Nursing Twins: Thoughts on a year

We have made it to the one year mark of nursing with Ali and Sammy!  I am thrilled we were able to breastfeed as long as we have.  I wrote about my tips for nursing newborns previously, and fortunately nursing has gotten easier and faster since that point in time.

Before I get too into talking about nursing, I want to say that I really do believe fed is best.  I am so happy we have been able to nurse as long and as well as we have.  This is my experience and so that is what I am able to talk about.  That doesn't mean this is everyone's experience, and it does not mean it is the only way to feed babies.  There are lots of factors that going in to nursing and formula feeding, and every family has to do what is best for them.

When we started nursing the girls took a long time to eat.  Fortunately by about six months on the girls have only taken about 5-10 minutes to nurse.  The first and last sessions of the day are the longest, which is to be expected.  They are hungry when they wake up and more tired at night.  We were still nursing five times a day.  This doesn't quite fit into the traditional babywise schedule, and ignores the eat play sleep cycle before the afternoon nap.  I mention this because a common babywise myth is that you have to follow all the rules, it is very black and white.  And this is so not the case.  We adjusted the schedule to fit our needs, making it work for us instead of the other way around.  A concern with nursing before sleep time is that it will become a prop for baby, making it hard for them to fall asleep any other way.  I haven't found that to be the case with my girls.  I made sure to nurse in a different room, and just moving to the bedroom woke them up enough if they had fallen asleep.  Like I said, it worked for us.

I found I liked having more nursing sessions during the day because it took some pressure off.  With Ben, if he had a bad nursing session, it was easy to add in another one to make up for it.  With two babies and a toddler, it isn't always so easy to get off schedule.  More frequent feedings meant it was easier to make up for any poor sessions.  It gave less of a chance for the girls to get too hungry and need additional nursing.  It also allowed me to worry less about timing.  We could stretch nursing sessions out a bit if we need to and the girls would be just fine.

I actually have used my nursing pillow for the whole year.  I have the My Best Friend Twin Deluxe Nursing Pillow, and I love it.  I was never that into a nursing pillow with Ben, but with the girls I love it.  I found it worthwhile to even take it in the car with us if we would be gone through a nursing session.  I think it helped the girls settle into eating time by having a designated place that was just for eating.  It helped me feed them both at the same time.  Once they got pretty quick at eating dual nursing wasn't as much about saving time.  But it was so helpful to have both babies occupied at the same time.  That left just Ben free, and he could handle that.  It also let me have my hands free, which is a huge perk!  I was able to help the girls out if needed, referee their fights, and still help Ben if he brought things to me.  I highly recommend getting a good nursing pillow if you have twins.  It has been worth every penny.

A change we did make to our nursing style was to switch to only nursing on the floor.  Around seven months old the girls started to get antsy if they were done eating before their sister.  Before that they would just hang out and snuggle, but after seven months they wanted to get back to playing!  Never ones to just sit back and wait, they quickly learned how to roll off the pillow and get back to playing.  By sitting on the floor they are, of course, closer to the ground if they suddenly roll over.  I am able to help them down easily and they can get back to playing.  It sounds a bit strange, but it works!

We have been very fortunate in that we didn't have any major issues with nursing.  One thing that did come up is biting.  Both the girls did bite a few times.  There are a few big ways to deal with biting.
1) Yelp.  This one works well because it can be an honest reaction to getting bitten.  The idea is to startle the baby into letting go, and hopefully getting them to realize that biting hurts you.  I didn't want to try this with the girls because I didn't want to scare whomever wasn't biting.  And overall it just isn't my favorite technique.
2) Smoosh.  When baby bites you smoosh them into you.  This works with the body's natural response system.  If you try to pull something out of someone's mouth, they will bite down harder.  But if you push in the natural response is to let go to get whatever you have in your mouth out.  (It also kind of makes it hard for baby to breathe, so they let go.)  This worked well with Ben.  He quickly figured out he would get a giant head hug if he bit me and didn't bite.  However with both girls on the nursing pillow I couldn't quite get the angle right for this method to work.
3) Stop feeding.  This one worked for us.  If one of the girls bit me I would stop her sessions and put her down.  I would let the non biter finish, then finish up the biter.  So in reality the offender only had to wait a few minutes to get back to her meal, but it was long enough.  My girls did not like wanting to eat and not being able to.  It took a few times of biting, but the girls quickly figured out biting equals no more food.  This worked well for my babies.

