The breastfeeding holiday

On Monday this week, Zoe and I had a 'breastfeeding holiday'. This basically means staying home, preferably in bed with Zoe for an extended stretch and breastfeeding constantly to build up the milk supply.

We chose Monday because Lovely Husband was working interstate and I felt safer having Zoe in our bed when he wasn't around.

It was really lovely. We just stayed in bed as much as possible, with me only getting up to eat. The breastfeeds went on for long periods of time because I fed her lying down and she just kept sucking for a long time, while I drifted in and out of sleep. As a consequence, I felt more rested than I have in weeks.

From what I've read, this is the most natural way to breastfeed a baby, although totally impractical for most people's lives. At night, she fed constantly from the breast and I was half asleep but always aware of her.

She curled up against my side so she could reach the breast and it was just so lovely to sleep like that. We were both naked (apart from nappy on her!!) so lots of skin to skin contact. I can see why some people are real fans of co-sleeping.

I made sure there were no heavy covers on the bed, just a sheet over my legs but not on her, and my head on pillows with my arm across the bottom of them so she couldn't move up under them. It felt really safe and I checked her pretty regularly to make sure nothing was blocking her face. I would ideally like to do it every night but I don't think it would be so safe with Lovely Husband in the bed. He sleeps heavily and I would be worried he would roll over onto her.

We have a queen size bed, and ideally you need a king size one to carry it off safely.

Anyway, the breastfeeding holiday seems to have worked out well. I have loads of milk at least in the night and early morning and I was leaking it everywhere this morning when she fed at 7 am. We might try it again for 24 hours next week too.

Zoe's next weigh-in is Friday so we can see how things have been going over the last two weeks. I am down to expressing only once or twice a day now. I feel that the added stress of doing it more often that outweighs the benefit. I would much rather breastfeed her an extra time instead of expressing.