Breastfeeding Struggles

For the moment when and if the Lord blesses us with another one and I need a reminder:

Who ever said breastfeeding was easy and doesn't hurt, they are wrong. Yes, the baby is latched correctly, no she doesn't have a tongue tie. These 5 weeks have been HARD, not just with the nursing but all around. I dont remember it being this hard with Lilly, but then again maybe I have just forgotten. It has been over 2 years since she was a newborn.

I remember with Lilly that I truly enjoyed breastfeeding. I was sad when she gave it up at 10 months. In the beginning I was sore, of course I was. But it was nothing like I have experienced these past 5 weeks with Cadi. 

I think that it is because the girls are totally different with how they nurse. Lilly was low key, she liked to snuggle and her suction was not hectic. Cadi, OH MY WORD, its like she has is a  Commercial  grade Vacuum. And she isn't all that into snuggling. She likes, when she is in the mood, but seriously she would rather lay on her changing table and kick and move and look around then snuggle with mommy. 

These 5 weeks have been exhausting. I have had blisters, Thrush, bruises...I started to pump because I just couldn't take the pain anymore when Cadi and I were dealing with thrush. but pumping is EXHAUSTING. Also baby girl is allergic to Milk so I have had to cut all dairy. It hasn't been as hard as I thought it was going to be but it has its challenges. 

With her allergies she also has acid reflux and a LOT of tummy pains. So nursing, she wiggles and moves and uses me like a stretchy doll...Can you say OUCH. Its been a Challenge. I have never wanted to give up more then now. If it wasn't for my husband saying I must breastfeed her since we were blessed with a Medela Breast-pump, and its cheaper then formula. But pumping is exhausting, especially at night when i just want to crawl back into bed after getting up with Cadi, feeding her and getting my colicky little girl back to sleep.

I am hopeful that as She gets older breast feeding will get easier, but as of now Its all about pumping.

Let me just say, if you ever consider buying a Breast pump...DO NOT BUY CHEAP. Spend the extra money...its totally worth it. With Lilly we had a Tommee Tippee breast pump. It never worked (their bottles are awesome though, highly recommend them!) I barely got to work EVER. When we left Cape Town I gave it to a friend to use for her baby. I thought I just was one of those women who just couldn't pump. So when Cadi was a couple days old, I had a HUGE milk blister  and I just wanted to scream in pain...Then i got engorged and Cadi would latch, which made the pain even more worse. My doctor called me in Dr Newmans Nipple Cream ( oh my word, the best stuff EVER, its magic) and a friend bought us a MEDELA  Breast pump

Its magic. I absolutely recommend it. Like I said before I thought I wasn't able to pump, but after the first use I was SHOCKED as how effective it is.