Another change that took place after seven months was that I stopped worrying about who at from which side at each meal.  Before that I would have each girl stick to one side a day.  Once we started solids consistently and they each ate quickly, it really seemed like it didn't matter which side they were on.  I would pay attention to it if one of the girls seemed to be having a string of short meals, but overall they were pretty consistent.  I think this is a bonus of having identical twins- they tend to have similar appetites.

A time when nursing behaviors did change was during teething.  This was when, despite being identical as I just mentioned, personality differences really came out.  Ali was all about nursing when she was teething hard.  She didn't like to eat solids and just wanted milk.  Sammy on the other hand did not want to nurse much during these times.  She wanted the solid food to gnaw on.  If I noticed this happen I would pay attention  to which side the girls ate on and switch back and forth to maintain supply in both breasts.

Okay, so I realize some of this makes it sound like nursing twins has been a breeze.  We have had a great go of it.  Oh, there were a few minor hiccups, but overall it was just a natural as breathing.  Yeah... this is not always the case.  As I said I am thrilled that we have made it a year with nursing.  But I don't want to be putting pressure on other moms to feel they have to do the same.  I honestly am not sure we would have made it as far if I wasn't with the girls all day every day.  I didn't have to worry about pumping or bottle feeding.  I could make adjustments to the girls eating schedule as needed, and I could be sure that I maintained supply through consistent nursing.  There are many factors that make nursing hard, and twins just add to that.  I do think babywise and having a schedule helped out.  It helped me make sure nursing was a priority.  I started hoping to go just a few weeks nursing exclusively, then a few months, then a few more.

And now here we are at a year.  It wasn't always pretty.  Any nursing mom can tell you that it isn't all sunshine and roses.  Oh yes, there are moments where you feel so connected to your baby as they peacefully nurse.  But then there are moments where you wonder why you are doing this.  The girls grab at me, leaving little bruises and scratches from their tiny fingers and finger nails.  They mess with each other.  Sometimes accidentally, bumping each other or swinging an arm around.  Sometimes on purpose, reaching out to touch each other's faces or grab at each other's meals.  (Yes, I've tried to explain to babies that they are separate systems.  You don't get more if your sister doesn't get to eat!  I don't think they believed me.;) )  It can be emotionally hard to nurse twins.  There are times when I have to comfort one baby while the other eats happily.  It if physically awkward to pick one girl up and not disturb the other.  It is very hard when both of them are unhappy.  I mean, who do you comfort first?  It isn't necessarily any easier when they take turns being upset either.  It can be mentally draining.  I think for nursing even a single baby it can be tough to take just sit and focus on feeding.  At the beginning I counted, and I would literally spend eight hours or more of my day just nursing babies.  As someone who likes to be doing things, it is tough to remember that you are doing something, just by sitting there.  Two babies means even more to be done- more laundry, more messes to clean up, more to do.  I really had to work to remember that I am being productive and taking care of my family by sitting still and nursing.  Thankfully the girls eat quickly now, so that part for sure got easier.  I don't want to scare anyone out of trying to nurse their twins.  But I do want anyone going through it to know they aren't alone when they think, This is hard.  It is, and any unhappy thoughts you have about it are normal.  But it is worth it.

There are moments in nursing twins that you just have to laugh.  Our sessions sometimes look like something you would see in a viral facebook video.  This is how it goes down.  I get one girl and bring her over to the nursing spot.  I leave her sitting on the floor with a toy, hoping she will stay put.  Sometimes she does, score.  Usually not.  I go and get the other sister, and put her in the nursing spot.  I go and get the girl who crawled away already.  I remember to take down the gate between the living room and the hallway so Ben can get where he needs to be.  I try to grab my phone, some water, and anything else I will need in case the girls decide to settle in for a long feed.  I grab my nursing pillow and put it on.  I get one girl (they have both crawled away by now), and put her back in the nursing spot.  I quickly grab the other escapee and manage to sit down.  I get one girl on the pillow, and then the second.  They nurse.  Once they are finished they launch themselves into a roll, with absolutely no concern about the fact that they are about a foot off the floor and will fall right on their face.  I manage to control the fall and help them get down to the floor.  I try to entertain whomever is done first, especially if the gates aren't up.  I try to encourage the slow eater to eat faster, then feel guilty for telling a baby to chug.  First finisher gets bored and starts to get away from me.  Second baby finishes and launches herself off.  I quickly remove the pillow and scramble to get all the gates back in place while redressing.  It can be a to-do.  Some days you just have to laugh (and be grateful there usually aren't witnesses to the madness).

