Breastfeeding: The Good, The Bad & The Milky

You all remember my breastfeeding confessions post, right? If you don't, I'll give you the short of it: I had a really rough time attempting to breastfeed my first child, didn't even try with my second, and was terrified I was going to mess everything up again this time with my third child. However, I'm happy to report that we've been exclusively breastfeeding for two and half months now and things are going great! In that time, I've learned a lot about breastfeeding and just wanted to share my thoughts of everything so far:

The first couple feedings were not magical. Even though I KNEW it would probably be a learning experience, I kept hoping that baby would arrive and magically begin suckling with no problems. So I began to feel mildly panicked when his initial feeding was a challenge. But my midwife kept instructing me, showing me different positions to try, and just putting the baby to my breast.

Breastfeeding can hurt. There are so many books or articles that say "breastfeeding should not hurt." So when I felt pain, I thought great, I'm doing it wrong. They are right, it shouldn't hurt...but it can, at least initially, when you're trying to get everything figured out. My postdate baby has a VERY strong suck which could have contributed to the initial pain some. I also had a few issues at the beginning getting him to latch - it wasn't his issue, though. My nipples kind of were going flat every time I tried to feed him so we had to use a little thing to draw them out and I had to figure out how to position him on the breast right. And the more worried or stressed you get, the harder it is. I was very sore for the first week or two - I even had a few spots that cracked & bled and was beginning to dread feeding him. There were two things that helped me, though:

1. Having someone qualified watch me nurse & asking them questions. I had a midwife and a breastfeeding peer counselor at the ready to answer my questions. They helped figure out my issues, reminded me to relax, and gave suggestions.
2. Having a supportive husband. Although there really wasn't anything he could do for our initial issues, him telling me if we could just get through another feeding, it would get better, was actually very helpful. It's hard to keep goals in mind when you're in pain, but when someone is cheering you on, it gets easier.

I want to reiterate that pain can happen but that it's the sign that something is wrong or was wrong, and is now on the mend. All my issues healed up during the end of the second week. I'll feel the occasional tug or pull now, but it's not painful at all.

Breastfeeding is messy sometimes. For the first week or so, I consistently had giant wet spots and splotches all over my shirt. That let-down can really "let go" at times and baby isn't always prepared for it or will pull back and then you'll end up with streams of milk going everywhere. Or sometimes it will just happen. I was changing one morning and looked over at baby, happily cooing away in his bassinet, and suddenly it was go-go-gadget milk! Sometimes it's easier to just go shirt-less, especially in the beginning. (Assuming you are at home, that is!) I thought about putting a sign on the door temporarily that said, "If you stroll in unannounced, you may find me without a shirt." And really all the skin-to-skin contact with baby is good, for you and him/her.

I'm still learning to NIP (Nurse In Public). I am not going to tell you how to nurse your baby. I figure it's your baby and your body. I support breastfeeding mommas of all kinds. All I will do is share my experiences and feelings. I still have the occasional issue but it's much easier than it was. I'm a rather modest person so I do cover up when we're out in public and/or try to find a cozy spot with less people. While I have escaped to a bathroom a time or two, I made sure it was one with a sitting area - I will not feed my baby while sitting on a toilet or anything like that. NIP for me also depends on what audience I'm with. At a sit-down dinner with a big room full of strangers? I'm going to go out and find someplace else. At my best friend's house? I'll just feed him while I sit on the couch.

Now that I've got the hang of it, breastfeeding is so easy and convenient. Seriously. Feeding this kiddo could not be any easier. Especially at night! I don't have to stumble out into the kitchen half awake to find a bottle, scoop formula, mix, shake, heat...all I have to do is pop something into his mouth! The diaper bag is a lot lighter too! It's also relaxing, in a unique sort of way. There is a special breastfeeding bond you develop, as much as I never thought I'd say that. (And that's not to say that the bond with any of my other kids is any less, it's just a different kind of feeling I guess. I'm not sure how to describe it.) A pediatrician assumed I had breastfed all the kids because {and I quote} "You're a natural!" That was really nice to hear.

You develop a camaraderie with breastfeeding mothers of all ages and stages. I've only had one instance so far of a negative response to my breastfeeding in public - but it was just some dumb teenage girls. I have found that no matter where I NIP, I am inevitably met with positive feedback from mothers who breastfed. There always seems to be someone who comes by and says, "Oh, how beautiful" or "Way to go" or "I nursed all three of mine!"

I just wanted to share my breastfeeding success story for those who are struggling or who are just looking into breastfeeding. Just because it didn't work before doesn't mean it can't ever work again. I did not think I'd ever breastfeed again but with good support and determination, we did it!

