Unexpected Perk to Formula Feeding

I went through a lot of mommy guilt when I decided to stop breast feeding Noah. I felt like I was being a selfish jerk, putting my needs before my child's, but six months was about as long as I could stand. In hindsight, I'm a much better mommy now that I am not in pain.

Nursing did not come as easily to me as it does to others. It took about a day or two longer than it should have for my milk to come in, and it may have been due to my having a C-section. Noah lost a scary amount of weight and we had to sneakily supplement with formula via a tube and syringe while he was nursing. It was a two man job, and I am so thankful that Brendan was with me for every single feeding in those early days.

I loved that I could naturally provide my son with vital nutrients, but I was prone to plugged ducts. Plugged milk ducts were the most painful thing I have experienced in my entire life thus far. They were even more painful than my c-section, and eventually led to my stopping nursing altogether.

Everything that you could find on the internet to help, I tried. Some of the things I had to do still make me cringe to think about! In the end, the only thing that seemed to work was taking lecithin supplements (thanks Rachel G!), but by then I had already made up my mind. I was tired of feeling like I had been hit in the chest with a speeding baseball, time and time again.

Anyway, my point is, now that Noah is on formula and solid food, I actually get a few minutes of free time to rush around and do things! He has been holding his own bottle for months now, so while he's happily busy drinking, I can do a few things like:

• go pee (I do this regardless, fear not)
• take out the garbage
• put on a load of laundry
• fold/put away laundry
• sit and drink tea or coffee while it's still hot
• water my orchids
• dust what I can

Of course, there are still about 700 other things to do, but dude, you gotta celebrate the little victories too. ;) 

Noah in the zone