Let's talk gear.  As I said, I adore my nursing pillow.  Love love love it, would recommend it to all twin moms.  That was the main thing I have needed over the past year of nursing.  I have found it helpful to always layer a tank top under a top shirt.  This way you can take off the top shirt and just pull down the tank to  nurse, leaving your stomach covered.  If you nurse in public and would like you can use a cover, but really with nursing two babies at once everything is all out there.  I even just use a regular bra, because everything is out when nursing two.  This does save some money, nursing tanks and bras can get pricey!

The pros of nursing twins? You need less stuff.  You can take care of both babies at once.  The food is always ready, always formulated to your baby, and with you wherever you go.  My favorite- it's free!  The cons? It takes time.  It can be hard to get away from your babies.  You are always on call.  It can be emotionally and mentally draining.  Oh, and you can get bit.

Overall, I don't think I would change a thing with how nursing my girls has gone.  Okay, not true.  I would totally eliminate the biting if I could.  Other than that I think it has been a great run.  I know nursing isn't for everyone.  And nursing twins can be twice the pressure.  (Two babies needing you all the time for basic nutrition!)  I want to encourage other twin moms to do what is best for them. I think one of the most important things for a baby is a healthy mom.  But if nursing is the way you want to go know that it is possible!  You can do it, twin moms!

-Kim

Please comment with your tips and experiences other moms!  (with singletons and multiples!)  Any twin moms have any questions?  I'm here to help if I can!

Nursing twins

When I found out I was pregnant for the second time I was thrilled, but pretty relaxed about things.  I mean, we had done this baby thing once before.  Sure, things would be different with two kids.  It would be totally doable though.  No big deal.  Then I found out we were having twins.  Oh my, that sent me straight back into research mode like when I was pregnant with Ben.  This time it was all about two babies at once.

You can find a lot of information about twins online, but one area I had a hard time finding information on was nursing twins.  I nursed Ben, and I knew I wanted to at least give nursing the girls a shot.  I found a lot of information saying nursing twins was possible.  I found a bit of information on how to hold the babies to nurse them.  But honestly beyond that I felt a bit lost.  It was very frustrating.  Nothing beats having an actual person talk to you face to face about how to go about nursing twins.  I can't do that for most people, but I thought I could at least toss some tips out there to hopefully help some ladies out.

1) Find a real live person to talk to.  I am blessed in that my wonderful sister in law also has twins.  She sadly lives nine hours away though.  She had a lot of great advice, but something that was super helpful was attending a 'Surviving Multiples' class my hospital offered.  We were the only people in the class, which was awesome because we got to really focus in on my questions.  The woman who taught the class had a set of twins and a set of triplets.  She knew things.  She brought a nursing pillow and a couple of dolls with her to the class so I could practice a couple of holds.  With Ben I didn't take any nursing classes.  I read the books and thought we would figure it out together, which we did.  But with two babies I wanted to have a better idea of what I would be facing before even starting.  That helped build my confidence.

2) Nurse the babies one at a time at first.  Yes, nursing them together saves time.  But nursing a sleepy newborn is tough.  I mean really, trying to keep such a tiny person awake can take your whole focus! Two at once is even harder.  Add to that you are recovering from birth, have hormones flying, and are exhausted.  One at a time is a little more peaceful.  It also lets you focus in on just one sweet baby at a time, giving you both a chance to feel more bonded.  There is also the practical aspect that a newborn baby can have a hard time holding herself on to the breast and keep sucking.  Focus on each baby individually so they can get a full feed and really learn what they are doing.

3) Nurse the babies at the same time.  What I mean by this is nurse one, then immediately nurse the other.  The one piece of advice I heard all the time after telling people about the girls was to get them on a schedule.  I am all about having a reliable pattern to our days, so getting the girls on a schedule was a huge goal of mine.  Well that can never happen if they are eating at all different times.  Eating at different times means sleeping at different times.  Having one newborn is chaotic enough, I didn't want to have to deal with two completely different schedules.  Luckily newborns are very sleepy, so the girls didn't usually notice one was eating and one wasn't.  Plus they got used to having a slight offset in their eating (about 15-30 minutes) which actually made nighttime feedings earlier.  I couldn't promise that one baby would want to eat just because her sister did, but I would at least offer.

