A Voice For The Community

"I am blessed. I had a wonderful and encouraging support system in my husband, family, and a few nurses who sensed my determination and frustration. I had opportunities to attend support programs and join groups of supportive women who understand. I have formed friendships and am surrounded by great people who share their knowledge. And I have learned. I have learned that every woman not only has a right to choose what is best for her and her child but to make an informed decision and receive support" Jillian, nursing mama to Jack Angelo

This is place to share the stories that come along with being a nursing mama. Wether you breast-fed your baby for 1 day or 3 years, we're not here to judge, simply to listen. Listen to what happened when you tried your best for 3 whole weeks only to be defeated. Listen to how being a mommy changed the way you looked at the world. And all the other stories, insights and moments that fall in between the complex and the truthful lessons you learned from your baby.

Read. Enjoy. Share. This is the voice of the nursing community.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

A Way To Stay Connected


I am part of the sleep deprived mama club! My little one, Teddy, has not slept past 4 hours EVER! We have easy nights where he is up every 2-3 hours. We have our rough nights where he is up every 45 minutes. While I don't believe there is a sole cause to our sleep troubles, I am constantly doing my best to overcome each problem as they come up. Gas, Teething, there is always a good reason why this little man gets carried into my bed between the hours of 11pm and 5am (normally closer to the 11pm time these days) and happily spoons into mommy for the rest of the night.

I have a sensitive baby is what I finally generalized. The smallest discomfort wakens him and its mommy to the rescue. I am OK with this, that's what I'm hear for! I learned early on with Teddy that it makes life a lot easier if I live in the moment and do what helps at the time. I don't worry about what could happen and if a bad habit will develop until it does. If Teddy gets use to sleeping with mommy, I'll deal with it when it's a problem. But, while I fully surrender to a sensitive baby, I still continue to tweak my approach to putting Teddy to sleep in hopes of finding "the" routine that keeps him sleeping through the night (haha!)

Recently I discovered that if I hold Teddy and rock him (after he has stopped nursing) until he is soundly asleep he will happily snuggle up and continue sleeping. This is the exact opposite of what he does if I try to stand up and place him in his crib. When attempting to put him in his crib routing begins and we sit back down to drift back to sleep nursing. Attempt after attempt ends this way until he is finally too tired to fight the separation anymore.

Why will he happily sleep in my arms without nursing but as soon as he feels me stand to place him in his crib, he routes?? To stay asleep he must nurse! Rocking in my arms doesn't work unless he has drifted to sleep at the breast. It dawned on me this evening that he is fighting to stay connected-literally! Looking at our sleeping battles from this view, it doesn't seem so inconvenient and tiring anymore. All he desires is a connection-so be it! Jamie nursing mama of Teddy Jax, 7 months

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