Nursing strike...still

4-6 the good old days

Well Asa is still on a nursing strike. But I have hope. My post today is two fold.

1.) I hope to enlighten and encourage other moms.
2.) I am seeking prayer. So if you read this post, please just take a minute to pray for me.

Unless you have ever wanted to breastfeed your babies and have been unable, you just can't imagine the pain that is involved. It hurts to my core that I can't feed Asa the way I was designed. I know I've talked about this before, so for many of my readers this is redundant. But for me, it's not. I feel like I can't say it enough.

Breastfeeding is more than milk. Yes, the milk is important. But it's not all there is. I am missing out on putting Asa to sleep. Breastmilk has a special chemical that helps babies go right to sleep...and that same chemical makes mommy sleepy too. (Ever wonder why in those early weeks you were always sleepy when baby was?) I don't get to comfort him when he gets hurt. I don't get to reconnect with him when he won't sit still for even a second. If I can't nurse him he'll never have a cute name for the milk.

So all that to say, I haven't given up on nursing yet. I still have hope, because I know what is on the other side. I also know that this is a nursing strike. According to all the resources I have read babies rarely wean themselves before a year. THAT gives me hope.

Here are the stages babies go through (thanks to Kelly Mom):

1. The baby aggressively fights the breast.
2. The baby cries more while being held than when he's put down.
3. The baby is willing to be held in some positions, even if not in a cradle hold.
4. The baby tolerates being held in the cradle hold.
5. The baby will attempt to root.
6. The baby will lick at the milk on the nipple.
7. The baby will attempt to suck, using and in-and-out movement.
8. The baby will take milk at the breast.
9. The baby nurses well, even before the let-down occurs.

We have made it past the first and second stage. We started off with Asa screaming, arching his back and pushing me away.

We didn't ever have to contend with 2 or 3 because Asa ALWAYS wants to be held.

Asa has just recently started letting me hold him in the cradle hold.

He's too old to root, so we skipped that one. Now we are to 6. He is licking a little. So see? We are almost there.

It's been such a long road. But it really has been worth it. So please just say a quick prayer for me. And if you are experiencing any breastfeeding problems yourself, please send me an email or leave a comment so I can pray for you, or encourage you, or just talk to you.