4) Nurse frequently.  This is important to establish and keep up supply, especially in the early days.  I think it is even more important with twins.  As I said it is hard to keep newborns awake to eat, which makes it hard for them to get a full feeding.  This leads to them being hungry again sooner, which leads to you doing nothing but feeding your baby all day.  And yes, I am saying to do that with two babies.  But just as it is hard to keep a newborn awake to eat, it is even harder knowing that a second baby is waiting to eat too.  At least for me, it was tough mentally to know my baby was waiting to eat.  If the girl I was nursing went to sleep and wouldn't wake up, I would switch to the other girl, even if the first maybe should have had more.  I don't mean that I let the girls go hungry or not eat enough, just that they didn't eat enough to last three hours.  They would need to eat sooner than that.  (Three hours is the common length of time you hear to have between feedings.)  Knowing I had two to feed and not wanting to have hungry crying babies, I tried to stay ahead of the big hunger and fed them every two to two and half hours.  Yes, you really do just feed babies all day.  For me the mental part of that was hardest.  But settle in, line up some shows on the dvr, and try to enjoy all the couch time.  It feels like forever while you are in this stage, but it really is just a couple of weeks.

5) When you feel ready, nurse the girls at the same time.  It took me about a month to reach this point.  I'm sure it varies, but for my girls at about a month old they could hold on and nurse properly without needing as much assistance.  They also stayed awake to eat without as much help needed from me.  Nursing the girls at the same time saves so much time.  Around this point the girls started having some really longer nursing sessions, sometimes about an hour.  With both of them going at the same time I was only couch bound for that hour at a time, not two.  Plus nursing both at once means you are taking care of both at once.  This is helpful because most woman at this point are starting to have the kids on their own.  No need to entertain one baby while one eats.  Transitioning to nursing at the same time should be pretty easy timing wise.  The girls were already used to eating at the same time in that I would feed one then immediately the other.  I didn't have to switch one up or try to come up with a new schedule to fit both, they were already there.

6) Get a nursing pillow!  I never liked nursing Ben with a nursing pillow.  This is kind of funny because we ended up with four boppies from nice friends and family.  They got used, but never for actual nursing.  I don't know how I would nurse the girls without my pillow.  It is huge, it is cumbersome, but it is awesome.  I have the My Brest Friend Twin pillow.  Yes, the name is terrible.  But it really is a great product.  I hook it around me like a belt and the girls can both lay on it in the football hold.  (Heads toward the middle, feet in my armpits.)  The pillow slants in a bit, so if the girls do wiggle or slide they slide into me.  Yay safety!  I love it because I am kind of hands free while nursing.  Yes, sometimes they need help for positioning, but I don't have to actively hold them the whole time.  If you have older kids this is a must.  I can help Ben with things.  He can bring me books to read.  I keep a water bottle nearby to refill his sippy.  I can read and play on my phone.  (I know that can be frowned upon, but really.  I nursed those girls literally for over 7 hours a day at the beginning, we bonded.) It also means I can wipe up spit up and drool.  I can help one baby while the other eats away happily.  All in all my nursing pillow is one of my favorite twin products.  They are a little pricey, but so so worth it.


7) Be prepared for nursing to be hard.  Yes, nursing can always be hard, but you have two babies you are feeding with twins.  You are feeding from both sides every time.  This means if one nipple starts to hurt you can't give it a break, you have to power through.  It means instead of two little hands grabbing and pinching you there are four.  Nursing both babies at once is awesome, but it means if one spits up and the other is still eating you end up messy.  For the first four months of nursing I would end up with spit up and milk all over me basically every day.  That is mentally hard.  It isn't fun to feel stuck in that newborn phase of wearing bodily fluids.  But with two babies nursing it is hard to get a cloth in and catch spit up.  Then there are those times when babies can be fussy over nursing.  They may cry, latch and let go, pinch at you, etc.  And with twins that is double.  It is so doable to nurse twins.  And honestly in the grand scheme of things I have it really easy with my girls, but in the moment it is still hard.

8) Know how you feel about having formula in the house.  We got the usual set of sample cans in the mail.  Some people do better at nursing by having no access to formula.  It means they don't have a choice in how to feed their baby, they have to nurse.  That is great if that works for you.  I prefer to have a can in the house.  I feel more at ease knowing that if for some reason nursing just does not work we can still feed our babies.  This allows me to relax and keep trying in the beginning.  Fortunately it didn't take too long to reach the point where nursing seems so much easier than mixing up formula.  I still feel better knowing we have a back up plan.  Know yourself and plan accordingly.

