L
Liberanosamalo
Guest
Augusta, dear… 10 times? That’s all you gave it a chance? Did you drive a car expertly after the first 10 times you put the key in the ignition? Would a marksman shoot a rifle properly after 10 times? Were the first 10 dinners you prepared flawless?
You need to cut yourself some more slack.
Let me share a story about love that is very similar. Because this is a lesson you need to learn in life. You and your husband can learn it now because you will need it later.
When I delivered my first child, I was over the moon. I planned to nurse the baby, because it was best for the baby. After husband and mother had left the hospital late that night and I was alone in my room, the nurse brought in the world’s most beautiful infant. I was alone. I tried to nurse her. I thought it came naturally. After all, isn’t that what mothers and babies did since there were mothers and babies? Put baby to breast. Baby suckles. Right? I was in a foreign country, didn’t speak the language. Baby had no clue either. Just knew she needed to be suckling on something.
It was a disaster. Husband came back in the wee hours and found me sobbing in the bed holding the baby. Feeling very frustrated. What was I doing wrong? Well, baby was having none of that! She went on a hunger strike over the next few days. Then my milk came in. Oy vey!
I still cringe thinking about it. She continued her strike. But let us all know she wasn’t at all happy with her incompetent new mother. I didn’t get much sleep.
The doctor told me newborns can live 8 days with no food or water and to ignore her stubbornness. She wouldn’t die. (She hasn’t changed much, I’ll say.)
She might have been able to endure that, but I couldn’t. It was agony for me.
Ouch!
The only thing that hurt worse than nursing was not nursing.
No, we did not get it right in the first 10 tries. But I kept trying because I loved her so much and this was best for her. Eventually I figured out what I was supposed to be doing in the whole deal. I became a pro. With each succeeding child, there was a bumpy first week, as each child was different. But the choice was for me to put their needs first and endure some discomfort. Nature took over and I will say that of all the things I remember about motherhood, nursing my babies was the most joyful and rewarding thing I did.
I’m glad I didn’t give up too quickly.
Some things don’t come as naturally as we were led to believe. But they’re well worth it once we figure it out.
You need to cut yourself some more slack.
Let me share a story about love that is very similar. Because this is a lesson you need to learn in life. You and your husband can learn it now because you will need it later.
When I delivered my first child, I was over the moon. I planned to nurse the baby, because it was best for the baby. After husband and mother had left the hospital late that night and I was alone in my room, the nurse brought in the world’s most beautiful infant. I was alone. I tried to nurse her. I thought it came naturally. After all, isn’t that what mothers and babies did since there were mothers and babies? Put baby to breast. Baby suckles. Right? I was in a foreign country, didn’t speak the language. Baby had no clue either. Just knew she needed to be suckling on something.
It was a disaster. Husband came back in the wee hours and found me sobbing in the bed holding the baby. Feeling very frustrated. What was I doing wrong? Well, baby was having none of that! She went on a hunger strike over the next few days. Then my milk came in. Oy vey!
I still cringe thinking about it. She continued her strike. But let us all know she wasn’t at all happy with her incompetent new mother. I didn’t get much sleep.
The doctor told me newborns can live 8 days with no food or water and to ignore her stubbornness. She wouldn’t die. (She hasn’t changed much, I’ll say.)
She might have been able to endure that, but I couldn’t. It was agony for me.
Ouch!
The only thing that hurt worse than nursing was not nursing.
No, we did not get it right in the first 10 tries. But I kept trying because I loved her so much and this was best for her. Eventually I figured out what I was supposed to be doing in the whole deal. I became a pro. With each succeeding child, there was a bumpy first week, as each child was different. But the choice was for me to put their needs first and endure some discomfort. Nature took over and I will say that of all the things I remember about motherhood, nursing my babies was the most joyful and rewarding thing I did.
I’m glad I didn’t give up too quickly.
Some things don’t come as naturally as we were led to believe. But they’re well worth it once we figure it out.
