Second time around, Breastfeeding edition.

Breastfeeding. I've always viewed it as the normal and natural way to feed a baby. My aunts breastfed, my moon breastfed my baby sister that was born when I was 18 years old. I've been around a lot of breastfeeders, and consider myself blessed to have been able to nurse both of my girls.  Well Cora is still actively nursing, actually pretty much exclusively so since solids get thrown on the floor. Penni nursed for 14 months, and then I weaned her and immediately regretted it. Planning on letting Cora wean herself when she is ready.
My breastfeeding journey with Penni was very different than it has been with Cora. Penni was a NICU baby and I pumped religiously to make sure my supply was good and well.  She wasn't eating well in the NICU so I wasn't going to push breastfeeding and prolong her stay, decided to allow bottles and once we go home we'll figure it out. We did just that, by 3 weeks old she was taking the breast whenever offered. It took me a while to wean myself off the pump, but that's a small price to pay. I hated the pump though, the time it took to pump, the annoying sounds it makes, after a while it starts to sound like it's talking to you. Drove me nuts. I was very happy when I was finally at a point where Penni was exclusively nursing and I didn't have to pump anymore. On the other hand though, the pump is gentler on ones nipples than a baby, so I think it broke me in gently and I never experienced agony or that feeling of cheese grated nipples. I weaned her at 14 months because she started biting (with teeth) and I couldn't get her to stop.  It was February when she stopped nursing and within weeks she had a cold, and then another and another. I regretted weaning at that point, my original plan was to get her through the flu season, but then she bit. I decided I'll do better next time around.
With Cora being born at home and us not being separated I expected her to latch on soon after birth and be a pro.  What really happened was, she took a while to latch on, more than 30 minutes. When she did she didn't have the greatest latch and I didn't have the heart to readjust her since it took her so long to latch on. She nursed for about 30 minutes, and when she unlatched I had a blood blister on my nipple. Well that didn't exactly get us off to a great start. It was sore every time she nursed, after a couple days the other side started to feel sore and raw as well, and that feeling progressed. By about a week I was in tears almost every time she nursed. The breaking point came around 10 days post partum and things started to get better real quick. I was very grateful for a very helpful midwife that was easy to reach during that process, she responded to my texts quickly and promptly and with good suggestions.
A few days old here

Some tips, things that helped me through the early days:
* Go topless. I think I spent the first 2 weeks topless about 80% of the time, then the father in law came to visit so I had to put a shirt on. I was pretty healed by that point though.
* Rub the milk into your nipple. Once the milk comes in it's dripping everywhere. Don't waste that liquid gold! Rub it back into your nipple, it seriously is a cure all.
* Make sure your nursing pads are always dry. For me that meant I had to change them a bazillion times a day until engorgement resolved itself, but it helped the healing process greatly. Also helps prevent thrush from developing.
* Lanolin, use it. I don't like lanolin, it's sticky and gunky and impossible to wash off (you really can't wash it off, wipe it off on a burp rag). BUT it's irreplaceable, nothing quite gets the job done as well. If you are having a pretty easy go with breastfeeding and your nipples aren't really destroyed then you can probably get away with just breast milk and coconut oil or another cream, I tried Earth Mama Angel Baby and actually really liked it once I was past the worst part.
* Try not to pump when engorged.  I was so uncomfortable and engorged, very tempted to pump. The midwife advised that I not, I did hand express some occasionally to take the edge of.  Breastfeeding is a supply and demand relationship, so the more you demand the more your body will supply. Engorgement will resolve itself, on average by 6-8 weeks. Once engorgement is resolved, your breasts will feel soft, and that's normal! You still have milk!
* Nurse on demand. Don't look at the clock, don't download tracking apps, or buy baby trackers (its been? something like that). Your baby will let you know when he/she is hungry, follow the baby's cues.  Babies don't' understand schedules or routines, all they know is that they are hungry.  If you try to force your baby onto a schedule you might be compromising your supply, your best bet is to feed the baby when the baby is hungry. Even if that means every hour.
* Nurse in public. Kind of goes along with nursing on demand. If you are buying groceries and baby is hungry, nurse your baby. If you haven't quite gotten the hang of nursing while doing something then find a spot to sit down, maybe outside on the bench, your car if that's what feels most comfortable to you. But please don't make your baby wait to eat, and please please please do NOT feed your baby in the bathroom. If you wouldn't eat in the bathroom, your baby shouldn't have to either.
Cora is quite the advocate for nursing in public

* Wear your baby! This is almost going off on a tangent, but baby wearing helps with breastfeeding. If you are out running errands and your baby is in a stroller or that infant bucket seat type it's not exactly easy to just nurse him. If your baby is already sitting comfortably on your chest in a carrier then with some practice you can quite easily figure out how to nurse your baby while on the go.  I've nursed at the play ground, Costco, Trader Joe's, Target, Farmer's Market, Pumpkin Patch, and pretty much anywhere else we might be. She is always in the carrier right next to the source.
Nursing in the carrier at a store, this is a Kinderpack carrier.

* Co-sleeping. We bed share and night feedings are easy, I just pop a boob in her mouth and usually drift off to sleep again. When she was a newborn I'd sit up in bed and feed her, otherwise she'd throw it all back up. I understand that not everyone feels comfortable bed sharing, in which case try to keep the baby right next to you. There are co-sleepers that go right up agains the side of the bed, there are bassinets that you can keep right next to your bed.  You'll be glad you don't have to walk across the room to get your crying baby in the middle of the night, I promise.  Biologically babies are not meant to sleep alone, so keep them close.
Cora has a message for those that have a problem with breastfeeding (and no I did not set this up, she did this all the time for the longest time!)

Once you get past that difficult stage it gets so easy! It'll be very worth it in the long run. Cora is now 7 months and still mostly exclusively breastfed, she's never had a bottle. At this point I think we'll just introduce a sippy cup, although I do not plan on leaving her any time soon so I think we are good with just the boobies.
She is now into gymnurstics.

Nursing on Halloween in he reindeer sweater