Breastfeeding and Thoughts on Motherhood

Last night my nephew and his wife came to visit. They are newly married and wanted to see the baby. While visiting his wife saw me getting ready to eat a big bowl of chocolate ice cream that my husband had dished up. She looked at my quite strangly and said "Can you have chocolate when you're breastfeeding?" I said "I don't know, I think so" then she went onto explain how her friend was told to not eat chocolate while breastfeeding. This intrigued me. I assumed that this is one of those things that is different for every mother and baby so I did a little research and found that I was correct. Chocolate can make a breastfed baby gassy, just as spicy food, milk, or other certain foods can disagree with different babies. This website talked a little more about it. http://www.letstalkbabies.com/2008/01/23/breastfeeding-and-chocolate/

It intrigues me how people assume that if it happended to one person, it is true for everyone. All babies and mommies are so different. Their experience from pregnancy through raising that child to adulthood will be completely different than any one elses. Thats what makes it so fascinating. Each day you get a new puzzle as a mom to work through and figure out. Even if you have other children it is most likely that with each one different things will work and not work. That is what makes each relationship special.

My milk has not yet come in. Breastfeeding is not simple, I am working hard to help her latch correctly but most the time I'm just not sure if she is. But I will continue to work at it. The La Leche group has told me that the first few weeks are tricky and then it will become old hat. I will keep practicing and keeping my spirits up. I have a lacation specialist that will come work with me as soon as my milk comes in. This I believe will be a great support. I know that breastfeeding is the best way to give my baby the protection and nutrients she needs, even if it isn't the most comfortable pass time.