Baby gaga, why you no delete button???

Really, why cant we delete post? lame.

Quoting Melissa Grace:" Part one: I wasnt planning to breast feed because i was weirded out about having my daughter suck on ... [snip!] ... to hear some actual expirences from people who have been there. Im terrified about the birthing process, just so many unknowns "

If it's your 1st & your Dr is predicting to have to cut you to avoid a 4th degree tear - RUN - fast as you can to another Ob. Get the hell out of there. That is bullsmurf if I've ever heard it. And just so you know, I got THREE cuts & still got a 4th degree tea., Knowing what I know now, I probably tore as badly as I did because they cut me. My tear healed great - the cuts were a bitch & caused needle like pains for about 6 months after.

As far as pumping - you are unlikely to be able to do breastmilk long term with pumping alone, but you're gonna do what you're gonna do. Read this thread here - if you look through there is whole long post just about exclusive pumping I think on page 2 - if you skim you'll find it easy enough:
http://forum.baby-gaga.com/about2396301.html

See thats what i thought, i read more horror stories on having them cutt you then on taring naturally. While giving birth and after, but my OB insisted it was fine.
But as far as breast feeding, i dont want to do it long term.. I was thinking like 2/3 months tops, just for the antibodies.

It's hard to pump. It's a lot more work than nursing. You'll have to pump every 1-3hrs depending on your baby's needs. And it can take 20-30mon each time (a little longer than direct nursing), plus storing, cleaning, sterilizing, packing/travel, etc.

Good pumps (usually $200-300)
Ameda Purely Yours
Medela FreeStyle
Medela Pump-in-style
You can also rent them from hospitals for $30-400/mo (at least that's cost at my hospital).

I used cloth/washable breast pads. They're the best.

It can be very hard for some women to produce for a pump. They're just not as good as a baby at emptying the breast, so supply can fall easily. If you are diligent, you CAN pump enough for baby and to store, but it is difficult. Worth it, though!!!

Pumps don't HURT, but they aren't really comfortable and you may experience pain for the first couple of weeks til you're used to it.



As for tearing---

Your doc has NO way of knowing if you will or not. It's impossible!
Cuts heal slower and more painfully than tears. Fact.
Cuts = definite recovery time. But, you MAY NOT tear, so you may have no recovery!
In had no drugs during delivery and the tear just felt like a burning sensation right when he crowned, so only a minute or so before he was out. I didn't know what it was til he was out and doc said he needed to stitch. I had ZERO issues healing and my tear was a 2-3. I tore sideways, not toward my butt. No pain after first day and was fine peeling/pooping same day and with sex at 6w PP.
They have numbing sprays and you can take Tylenol and such for pain, IF you do wind up tearing.
You couldn't pay me to get cut.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Melissa Grace:</b>" See thats what i thought, i read more horror stories on having them cutt you then on taring naturally. ... [snip!] ... But as far as breast feeding, i dont want to do it long term.. I was thinking like 2/3 months tops, just for the antibodies."</blockquote>



The antibodies never stop. Breast milk evolves for baby to give Them what they need at every age. Medically speaking, it's recommended til 2 years.

My episiotomy was absolute hell. I would avoid that at all costs. What kind of hack doctor makes recommendations like that for something they cannot predict  

And FWIW - lots of moms who breastfeed were weirded out before hand. It's a very different thing to conceptualize in our culture. I was totally weirded out. Then I did it & saw it wasn't weird & that was that. If your baby is latched well, it shouldn't feel like much of anything, it certainly won't feel like someone sucking on your boobs. The place I felt the most sensation was the skin on the top of my breast had a tugging sensation, but the nip itself should feel almost nothing. if you feel a lot, you have a bad latch going on.

You get a better grasp if you watch this:

you can see a wrong latch at about 1 min in. A good latch is shown at 2mins. If the baby is latched well, the nip is positioned such that you dont' feel very much. When I was new I kept thinking something was "wrong" because I felt nothing. Turns out we were just "good" at latching apparently & I never had one moment of soreness with him.


I also never said - I had no drugs & didn't feel much of anything regarding tearing or cutting. I had back labor though & a long labor, so I was pretty out of it, even without meds. With #2 I had very milk tearing, 2 stitches & I felt none of that & my hemorrhoids were more painful than my vaj.
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I deff going to try pumping and see how it goes. Not long term, but like i said, just for a few months.. i hope it goes well but if i dont then i have everything set up for formula feeding. Regardless, im not going to do it for 2 years. Im sure thats true, im not douting it but that just seems odd  

and im NOT going to get cutt. Honestly, THATS whats really been wigging me out about child birth.. My friend said they use little cups of some kind of oil while she was giving birth and she didnt tare at all.. Im guna deff talk to my OB, and if she wants to fight me on it ill find someone new. id really like to just go with the flow and see how it goes... i dont want to get cutt if its not even for sure ill tare on my own.. my doctor at the pelvic exam said they had way to prevent taring during birth. Im going to talk to my OB about those options.

Quoting Melissa Grace:" I deff going to try pumping and see how it goes. Not long term, but like i said, just for a few months.. ... [snip!] ... my doctor at the pelvic exam said they had way to prevent taring during birth. Im going to talk to my OB about those options."

Try really hard NOT to be on your back for pushing. Seriously - it is the worst way to be. Be as upright (squatting) as you can & you WILL tear less.

Quoting justanothamotha:" Try really hard NOT to be on your back for pushing. Seriously - it is the worst way to be. Be as upright (squatting) as you can & you WILL tear less."

Can i request not to be on my back? I didnt really know they had different positions. Generally i thought it was done while on your back.

Quoting Melissa Grace:" Can i request not to be on my back? I didnt really know they had different positions. Generally i thought it was done while on your back."

I didn't request - after my 1st I said "back the smurf up I am squatting". I wish I was kidding. That is what I said.  

<blockquote><b>Quoting Melissa Grace:</b>" Can i request not to be on my back? I didnt really know they had different positions. Generally i thought it was done while on your back."</blockquote>

There are many positions. Standard inmost hospitals is on your back, but it is the WORST for women! You want to be as upright as possible. I plan to be squatting this time!

<blockquote><b>Quoting Melissa Grace:</b>" I deff going to try pumping and see how it goes. Not long term, but like i said, just for a few months.. ... [snip!] ... my doctor at the pelvic exam said they had way to prevent taring during birth. Im going to talk to my OB about those options."</blockquote>



I was cut because I started to tear and they needed LO out ASAP or I would have went for a csection. I was completely healed in 2 1/2 weeks and it hurt for the first 2 days. After that I was fine. I walked into my labor with an open mind.

Quoting justanothamotha:" I didn't request - after my 1st I said "back the smurf up I am squatting". I wish I was kidding. That is what I said.  "

  

I was in the water on my back because that's what felt right at the time. That's what was most comfortable for me. When it came time to actually push him out, I stopped and flipped over on my knees hanging over the side of the tub. No tears..woo! I just did what felt right to me.

Quoting P Pickle Pants:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Melissa Grace:</b>" Can i request not to be on my back? I didnt ... [snip!] ... is on your back, but it is the WORST for women! You want to be as upright as possible. I plan to be squatting this time!"

At first I wasn't even facing forward. They did talk me into turning around. LOL I was also buck naked. I was large & in charge. Do whatcha want momma - in the end they let you be if you do. I wasn't letting anyone tell me smurf this time. Last time I tore through my butt doing it your way - this time we do it my way. ;)