Homeschool Books for Sale!

I put a bunch of different homeschooling items (and a few other assorted books) up on Ebay today and just wanted to share in case any of you may be looking for something. Check out the widget below to see what I've got for sale right now - and check quickly because as soon as I listed one set of books, somebody bought it immediately! Whew!

Top Ten Tuesday: What I've Learned About Myself Through Homeschooling

iHomeschool Network is hosting their 10 in 10 series now through the next ten weeks. I'm joining in through Top Ten Tuesday at Many Little Blessings and writing about the subjects they're all talking about. :) So...on to today's topic!

The Top Ten Things I've Learned About Myself Through Homeschooling

10. Order and planning are very much essential to the life of my homeschool. If I don't have at least somewhat of a plan for my day or week, everything tends to falls apart because I have a tendency to not manage my time well. If I already have a list of tasks that need checked off, I'm less likely to procrastinate and waste time. That's not to say that we always have to follow the plan word for word but having a plan does generally help things to run smoother.

9. Sometimes I just have to throw everything out the window. I know this kind of contradicts my last statement but hear me out. If we're plodding along through something, and we've REALLY been trying to make it work but it just won't...then it's perfectly okay to chuck it and find something that works. This is also true for when we're having a really rough day. Sometimes you just have to throw the plans out and go outdoors, read a book, run some laps, or even take a nap.

8. Even though it can be challenging sometimes, I really do love being at home with my kids and teaching them. I love seeing their faces light up when they "get" something, spending time working together on projects, reading stories that I loved as a kid, coloring, crafts, and taking the time to learn about the things they're interested in. I love being able to explore different subjects to their hearts content.

7. With that being said, I also highly value my alone time. I do love being with my kids. But like everyone else, I also need some time just to myself. For the time of life I'm in right now, that's practically non-existent. But I get it where I can. After the kids are tucked into bed for the evening (and finally asleep) there are a few little hours there where it's just me and the baby - and I can watch a little TV or read a book. When the baby gets up for his early morning feeding, he often goes back to sleep right after. If I were to stay up then, I could have some alone time then too. (But I usually just go back to sleep!) And when I can get a babysitter for my older kids, even if it's just for a few hours, that gives hubby and I time to reconnect

6. Time for Momma and Daddy is even more important. It is very easy to get caught up in all of the "mom" and "teacher" duties and to neglect others. I make a point to chat with my husband when he gets home from work (after he's had a chance to get settled in) and to text or email him when he's gone. We also try to get a babysitter at least once a month so we can do things, just the two of us. (Although at this point in time we also have a little baby so he obviously stays with us too for now.)

5. Being around other homeschool moms can be the difference between "I love homeschooling" and "Where is that school bus again?!" I really treasure the friendships I have made with other local homeschooling moms - they are my lifeboat when I feel like I just can't do it anymore or when I'm totally lost on how to tackle a problem. It is SO reassuring to be with them and to know their kids aren't going to pester mine about not going to "real' school (yes, someone told Zeke that once) or to hear them talking about issues we've also been through. The more experienced, veteran moms almost always have the answers and the younger moms are right there with me in the trenches, so to speak.

5. Reading blogs about homeschooling can be very helpful...as long as I take them with a grain of salt. I love reading blogs about homeschooling. There are SO many creative ideas online and helpful activities I can use in our homeschool. I'm very thankful for the internet. However, I've learned to be careful when I'm feeling weary or down. I can't compare one of our crappy days with the picture perfect post I see online where the children are all sparkling clean, they do their work without complaint, and everyone is perfectly cheerful. We're only seeing the good stuff. When I have one of those days, it's best to go for the posts that are chock full of "real life" stuff, about the nitty gritty of homeschooling.

4. Curriculum catalogs can be the devil. Curriculum catalogs are oh so bright and shiny and they arrive in my mail to tempt me. "Shaaayyyyy....here is a magic curriculum. It will solve every problem in your homeschool! And only for $99.99." Or "Shaaayyyy...you need to read this book on homeschooling. It will help you learn what you're doing wrong!" I kid, I kid. I do buy stuff sometimes. It just seems like the catalogs all arrive at once and then I'm left scratching my head and wondering if we should switch to this subject from that publisher or if one of the kids would do better with another type of curriculum.

3. It is totally okay to not know or understand something. When we first started out homeschooling, I was really worried about what I would do if I didn't know how to do something and the kids asked about it. However, I've found that it really isn't that big of a deal. Whatever it is just becomes a learning experience for us. We either look it up online, in a book, or ask someone who can explain it to us.

