Day 18: The Screamer and 2 things I love

I know you can't tell from the video but Popcorn is a bit of a screamer. She has these crying jags. They aren't super long, but they are long enough, maybe 15 to 20 minutes. I don't want to use the c-word, but I don't know. It's really frustrating but honestly, I feel like nursing brings me emotionally closer to her and helps me function.  This may sound crazy, but breastfeeding clearly defines my goal. I provide sustenance.  No one else can do this. This prevents me from feeling like others aren't doing their share. It may not be like that for other people, but it keeps me grounded when I'm feeling worn thin.  I have a couple of tools to help me cope, my nursing pendant and my slings.

The Seville *drool*

Yesterday, my ring slings from Comfy Joey arrived.  I ordered my slings during Ayesha's (the CJ mama) April Fool's Day sale, before Popcorn was born so I tried to pick gender neutral colors.  I only opened the Marrakech for now. I am only one person with one baby, after all.   I love the color, a warm terra cotta, and the name, a city in Morocco.  Morocco is my number one dream vacation, so it was clearly meant for me. The second sling is Santorini, a deep sea linen.  It is named for the Greek island of Santorini and Greece is my other dream vacation.  Ayesha picks the best names for her slings!  The colors I like are all places I want to visit. I wish I'd ordered the Seville, a spicy olive, though (guess who wants to visit Seville, Spain? Me!!!!). Green is my absolute favorite color but I thought it looked too autumn-y.  Silly me. Oh, well-I guess I'll have to order another in the fall!

Marrakech sling

Santorini sling

I put Popcorn in the sling tonight during her crying jag.  She was refusing to nurse at the time. It wasn't her first time in it. I had her in there while I made dinner, too.  Anywho, she was crying and Lettuce couldn't get her to stop either.  She bobbed around on his chest like she was looking for a nipple, then refusing to nurse when I put her to my chest.  So, I put her in the sing and talked and swayed.  She fussed at first, then quieted down.  I sat down on the couch and she let me nurse her until she fell asleep.  She's still in the sling now, napping quietly.

Nursing in the sling

Finally nodding off

In nursing news, I am still super leaky.  I feel like a milk fountain. The big kids love to point out the wet spots as the appear.  It's annoying and I have to remind myself that it's temporary.  My nursing pads are never ever nearby, but that's my poor planning.

A plus to using the sling is that not only can I nurse in it, the free edge makes a great nursing cover, if that sort of thing interests you.   I personally think my breasts are fantastic and that you haven't lived until you see them.  I'm just kidding.  See how it covers up my upper portion? It's pretty wide so I can drape it over her and have as much coverage as I need.  The fabric is linen, which is breathable.  It can get in the triple digits here in the south, and the heat index is unbearable.  Linen is a natural fiber with a kind of open weave. As far as security, she feels super secure, not like she's going to fall out at all.  The sling came with a DVD to help novice mamas learn how to wear their babies.

Way back when Side Salad was born [4 years ago], I had a pincher on my hands. He'd nurse on one side and want to pinch the other. This was a point of contention for us as I don't like my nipples to be pinched. I heard about the Nurse Purse, the nursing pendant from Lori at Risky Beads, on another blog and decided that it was cheap enough to try out.

NEWS FLASH!! 

I am super frugal and won't buy something unless I know I can use it or it's cheap enough to justify it failing me.

So I order the nurse purse from Lori and it worked like a charm!  You can read about it here.  Then he weaned and I never saw it again.  It's been gone like 2 years.  Right before Popcorn was born, we moved.   Then, literally days before she was born, I found it!  I've been wearing it all the time.  Today, her little roving hands finally found it. It's really smooth and feels warm because I wear it all the time. 

I caught a pic of her holding it.  WARNING: This is a nursing pic! If you offended by my magnificent multitasking bosom, don't scroll down!