I'm Trying to Stick With It

***Warning: This post may be a little bit TMI***
As many moms know, the first few weeks after the baby is born can be pretty rough. My experience has been no exception. With Logan, I breastfed for about 3 weeks and then got Mastitis and called it quits. I think that I gave up so easily because my delivery experience with him was pretty traumatic and the c-section recovery was overwhelming. I just couldn't deal with more pain, which is all that breastfeeding was to me at the time. My milk supply was highly affected by the infection and that is when I decided to throw in the towel. I really enjoyed bottle feeding with Logan and I especially loved the help, but it wasn't all that simple. Logan had really bad constipation with every formula we tried until the doctor said that we have to try the expensive stuff (Alimentum, $26 for a very small can...about 1 weeks worth) and it worked like a charm. Eventually we were able to do Kirkland's formula, but that was almost around the time he was a year and ready to switch to cow's milk anyway. So bottle feeding was nice and convenient once we found the right formula, but very expensive!!!

So once I got pregnant with Dane, I made myself a promise that I was going to give breastfeeding a valiant effort this time around. So, as the title says, I am trying to stick with it, but is hasn't been easy. The second week after Dane was born, I started to get clogged milk ducts, which later developed into the ever pleasant Mastitis. I tried everything to avoid it, but it happened on the same side and around the same exact time postpartum as it had happened with Logan. I was bummed especially because my milk supply was decreasing again. However, I wasn't going to give up and with an easier recovery this time around I felt like I could physically handle continuing my breastfeeding efforts. So things started to get better with antibiotics and a lot of extra care until I got Thrush. I don't mean to sound like a wimp or a complainer for that matter, but Thrush is VERY painful! Now, both me and Dane are being treated for the Thrush and thankfully we are doing much better. My milk supply is increasing and I think that I am starting to get a better hang of it. It now seems doable and hopefully it will continue to get better from here on out.

When all is said and done, aren't these little guys worth all of the pain and discomfort it takes to get them here and to take care of them:) That's what I keep reminding myself. In my opinion, there is no greater joy than being a mother:)Dane Update:
He is doing really well and the Thrush is hardly affecting him if at all. As of Monday, he is weighing 9 lbs. 6 oz., which is great! He is on a 3-4 hour cycle during the day of eating, activity, and napping (I'm following "The Baby Whisperer" methods, which worked like a charm with Logan). During the night he is sleeping 5-7 hour stretches, which has been absolutely wonderful! He truly is such a good baby and we are so thankful to have him in our little family:)

Like we did with Logan, we are going to be having Dane's blessing up in UT. It will be March 21st and the day will be shared with Katie's (Ben's sister) homecoming from her mission in Puerto Rico. We are thrilled to be able to have so many family members attend and we are really looking forward to it:)

Other than that, we are all just trying to adjust to life with our little "D" and so far things have been going pretty well.