Things I had forgotten about breastfeeding!

[susanmt]

How pink your nipples get!
How much time you spend feeding a newborn.
How snuggly and nice it is, especially feeding in bed.
The endorphin rush - if you could bottle that feeling you'd be a millionaire!

How much I like it. It's one of the best bits about having a new baby, and one of the things that makes it all worthwhile for me.

I agree with you completely (my DS2 is 14 weeks)
Also
The way they pluck at your clothes and later pat your face in time to the sucks
The way they gaze at you before shutting their eyes for sleep as if to say, I'm safe,
The rush is huge isn't it? I've never done E but I imagine it to be something a little bit like that, but nowhere near as rewarding.

It certainly is one of the best bits about having a baby.

I'm really sorry, I hope that wasn't horrible inappropriate to mention drugs. Sorry.

Snowywong ... LOL ... can't work out which one you mean is more rewarding ... breastfeeding or drugs??
Susanmt ... lovely thread ... one of the things I am really looking forward to when my baby comes in 6 weeks time is breastfeeding ...

DD2 has just got to the stage where she is b/f looks up at me smiles and then looks very puzzled as nipple has fallen out of her mouth.

I love her sooooo much

Ditto the clothes plucking.
DD (5 months) has just started gently squeezing my boobs from either side as well. Doesn't sound very attractive, I know, but it's just another of her little ways that I love.
I also love the way she can be handed to me in a real state, and the magic boob just makes everything better, and she makes really sweet grumbling noises with a very relieved look on her face while sucking with huge determination. I really think that b/feeding has been the best and most enjoyable part of early motherhood, and I already feel almost sad that she's loving solids and taking less milk now. Won't miss the night feeds though - well maybe just a little!!! )

Sorry - dd is 6 months now!

That 'drunk' look ds (15 weeks) gets when he's totally full of milk and sort of drops off the nipple! The warm, milky smell as they snuggle up.

Love this thread susanmt as am just beginning to get over 2nd bout of mastitis (fed dd for a year with none and now twice in 15 weeks) and am feeling very sorry for myself (it's agony!!), needed to be reminded of all the good things, thanks

Loads of things! I can't give up breast feeding my 14 month old because of them. But we're down to just 2 a day now and I know it will stop soon. Best for me is the feeling of the weight of the head in the crook of my arm. The warmth of the mouth on my nipple. The sound of steady drinking. The lip smacking at the end of a thoroughly satisfying feed, accompanied by pink-cheeked sleepiness.

Hello again, I've just come fron a big session and I feel sooooo in love with my baby. Mother Nature really got the whole cycle right didn't she, on this one. I don't ever want to stop feeding either. Did DS1 until 16 months (just a night feed) and then one night he just pointed to the bottle and that was it. I was gutted!! I think I'll do this one until he is old enough to present a properly researched arguement to the contrary

i love this thread,i hope you don't mind that i've emailed it to my little sis,her baby is only 2 1/2 weeks old and she's having a really hard time breastfeeding as the baby's hungry all the time
thanks

Ooooh I want another one ...

Yes, fond memories of bfing for me, too - once initial ecruciating pain wore off! I loved the weight of dds in the crook of my arm and the urgent little expression just before latching on, followed by dreamy gazing for us both. I stopped bfing both mine when they wer 5-6months, but now I wish I'd carried. Whenever I see bfing women I find myself smiling dreamily at them - probably unnerve them by accident!

Despite the initial first week (or was it two weeks) of sheer pain and agony, I did quite enjoy breastfeeding and am looking forward to it this time around. Epigirl, I can distinctly remember the drunk look DD used to give me - with her eyes closed and big smile. Can't wait to see that expression again. Hoping it all goes okay. Am a bit nervous, as I did have such a hard time in the beginning with DD1. Will hopefully have nice things to say in just a week or two.

Tinyfeet, if it's any consolation, I had a hard time in the beginning with dd (bf and just about everything else) but have found it 100 times easier this time round (except for the sodding mastitis!!). I found that the soreness and pain that I had feeding dd at the beginning didn't last as long with ds and felt easier partly 'cos I knew that it would end and how lovely all the nice bits were once I was settled at feeding.

Looking forward to hearing all the nice things...

Good to hear, Epigirl. Hope I have a similar (easier in the beginning) experience. Mears said that the pain/cracked/sore nipples that I had in the beginning were due to improper positioning, but I never thought I had a problem with positioning, so was thinking that whatever happened last time would happen this time.

I would just like to second Epigirl, it's so much easier second time, it was the mastitis that got us this time too (blooming front opening bra!!!).

My dd is 17 months and still bfeeding twice a day - sometimes she pops off the boob to say "more" or "all gone"!! Sometimes she gets the giggles on there, which almost invariably sets me off too and we just sit there chuckling.

I don't plan to stop just yet - I love coming home from work and having this quiet time with her snuggled up to me. And she seems to appreciate it after an action-packed day at nursery.

And I had a terrible time feeding her at the start - in agony for two months and crying at virtually every feed. What a different world that seems like!

I was really lucky that didn't have pain/soreness etc. IN fact, in the first three weeks when I felt really overwhelmed and low and couldn't stop crying all the time, the one shining light was the fact that I was b/feeding, and dd was healthy and gaining weight as a result of MY milk. Feel so lucky (because it wasn't anything in particular I did re: positioning and so on), that it's worked out. Was thinking earlier that life was a lot easier when just b/feeding and didn't have to faff around with butternut squashes, moulis and so on.

What an absolutely GORGEOUS thread !! I love it ! Best things for me: when dd makes little whimpers of delight while feeding, when she grasps my top while feeding, and when she catches my eye and unlatches herself to give me a big cheesy grin mid-feed ... oooh, I could eat her up !

This is a lovely thread. I've already posted my soppy breast feeding thoughts on it but yes, wanted to add that when they get the giggles with a mouth full of nipple it is simply divine.

My daughter's recently taken to smacking her lips as she looks at my chest ... and trying to get me to breast feed one of her teddies ... hmmmmm ...

I enjoyed breastfeeding and snuggling with baby, but had to stop loooonnnng ago because I couldn't supply my little ganet. Also, I wasn't sure if all the citrus fruit drinks I loved to drink (I only drink milk or fresh juices) was making the milk she drank have a sour effect. That we will never know! She has been on SMA ever since 4 weeks and seems to be doing well.

But my addition to this thread is, I gave her a bath the other day, I was dressed in my robe. I somehow flashed her a nipple and she tried to pick it up like her dummy, I think she was very puzzled as to why she couldn't pick it up and put it in her mouth. I held her on my hip and she latched on. Upon her doing this, I walked down to show Daddy. His response to her was, "that is mine now" and she laughed at him. Gave him one gummy grin. It was a funny sight.

the snorting as she hunts for the nipple in the darkness...the fact that you feel like your body is soooo clever as she grows & grows...(and how I can express it for her too!)..I'd completely forgotten the 8 month old's habit of tweaking (ouch!) nipples for a bit of mid-snack variety