I feel as though if I had waited 3 more days to write that post, it wouldn't have sounded so negative. All of a sudden, my body got in check. As if over night my boobs got on board with what they are suppose to do (supply wise) and I am a MUCH happier mother because of it. I think because I had breastfed Jackson for 10 months, the freshed memories I hold from that whole experience were from the last few months - when I considered myself a "pro". When all I had to do was put Jax up to the breast and he did the rest. I think there is a reason those early memories of struggles and tears were no longer on the surface of my mind... so I could enter motherhood again with an open mind and not have preconceived notions about the difficulties of breastfeeding a newborn.
I appreciate all your support and thank you for reading through my complaints and questions. Since then, I haven't really needed to pump (at least today was the first day I didn't at all) for expression purposes. The initial latch on is still painful and even more so if I am extra full. But I know that will continue to subside. I want to be careful to not let the supply get low (since I haven't pumped). Jaelyn sleeps a lot during the day still and she usually feeds 4 hours apart during the day. In the evening starting around 7pm, she cluster feeds every 1.5 - 2 hours until midnight. During that time she sleeps in 20-30 min spurts and is awake most of the time. Come 12am or 1am, she has her last feeding of the night and sleeps until 5-6am - she will eat again then fall asleep until 9-10am which then starts her every 4 hour feedings for the day. I read in the handout from her 2 week appt, that she should be feeding about 10 mins EACH breast at each feeding - a total of 20 mins. She does NOT eat that long. She's a sleepy baby and usually falls back asleep after about 10 mins TOTAL. Most of the time I only get her to nurse on 1 side. I try to keep her awake, but she falls asleep while I try to burp her (which usually takes a while). But if I don't get a burp out of her, she spits up BADLY within 15 mins. She is an efficient eater though. In that 10 mins on just 1 breast, she normally softens it really well (can't say it's "emptied" though).
Should I be concerned that she doesn't nurse much longer than 10-15 mins? At her 2 week appt, she had surpassed her birth weight of 6lbs 9oz and weighed in at 7lbs 1oz. That tells me she's doing pretty good.
At only 2 weeks, is it ok that she only nurses at 1 breast during a feeding? In most cases, I am able to get her latched on the other breast after 10 mins. of nursing the 1st side. But can never get more than 3-5 mins of her sucking.
Here are some updated photos for your enjoyment :) Or mine
Jackson loves to rock his baby sister in her chair.
My mom (Deedee to the kids) and Miss. Jaelyn
Uncle Brian and Auntie Emily came for a visit to meet their niece.
Uncle Brian showing Jackson his new sketch pad and crayons.
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