9) Know how you feel about nursing in public.  I know women are allowed to nurse anywhere.  I think that is wonderful and how it should be.  Babies need to eat, and there is nothing indecent about a woman feeding her child.  However, I personally am not overly comfortable with that.  I wasn't very comfortable doing so with Ben without being covered, and that is just fine.  With twins, well, it is even harder to cover up.  Let's just say everything is out there the whole time.  Again, I think it is awesome if women want to nurse in public places and they should have every right to.  It just isn't my cup of tea.  Because of that I make sure to plan ahead to either nurse at home or somewhere else I can be private.  I aim to be home most of the time, the nursing pillow is kind of annoying to schlep around.  Babies nurse a lot, especially in the newborn days.  It is important to know how you feel about nursing on the go so you can plan you days and let others know why you may not be out and about so much.

10)  Eat and drink!  This is even more important when you are feeding two babies.  I have never drank so much water in my life as these past few months nursing the girls.  You are providing all the nutrients two human beings need.  Take care of yourself so you can take care of your twins.

11) Set small goals.  I am hoping to make it to a year with nursing my twins.  I don't want to set myself up to feel disappointed if we don't make it that far though.  There are so many reasons why nursing might not work out, and having twins just adds to that list.  I try to set small goals for myself.  At first it was just to make it to a month.  Then three months.  Now I am aiming for six months.  I know a lot of women beat themselves up if they don't nurse as long as they think they 'should.'  There is a ton of mom guilt as it is, there is no need to add to that.  Nursing is hard, especially at the beginning.  It can be very daunting to think you are the sole source of food for not just one but two babies.  Having small goals makes it seem more doable and takes some pressure off.

Bonus tip!  A lot of people who have nursed want to know about the how of rotating the babies.  With one baby you generally feed on one side, switch, then start with the second breast next feeding.  With my twins each girl gets one side per day.  They get their whole meal from that side.  Yes, your body can make enough to do that.  If one girl didn't want to eat much at one meal, she didn't get stuck getting all fore milk all over again by switching breasts at each meal.  She could kind of pick up where she left off.  This method of feeding the girls ended up working really well!  Just make note of who is on what side each day, it is surprisingly easy to forget!

These are my biggest tips for nursing twins.  The beginning can be hard.  We are over five months into this thing now and I am happy to say we are in the time where the thought of bottle feeding seems way harder than just nursing.  It is different than nursing just one.  You have to play referee between the girls sometimes, you have four little hands grabbing at you instead of two, and it is way messier than just nursing one.  (Stock up on burp cloths.)  But it is also so amazing.  You get to hold and cuddle two sweet babies at the same time.  You get to save double the money.  I am happy I am providing for my girls the best that I can.

Having twins can bring up a lot of challenges, but nursing doesn't have to be one of them.  If it is something you want to do, try!

-Kim

You can check out some ways to save money breastfeeding here.

Breastfeeding and Money Saving

I know, another breastfeeding post.  What can I say?  I read a lot of parenting sites and blogs and breastfeeding awareness is all over them right now.  Besides the health benefits for mom and baby, there is another reason why I think breastfeeding is best.  For Pat and I, it was a pretty big reason.

It's cheaper.

Yes, we make a number of parenting decisions based on cost.  Not all, but if all other things are equal, we go for the cheapest option.  Now, notice I said breastfeeding is cheaper.  It isn't as free as we would like to think.  Oh sure, it could be.  All you need is you and the baby.  Realistically it takes a few more items than that.  I think I managed to find ways to not spend too much money on breastfeeding accessories, so I thought I would pass on a couple tips to anyone who may want to read them.

If you aren't interested, here is a cute picture of Ben peeking out of his crib.  I promise to update on his latest shenanigans soon.

I see you!

On to the tips:

1.  Breast pumps.  Breast pumps are supposed to be supplied by insurance now.  Honestly, I have no idea how this works exactly.  This came about after Ben was born.  I'm sure like most things with insurance this means some people get awesome pumps, some not so much.  It is possible to get pumps used.  I was lucky enough to get one from a friend of my cousin.  Now yes, this voids any warranties on the pumps.  It is considered a medical device and therefore single person use.  You sterilize all the parts before you use it though, so if it is something you are comfortable with, try to purchase a used one or get one from someone who is finished with theirs.  I was able to get extra parts from my sister in law as well.  Score!

