***
Rewind to last month. I was 8 weeks pregnant. I was tired. Nauseous. But to my 16 month old daughter, it was another normal day - filled with anticipation of adventure and activity.
She was living up the excitement of summer and down to one nap a day - at 10 am. It's too early in the day for my mind to rest, so I resigned myself to the couch to watch mediocre shows or make a weak attempt to blog. I had zero inspiration and at the time hadn't shared about our pregnancy openly so I was drawing a blank on what to write.
It felt like every minute drawing by was an eternity. I knew I should eat. I wanted to eat. But nothing sounded good, I felt the urge to gag at foods that I normally loved. My cravings would come quickly and would have to be satisfied within 20 minutes, or I'd run the risk of turning my nose at it.
When my husband came home I'd sneak away to take a quick 20 minute power nap. But between working hours, Penny and I are running at full force.
My saving grace during the day? I continued to nurse Penny. Neither one of us were ready to wean and weaning because life could be easier for me just wasn't an option. That's not how I parent. The 15-20 minute breaks became such a welcome respite for this nauseated, tired mama. It ensured that when our meals are lacking in my normal exuberance, I knew at least she's getting what she needs. It kept us connected when otherwise I had such a lackluster attitude towards playing that I felt like a borderline bad mom.
...Thankfully, the 12 week mark was a turning point and mama is back in action! Hang in there, first trimester mamas. It'll get better.
Here's a couple resources to share..
- From KellyMom: FAQs of breastmilk, your child and pregnancy and a new look at breastfeeding during pregnancy.
- From La Leche League: A collection of pages found on LLL with information on breastfeeding during pregnancy.
- I'm also in the process of reading LLL's Adventures in Tandem Nursing, which includes information on nursing during pregnancy.
- Mama Jorje shares her experience with nursing through pregnancy starting at week 20 - she also checks in every 5 weeks through the rest of her pregnancy.
- Do not miss out on Dulce de Leche's immense library of personal experience and information!
- Everything you wondered about breastfeeding during pregnancy, but didn't want to ask
- Tandem Nursing: A letter to myself 7 years ago (with links at the bottom for other writers for a carnival of tandem nursing from last year)
- This hasn't hit me, but what to do when you hate breastfeeding / nursing aversion
- Melissa from Vibrant Wanderings shares her experiences with nursing in her second and third trimesters.
- A support thread from Natural Mother Magazine talking about milk supply during pregnancy. (Included with permission from NMM)
- Motherlove Herbal Company shares some additional resources on tandem nursing and nursing during pregnancy!
- More nursing related posts from The Pierogie Mama
Are you a currently pregnant & breastfeeding mama? Tandem veteran? Share your stories in the comments - I'd love to hear them! And you just might be getting a message from me in 6 months when I've welcomed Pierogie #2 and am fanangaling the art of nursing two kids..
***
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:
(This list will be live and updated by afternoon August 30 with all the carnival links.)
- Breastfeeding During the First Trimester - Bianca from The Pierogie Mama shares her experience of continuing to breastfeed her 17 month old daughter through the first trimester of her second pregnancy.
- Night Weaning a Four Year Old - Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama shares how she successfully and gently night weaned her 4 year old daughter this year and how that lead to full weaning on her daughter's terms just this month.
- Honoring Low Supply Moms with Breastfeeding Support - As a low supply mom, Mandy has worked hard to make as much milk as possible and to give her children the closest thing to CLW. At Living peacefully with Children, she shares her frustrations concerning the use of low supply moms in the attacks against sharing breastfeeding information and support.
- Vulvar Itching (Pruritis) and Breastfeeding: Atrophic Vaginitis -At Authentic Parenting, Laura writes about a little known condition tied to breastfeeding that can truly mess up your day.
No comments:
Post a Comment