breastfeeding is demanding

One of the things that no one ever told me before I had a baby was that breastfeeding would be one of the most demanding things I had ever done, no...THE most demanding thing I had ever done or would ever do. It totally changes your life, the way you approach leaving the house, the way you look, your schedule, your wardrobe, how and when you sleep and for how long... After the first month I told my friend, Caroline, that I TOTALLY understand why women find any and every excuse/reason to justify why they stop breastfeeding. Realizing how hard it was for me, a SAHM who was bound and determined to BF, I KNEW most women weren't breastfeeding as much as they would lead you to believe (only 17% of women breastfeed exclusively for the first 6 months).

No one told me that:

• I wouldn't wear a dress again for a long long time, unless it was low-cut (which I don't do...)
• It hurts for several weeks even if the baby is latched on correctly.
  
• My nipples would sometimes bleed and I would see blood streaks in my son's poop!
• I would have porn star boobs when I was too full.
• I would feed him every 2 hours for the first 8 months (and everything had to be scheduled with that in mind).
• La Leche league would never return my calls with questions.
• The only way to get any real sleep at night would be to BF in the bed, laying down, half-sleep, most of the night.
• I would leak so much it would soak the bed.
• I couldn't eat certain foods because it would aggravate his reflux.
• Pumping only works if you have an extra 12 hours built in to your day.
• Women will lie about how long they breastfed and whether or not they gave their babies formula.
• My son would refuse a bottle (of pumped breastmilk) at 4 months so pumping would be useless.
  
  
  
  
  
  

I'm still a believer that it was one of the most important things I could have done for my son and and I would begin the 16-month journey again in a heartbeat. I can see the difference in health between a breasftfed baby and one who wasn't. There's a price to pay either way; granted, no child is doomed for life because the mother couldn't breastfeed.

I have no idea how I'll manage breastfeeding twins... but I'm going to steel up and do the hard thing even when it's demanding and inconvenient. I think determination in your mind is 80% of the battle and having support is 10% and just doing the thing is the rest...

What unexpected challenges did you face with breastfeeding?