Breast Feeding Diary (part 3)
Week 13 & 14 Feeding going well until Charlotte starts waking in the night again wanting a feed. It takes a couple of days before we realise that the expressed bottle is no longer enough to keep her going. Once we increase the quantity, we get to sleep the whole night through again. Seems so obvious afterwards.
Week 15 It's a joy feeding Charlotte. She plays peek-a-boo with me when feeding – looks at me smiling and when I look at her she turns away and starts to feed again. She gets distracted by sounds and turns without un-latching, taking my boob and nipple with it – Ouch!
Week 16 Expressing becomes a real chore- still want to feed her exclusively breast milk so will-power keeps me going. Also need to build up stocks in the freezer for when I am going out.
Week 17 We discover that Charlotte will not drink cold milk, when she refuses her expressed bottle. Feel very guilty as we rush around while she screams until it gets warmed.
Week 18 Charlotte has a cold making it difficult for her to feed. It also means she wakes in the night and then wants feeding. This impacts on my expressing and I cannot express a full feed.
We therefore try to formula feed her for the first time, as I have only been able to express half a feed and we need to keep the frozen milk for when I am at work in a couple of weeks time. Really don't want to but cannot see another option. We give her the half feed of expressed milk and then try the formula. She refuses it, spitting the milk out. Should have tried it the other way round – feel a bit stupid.
Week 19 We thought it was the cough waking Charlotte but she starts waking twice in the night. I try comforting her back to sleep but end up feeding her. Feel really unsure whether am doing the right thing but at least she (and therefore we) get back to sleep again. Continuous questioning of myself and from most people – Is it time to start weaning?
