Breast Pads

I've decided to include some thoughts on different things I've found useful while being a mum. I have not been sent these products. They are items I have bought or been given as gifts. These are my own views and I just thought I would add them. As they are quite often things my friends and I discuss.

Not sure how everyone else copes with different brands but I have used just about every brand this time.

First time round I just used mothercare own brand with H but this time I just found most of them filled up so quick that before I knew it both my bra and top were soaked, especially at night.

Most where very small so at night time just disappeared and some just too unreliable when it came to absorption.

Over the past 8 months I have finally settled on two brands that I now love and trust when it come to keeping me dry. Tommee Tippee and Lansinoh are those.

Both are very similar. They are both quite large but thin with great absorption. The TT ones come wrapped as pairs where the Lansinoh ones are wrapped individually.

I also have some washable ones I keep for emergency, when you don't realise you've reached the bottom if the box already. But I found I was soaking these through quite quickly as well.

First time out alone

I'm both excited and nervous about tonight. It will be my first night out since Little Miss S was born without her.

I think the word anxious best describes me right now. I'm already feeling very sorry for hubby who is probably going to have a very tearful night.

What with no special fresh mummy milk to fall asleep with. There is also the added upset that one of her top teeth has decided to make this weekend it's time to make an appearance. Making me feel even more guilty.

Im sure I left Miss H much earlier than this. But then I had stopped breastfeeding her at 12 weeks and she had a dummy. S is now 8 months still breastfeeding and doesn't have a dummy. Although I feel very proud of this. It also makes me feel that she is very much more dependant on me.

So all this is leaving me split with mixed feelings about tonight. As much as I'm looking forward to letting my hair down. I can't nudge the feeling of anxiety.

Ouchy

This is now the second time S has had a lazy feed in the night and caused a blister on me leading to a blocked duct.

I'm in so much pain at the moment. All I can do is feed from my good side and express from my bad with lots of lanolin.

My nipple hurts from the blister and my breast hurts from the lump forming from the blocked duct. Last time it took about 4 days to right it's self. I'm on day 3 at the moment. I really hope it sorts its self out soon.

She got very upset earlier when she saw me expressing. I think she thinks the pump is stealing her milk lol.

Breastfeeding

I breastfed Miss H until 12 weeks where due to peer pressure from friends and family and her being on me constantly I gave up. I regretted it almost immediately but I was young and went what I classed as the easy route.

Other than the constant feeding H was a dream to feed. She latched on properly from the moment she was put on my chest after the birth. She never gave me cracked or sore nipples. She fed every 4 hours and slept in between. Just a shame I suffered from PND and didn't appreciate it as much as what I probably should have done.

Little Miss S is a whole different matter. You really don't realise how different 2 babies can be until you have your own. She didnt latch on properly to begin with. She has given me sore cracked nipples and blisters. She wont sleep in the day. She wants constant attention.

Im still breastfeeding her even though she has put me through all of this though. I have found myself the proper support from BFN and we have now sailed pass all my mini targets. I started wanting to reach the 12 weeks at least again, but this time it was so much harder. at 5 weeks I was convinced she had TT but if she did no one could find it and diagnose it so I battled on through. We have had good weeks and we have had bad weeks. Ive been told by friends and family to give up but I didnt listen to them this time. I new I was going to give her the best start I could.