Got Milk?

It turns out I'm an overachiever, at least an over-producer... when it comes to breast milk. Not a bad thing really except that I've been having such a hard time getting the little munchkin to feed without the nipple shield. The bad thing about it is I may have to pump before I try and feed Amelia as not to overwhelm her with milk. Who knew?

So now the issue is trying to wean Amelia from nipple shield. After having spent over a week using the prosthetic, I knew I didn't want to have to use it for the next 6-8 months or longer, depending on how long I breastfeed Amelia. I tried to find someone at UCLA who could help me but it turns out once you leave the hospital, they don't really have any lactation services available. In retrospect, I should have stayed in the hospital another night, if for no other reason than to have someone help me with the ever elusive latch.

This morning, after having a difficult and frustrating night, I called various other places and lucked out with UCLA's other hospital, the Birth Place, right here in Santa Monica. They have several lactation staff (5 to be exact) who moonlight on the side. Luckily one of those women was available to see me today. For $30 an hour (compared to $130 at the Pump Station), Debra, the super duper lactation lady, came to my house around 2:30 and showed me how to get Amelia to feed.

She spent the next 2 hours with me and I had high hopes for future nursing efforts. Of course it's always easier when the expert is right there with you! The next few feedings were more successful than they had been in the past but not as smooth as it had been with Debra. It turns out, I really need a third hand.

Thankfully, I have Eric... with his help, I was able to get her to latch on. He holds one of Amelia's hands while I practice the techniques Debra taught me. It must look kind of funny to an onlooker--two grown adults trying to get one little baby breastfeed!