2. Prayer is a must. I take everything to God in prayer, but especially my homeschool. I pray for guidance when we struggle and I praise when we experience joy. In those moments when I feel like the kids entire future and well-being rests on whether they get this one problem right...I pray. (Because obviously that's not the truth.) When I wonder if the kids will ever learn the hard stuff...I pray. (Because they will.) When I wonder if I'm good enough to teach them the hard stuff...I pray. (Because I alone may not be, but through HIM I can be.)

1. Whatever problems or challenges I may face, God's got it under control. 'Nuff said.

Another Overdue Update

Our family has been pretty busy recently and I apologize for not writing sooner. I haven't had any spare time to really just sit at the computer & write. (Well, I do have free time occasionally...I usually spend it sleeping though!) While I have been tweeting & Instagram-ming a lot, I can do those easily from my phone. I have had a lot of different ideas & thoughts that I've tried to jot down when I could. Writing is such a big passion of mine and it stinks that I haven't been able to do it...but real life and family should always take precedence. And sleep. Sleep is very important. So here's a bit about what we've been up to:

• I've been taking care of a baby...and that takes up a lot of time, believe it or not! ;) Baby Zac is growing like a little weed and oh so adorable. He went for his two month check-up yesterday and is right around 12 pounds. He's gotten into somewhat of a regular sleeping pattern. It varies of course but he usually does have a 5-6 hour stretch at night, followed by an early wake up & feeding, and then another 3 hour stretch. (And that's totally fine with me! I can survive pretty well on that amount of sleep.) He's smiling, cooing, giggling, so alert...it's adorable. I may have already said that - but it's true! :) He's really pretty easy going. He can be fussy and have his moments of course, especially when he's ready to eat and he'll DEFINITELY let you know he's unhappy (he has a VERY loud cry - much louder than Zeke or Ellie ever were) but what baby doesn't?! For the most part he's very relaxed and content.
• Breastfeeding is going well! Some days I feel like that's all I do but I'm very happy. In fact, I've written up another post - to be published in another day or two - to tell you all about it. I will say that we are a success story thanks to good support and that it gets easier every day.
• Zeke is in baseball again so we've been busily going to his weekly practices & games. This year he's in the minor leagues. The last two years he's been in coach pitch (where the coaches pitch the ball obviously) and they don't keep score. This year he had to actually try out. His team hasn't won any games yet but I can see that they're definitely showing improvement and are learning more with each game.
• Ellie is doing well. She's been a little sassy recently but I think that's the age she's at. (Although I feel like I've been saying that since she was like 2 and 1/2...so I may have to give up that excuse before too long, LOL.) She's been picking up on all kinds of things during our school time and has been requesting that I teach her to read so I have been busily printing out preschool packs for her to do and pointing out the different words to her in books.
• We're FINALLY getting back into a good groove for school. I've been facing a lot of challenges in our homeschool recently that have really been testing me and have even been feeling like I can't do it anymore...but I'm hopeful that we can finish out this year well and have a fresh start for next year, whenever we finally get finished.
• I think a lot of my school trepidation is because of how the kids have been interacting recently. For the past few months, the kids have started to bicker and rile each other up more. I feel like I'm constantly having to get on them for copying one another, fighting, not sharing, chasing each other around the house, etc. I guess it's just sibling rivalry and the ages they are at but it has been driving me batty. I have been trying to emphasize how we need to treat each other kindly, with respect, and how we shouldn't fight but I don't think my point is being absorbed. I know they love each other and a lot of times they do play nicely....I think I just need to try another approach.
• My husband is still working quite a bit but thankfully here recently he's been able to have some more time off and gotten to spend more time at home. He and Zeke attended a play a few weekends ago and he's been taking nature walks with him as well, looking for mushrooms but also just enjoying talking about the scenery and wildlife. 
• Something else big to do with my hubby - he graduated last weekend from college! I couldn't be more proud. I am SO glad he's done with his schooling and am hopeful this will help him in his career. The graduation ceremony at his school was really neat and I'm glad we got to attend. The kids were pretty good for the six hour drive (almost three hours there and three hours back) and we all went out to dinner that evening.
• We've also been busy with other things - church, family events, birthdays, homeschool group, and such. I've unfortunately had to step down from the Homeschool Review Crew. I no longer have the time to commit to it. I'll greatly miss it and it was such a blessing for our family but I'm trying to figure out how to balance things. I want to write and blog but also don't have all that much free time. Hopefully now that baby seems to have somewhat of a set bedtime I'll be able to sneak in here every so often for more updates and blog posts. :)