Home from the NICU

[@llli*phi]

Yes, she just wants to be held. A baby sling might be very helpful right now

I PROMISE that bottles are not easier. NOT. A bottle will NOT guarantee sleep for you. If you decide to do a bottle, you would still have to pump the missed feeding. If you fill it with formula, you'll be making trips to the store to buy formula. And washing bottles takes time. If you spend the time now on nursing, it will pay off in the long run.

Who cares that nobody else in your family has BF? Every family needs a pioneer.

100%! I could not have survived the first few months without my sling!

[@llli*lllmeg]

Newborn babies need to be held pretty much all the time. It is normal. Besides using a sling etc, right after nursing is also a great time to hand baby off for a nice bonding, cuddle sesson with baby's other parent or grandparent or whoever is there to help you while you take a nap or a shower. Sometimes you can hold a baby long enough after nursing, to get baby into a deeper sleep and then put baby down (rather than putting baby down right after nursing.) Or hold baby until baby nuzzles for a top off, top baby off AT THE BREAST and then baby may be in a deeper sleep and may allow themselves to be laid down. Maybe. But a baby not being willing to lay down in a crib and sleep is not in any way an indicator a baby cannot get enough at the breast. This is just normal newborn behavior.

You understandably have concerns because you milk dried up early on with your oldest. Obviosuly I have no idea what happened there. But I do know that nursing very very frequently and avoiding/very strictly limiting bottles and pacifiers, especially in the first 2 months or so, is the single most important thing any mom can do to ensure great milk supply.

[@llli*swirly.whirly]

Thank you so much for all the great advice! I really appreciate it.