, without the trials, there's not as much gratitude.

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  5. OMG, I am so sorry about your poor breasts! So painful! Hope they get better soon!

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  6. I send my best for a quick healing of your boobies. Thank you for reminding me that my trials create the ability to be thankful, sometimes I wish it wasn't so for Anybody!!!

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  7. I love this post. so true... Most often we only understand what gratitude feels like after heavy trials.

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