Tales, from the titty...

:-)

So I co-sleep, which I swore I'd never do. But, I do. It happened by accident, we just fell asleep together. I decided I liked it. As a preemie I worried about his breathing after all. Now though it's so much easier to just have him in the bed. True, some nights are hell but most are not. What's 'gross' is...I tend to leak...all over HIM, and all over the bed.

This morning, Mr. Crusty Head woke up, well, all crusty with dried milk, his swaddle was drenched and there was the largest puddle on the sheets. Eww...but, he tends to sleep so much better if he's right up on me, which is why I don't wear a shirt. Ugh, so it's have him sleep in a pool of milk and stain the sheets, or wear a shirt, and bra and pads (which I leak through anyway) and make it more of a hassle to side feed at 3am and not have him sleep as well....

Today we went out for a few hours to get some exercise and I leaked through my pads, my nursing bra and my shirt. Lovely! I had him in my sling so no one could see the leak. I am guessing my previous problem of low supply is no longer a problem, which brings me to my topic of the day....my how things changed. Here's how things have changed since I started this journey three months ago.

1. Low supply. I pumped and pumped while he was in the NICU...on average, every 2-4 hours. I was lucky if I got half an ounce total...that's for both breasts, in a session. Of course at the time he was only taking maybe three quarters an ounce by feeding tube anyway. So from day one he's gotten half or slightly more than half his food from me, the rest, formula. (soy)

2. Nipple preference. When he did finally take a bottle for the first time, around 10 days old, he didn't even like that! He could hardly suck. Maybe three sucks if we were lucky. He finally learned how to eat. By the time he came home from the NICU, 4.5 weeks after birth, he greatly preferred the bottle. He'd scream, kick, and push 'me' away. So, I pumped while Chris bottle fed, for every feeding.

3. Time. Now, he no longer cares where he gets his meals from. He'll take a paci, a bottle, or me...whatever it takes. My new problem is he can down a bottle in two minutes....me, two hours. I don't always have two hours though. Ugh. But I've not pumped in many days, and I feed him from me exclusively more than he gets a bottle.

It's amazing how things change. Now, my sheets are proof, supply is no longer my issue. I remember when I prayed for more milk, now I have it. Then, he preferred the bottle to me. I prayed for the day he wanted me. Now, he wants me. LOL...he wants me so bad... :-) Maybe too bad...too much! Now, it's just the time factor....

I wonder what next weeks challenge will be?