Veteran moms: Tell us what the first month is like...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Repeat this to yourself (over and over) - this too shall pass.

Also - try to remember that the baby can't stay up forever. Eventually, he or she will sleep.

+1.

That quote got me through 6 weeks of breastfeeding misery (after which 2 yrs of nursing was relatively smooth sailing). You have it in you to get through it. Just try to keep perspective that it's all a short lived phase (& maybe hire a postpartum doula to help out at night).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I haven't read through, but I found the first month easier than I thought. I had a sweet and easy baby and was jacked up on excitement about being a new mommy. I crashed after I went back to work, but I was on a "mommy" high the first few weeks.

Another incredible thing is that my DH helped a ton. Because I knew my body couldn't deal with the complete lack of sleep, I allowed one bottle of formula at nighttime so that DH would stay up for the 1-2 a.m. feeding (he is a natural night owl), and I would go to sleep after the 11-12 feeding and not get up again until around 4. Then, I would just keep napping between feedings until the 9-10 a.m. feeding. Yes, I spent 10-11 hours a day in bed, but it really helped.

Thanks, PP -- when did you start the formula? Right away? Did you pump too? I heard that it is painful to sleep through a feeding early on...did you have that? I thought about doing this for the 11pm feeding and having my husband help then...so I couple sleep but wasn't sure about suppemening formula. Glad it worked for you!

[Anonymous]

I always heard that breastfeeding was "a commitment". However, I didn't realize how big of a commitment it is until my 1st child was born. Breastfeeding sucks and I didn't enjoy anything about it. Mommy guilt is the only reason why I never gave up, but I cried frequently during those first 1-2 months from either the pain of having cracked nipples, milk blisters, trush, trouble getting the baby latched properly, exhaustion from nursing constantly and frustration with trying to figure out pumping. I should have asked for help from a lactation consultant earlier and invested in a hospital grade breast pump from the start.

[Anonymous]

Is there any way to NOT get the painful cracked nipples??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there any way to NOT get the painful cracked nipples??

I don't know, but I will say it is amazing that the human species didn't die off long before the advent of formula.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there any way to NOT get the painful cracked nipples??

I don't know, but I will say it is amazing that the human species didn't die off long before the advent of formula.

In my grandma's times they used olive oil and cocoa butter. And had more time and more help to take care of the babies... Maybe that is why

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't read through, but I found the first month easier than I thought. I had a sweet and easy baby and was jacked up on excitement about being a new mommy. I crashed after I went back to work, but I was on a "mommy" high the first few weeks.

Another incredible thing is that my DH helped a ton. Because I knew my body couldn't deal with the complete lack of sleep, I allowed one bottle of formula at nighttime so that DH would stay up for the 1-2 a.m. feeding (he is a natural night owl), and I would go to sleep after the 11-12 feeding and not get up again until around 4. Then, I would just keep napping between feedings until the 9-10 a.m. feeding. Yes, I spent 10-11 hours a day in bed, but it really helped.

Thanks, PP -- when did you start the formula? Right away? Did you pump too? I heard that it is painful to sleep through a feeding early on...did you have that? I thought about doing this for the 11pm feeding and having my husband help then...so I couple sleep but wasn't sure about suppemening formula. Glad it worked for you!

We started day 1. I did also pump, but not at that hour. I never had great supply, so pain wasn't an issue for me, and I seldom had enough built up for that bottle when he was so little. I had adequate supply to BF for 14 months, though, so skipping the one feeding also wasn't an issue supply-wise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there any way to NOT get the painful cracked nipples??

It depends on your nipples. Mine were too big for the baby's mouth for the first month, so that was pretty unpleasant, but they never cracked using nipple cream.

[Anonymous]

Thank you!!

[Anonymous]

I don't think it's possible to avoid the nipple pain (I was fine day 1 and in incredible pain day 2 even though baby had a good lath). Basically it's just a process of toughening them up. I highly recommend earth mama angel baby nipple butter though. It's soo much better than the little lanolin tubes they give in the hospital (it goes on like butter).

[Anonymous]

I thought this thread was going to be about military moms.

[Anonymous]

Love this thread! My baby is only two months old, so we are really still in the thick of things. (Every day is different! There is no such thing as a routine! what are these regular feedings you speak of PPs?) There has been so much great advice here that I will only add two things: first, if possible, have someone set up a "Take Them a Meal" plan for you. My neighborhood parents' group does this for new babies or any other family needs in the community, but takethemameal.com is available if friends or relatives want to do it for you. If folks from out of town want to contribute, you let them know your favorite delivery places and they can place an order for you, too. The second thing I would recommend that hasn't been mentioned before is that while you are on leave, really, truly disconnect from work. This has been a mistake I made. It was so easy to grab my iphone and check work emails and respond while the baby was on my breast for the third hour in a row. That led to me being roped into conf. calls and a couple of in office meetings. I really regret that now that my leave is winding down. Turn in your phone during your leave.

[Anonymous]

Thanks PP...I am OP and was considering taking on a few hours a week while in leave to do just that - check/respond to email etc because I know I'll be doing it anyway. Our work email comes through on our personal iPhones.

Congrats on your little one and good luck! Thanks for your response!

[Anonymous]

As a FTM I just remember being so disappointed in DH during this time. Looking back I had never 'needed' him so desperately before and was blown away by how he responded to life with a newborn. It made everything much harder.
So I hesitate to say prepared to be disappointed, but I will say that be prepared to 'need' folks more than you have before and understand that it may make you see people in a new light.
Sorry it sounds so negative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there any way to NOT get the painful cracked nipples??

I used the lanolin ointment (Lanisoh) religously. Also, between feedings - and I'm not joking here - put a cold, cleaned cabbage leaf over your boob, tucked into your nursing bra or tank. There's apparently a property in cabbage that helps to sooth and heal the nipple, and the cool cabbage sure felt nice. I learned this from my lactation consultant. Yes, I felt ridiculous with cabbage leaves in my bra, but it did the trick!