I found nursing my first set of twins incredibly difficult. It was painful, stressful, and everything hurt (my back, my boobs, my neck, my head, my husband’s head listening to me complain). I struggled with pumping and nursing and was fortunate to have instructors come and help me … and I gave both of my girls part formula after a week or so and stopped completely after three months when I had a medical problem (oh, just a little old ruptured appendix, not to worry!).
With the second set, I made it to five months with just breast milk—but it was not easy. From five to nine months I did a combo-platter. I started solid foods around 5 months with my girls, one of whom had massive reflux (like you’d have to wear protective gear to get anywhere near this baby!), and waited closer to six months for my sons. Breastfeeding also raises the privacy element of breasts—which soon turn into food objects. Don’t even ask about the day my mother-in-law saw my boobs out in the open for the first time. Mortified!
So, my message is: try if you can to breast feed. Try again if it’s not working. Ask for help. But don’t beat yourself up if it doesn’t work out for you.
