Yes, I’ve decided to embark on the “milky” way of breastfeeding:
It actually ended up being more smooth than expected, although I did hit a
couple of bumps—er, curdles—in the road. For instance, I found out firsthand
that breast milk really does last for just about 90 minutes in a baby’s tummy,
compared with bottled formula, which has a tendency to last a few hours instead.
Both types of milk have their pros and cons, so my attitude is: Why not make
the most of both worlds—or, "milky way" galaxies, if you will?
During Zarion’s first week of life, I nursed him 100%.
Anytime he was hungry, I brought him to the milk buffet: It was a perfect opportunity
for me to enjoy some skin-to-skin bonding time with him while giving him the
nourishments he needed from the colostrums and subsequently flowing breast
milk. In addition, it gave him the opportunity to practice latching on
correctly and helped us both to get used to each other in the nursing process.
Now that it is Week 2, I am still nursing him during the
daytime while giving him a couple of bottles at night—each containing 50%
breast milk and 50% formula. My hubby (Pete), Zarion’s pediatrician, and I
decided to do this because the formula allows him to sleep for longer periods
at night, which means that we all get our much-needed rest. In addition, it
gives me a break (hubby can help with the feedings, too), and it gives my body
a break (I am not as sore, and also, I allow my milk to collect overnight so
that breast pumping is more effective during the day). At the same time, Zarion
still receives the benefits of the breast milk overnight. Furthermore,
combining the two decreases the chance that he will experience the stomach
issues that can result from transitioning from straight breast milk to straight
formula.
During the day, I still choose to nurse because the breast
milk is so healthy: It protects the baby from a plethora of illnesses, prevents
him from developing allergies and colic, protects him from obesity, boosts his
intelligence, lowers his risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), reduces
the mother’s risk of some types of cancer, and reduces the mother’s risk of
postpartum depression and stress level (Baby Center).
However, even if I am not directly nursing Zarion, my hubby
or I still feed him pumped breast milk from a bottle. Again, this gives hubby
time with the baby, and pumping saves me time when I am busy running our house
and my home business. Nursing can take a couple of hours at a time—sometimes longer
when he is cluster feeding (periods when he breastfeeds for 3 to 5 hours or so)—while
pumping usually takes less than an hour. Plus, your insurance company likely now covers the purchase of your breast pump at 100% thanks to the new healthcare legislation, so why not take advantage of this benefit?
As we navigate the wonderful world of feeding a newborn, we
certainly see the benefits of both breast milk and formula and realize that
they both are advantageous in their own ways and both have a place. Any new
mother must do what is best for her and her child, and with the guidance of a
pediatrician, she should be able to establish a plan and schedule that works
best for the entire family unit—and especially baby. :)