2.  Nursing bras and tanks.  I personally found nursing bras and tanks to be, well, a waste.  When you first start nursing it is so much easier and better to just have skin to skin with your baby, so you end up taking everything off anyway.   A really good nursing bra can be expensive.  Same with nursing tanks.  I found it worked just as well to use bras and tanks I already had and just pull them out of the way.  Yes, this does stretch them out over time.  But personally I wear tanks to layer almost every day, so I tend to purchase new ones every year or so.  Getting new ones after my breastfeeding ones are stretched out isn't an additional purchase.  Also, I didn't want to spend too much money on items I know I would only need for a short period of time.  After nursing almost everyone needs a few new bras and clothing items.  I would rather save my money for ones that I will hopefully wear for a longer period of time than I am nursing.

3.  Breast pads.  Now, this will not work for all women.  Some women leak a lot, some not so much.  I looked into breast pads, and they can add up quick.  This alternative is going to sound a little, iffy I guess could be a word.  But here it is- paper towels.  Yep, I just folded up paper towels and put those in my bra.  With a thicker bra you can't tell by looking.  If I had to look nice or wanted to be extra sure I wouldn't leak, the pads are best.  For just hanging around the house and not wanting to be a mess?  Paper towels work for a lot less money.

4.  Lotions, lanolin, etc.  I got samples of these items at practically every baby event I went to.  Prenatal classes, BabiesRUs events, hospital tour.  They all offered little samples of nipple creams and lotions.  Grab as many of those as you can.   Then wait and see if you need more or prefer a certain type.

5.  Milk storage.  I am fortunate that I am able to nurse Ben ninety nine percent of the time.  I don't have to worry about storing a lot of milk for him to have when I'm not around.  I did want to have some in the freezer so I would have the option to bottle feed him if the need arose.  Instead of spending money on milk storage bags, I got some ice cube trays and froze them in little cubes.  Fill the tray and pop them in the freezer for a few hours until frozen.  Then take them out of the tray, wrap them in freezer wrap, and store them in freezer bags.  It is a few extra steps, but it is cheaper than buying milk storage bags.  One big thing here is that this probably only works if you don't bottle feed very often.  Cubes of milk are a lot bulkier in your freezer than the bags which can store flat.  The cubes also only give you approximate measurements.  It worked well for us though.

These are the biggest things I found that helped save us even more money while breastfeeding.  I hope this can be useful to anyone who is looking to save some money while breastfeeding.  I know I am using this post to help myself remember these things if Pat and I decide to have a second child.  Any little bit of savings can help, especially with all the costs a baby brings.If anyone has any additional ideas or tips, please let me know!

 -Kim

Thankful Thursday: Breastfeeding

Yes, this is probably an awkward post for some people.  It isn't something I discuss frequently because, well, it is very personal. But it is National Breastfeeding Awareness week, so I thought I would touch on it.

I admit I was hesitant to write anything about this.  I think breastfeeding is the healthiest way to feed a baby.  I am very thankful that Ben and I have been able to share a nursing relationship.  He was a good eater right from the start.  I know that isn't always the case.  The one thing I worry about with all this emphasis on breastfeeding is that it will hurt the women who choose not to, or are unable to.  There are many women who decide not to breastfeed.  Honestly I feel that is their decision and that I am not one to tell them to do otherwise.  I don't know them, I don't know their situation.  A newborn eats a lot.  All the time, a lot.  Any way you feed that child, bottle or breast, is time consuming and tiring.  Support should be given to all mothers and fathers, regardless of how they choose to feed their baby.

That being said, I am thankful I am able to nurse Ben.  I do think, after the initial learning curve, it is so much easier.  I never have to pack bottles to go anywhere, I carry them all the time. ;)  I didn't have to prepare anything in the middle of the night, just stumble into Ben's room.  True, this meant that Pat wasn't able to help with middle of the night feedings, but we got through them.  I prefer to nurse privately, so that means planning around Ben's nursing when going out.  But really, it isn't that hard to do.  The trade off for that is knowing that I am feeding Ben something that is perfectly healthy for him.  I was super excited when Ben started solids, but during these times where he refuses to eat vegetables it is so nice to know he is still getting complete nutrition.  Of course I am thankful for the money saved by nursing.  Formula is expensive!  It has really helped to not have to pay for that this past year.

I am very thankful that I have been able to nurse Ben for the past year.  I feel lucky and blessed to have had family and friends that were and are so supportive of nursing and my goals for Ben.  It would have been so much harder without that support.  I am thankful I have been able to achieve a parenting goal, and I am thankful that I have been able to give Ben what I consider to be the best start on life when it comes to nutrition.  I am thankful I could breastfeed my son.

 -Kim