super sensitive subject, i know
{the picture above was a real struggle to publicly share. I’m not quite sure why…We were on the beach, cool & breezy morning. I had to feed Benson but their were people everywhere. I’m use to feeding in public but I do like to cover up. My sister snapped a picture.}
Some people love to read and hear about breastfeeding, and for some people, it can make them very uncomfortable. Personally, I love to hear and know about other women’s breastfeeding journeys but also find myself pretty private about public breastfeeding.
I am currently breastfeeding my second baby – he is 8 months old. I breastfed by 1st son for around 14 months. I definitely have had my highs and lows with breastfeeding. HANDS DOWN, the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It can be so mentally and physically draining but at the same time it can feel really rewarding – plus save us a lot of money.
supplementing formula
I recently found out just how much $ we are saving by breastfeeding. This past month was my first experience with formula. I’ve been away from Benson more than I was with Bode. My husband and I planned to fly to Minnesota for a wedding. I have a frozen breastmilk stockpile from pumping almost every night. I work two days a week and while I’m not with him – he has bottles from the saved up frozen breastmilk. But when I was preparing and planning out my stored milk for my weekend away, I realized I would be using up all of my frozen supply. I didn’t want running out of milk to be a concern while we were away but I didn’t know what else to do!? Benson can get reallllll hangry! I started to panic a little bit, did a little research and made the decision to supplement with formula while I was away. I didn’t even know where to start with formula or even what kind to buy. I ended up buying Similac for Supplementation
I had Nick give Benson a few bottles of mixed formula and breastmilk bottles the week before leaving just to see how Benson reacted. Luckily Benson enjoyed the bottle just like he always does and we didn’t have any issues. While I was away my parents were able to mix half formula and half breastmilk. Formula saved the day! I plan on doing the same thing when we go away again in September. 🙂
dieting and breastfeeding
When I’m breastfeeding, I feel like I eat like an animal. I crave random foods even more than I did when I pregnant! With Bode, I definitely felt like I lost a lot of weight thanks to breastfeeding. With Benson, I never felt like breastfeeding was really helping me to lose the baby weight. So when Benson was about 6 months old, I just wanted to start eating better and working out. My body usually responds well to dieting and exercising. (I use the word “dieting” lightly – as I was just trying to eat healthier than I was. Cutting out my daily morning bagel & cream cheese, nighttime desserts, and just incorporating more veggies and protein into my diet). The struggle I have is when I feel like I’m making progress with my weight loss- my milk supply seems to decrease, as well. Extra, extra water helps but lately I’ve been considering lactation snacks and supplements.
Let me know if you have tips!
Happy World Breastfeeding Week!
More importantly, cheers to fed babies!