They Didn't Tell Me About This in Pre-Natal Class

Well last week marked the end of an era. I stopped nursing Lucas. He is now feed by bottle and real food alone. My doctor suggested I go till 9 months, so I started the weaning at just over 8 months, but it went so fast that we are done early. So for the first time in a year and a half I have my body back. Of course not the same body I had orginally, but atleast I'm not sharing it or growing anyone in it.

Breast feeding has been a really awarding experience for me. If you have never done it you are probably cringing through most of this blog, as I would cringe any time someone would mention it to me. I use to think my goodness, first a woman has to go through labor, then I have to breast feed. How is that fair! After labor I should get a free trip to Mexico. In the beginning it is so hard. You poor breast, prior to this there only job was to look nice in clothing, now they are working 24/7. In the beginning you are feeding that baby so much. Here is a pic of Lucas' cute after eating lips. I had a special chair and a "nursing station" all set up. With the phone and remote control all ready to spend the majority of my day feeding the baby. In the beginning it was hard. Is he latched properly? Is he getting enough? If you've never done it before you have no idea.

The good thing is it gets better. It gets easier. Even though I went through a horrible bout of thrush and then mastitis. In the end it all turn out well. Lucas grew and he got the best start he could have. In prenatal class there is a definite push to breast feed. They tell you about how good it is for you baby and you. How it will decrease babies chance of illness, getting cancer, ear infections. Plus so many things I cannot remember. For mom's it helped to make me skinny again, decrease risk of female cancer etc. Again too many benefits to remember. Plus it's cheap. Now that I am buying formula every week I'm realizing how expensive it is.

The one thing they didn't tell me about in prenatal class was what would happen after breast feeding was all done. My breast are sagging! They are limp and old. Thank god they make good bras. So breast feeding moms, enjoy your big full breast while you can. When you finish nursing they will change. The 24/7 job will make them old and tired.

It was a joy to have the closeness and the bond with Lucas. I will miss that and find myself cuddling beside him while he watches Sesame Street and eats.

Till Tommorrow

Jenn