Project nursing

I've decided that I'm going to make the transition from exclusively pumping and giving Cameron bottled breast milk to nursing. My milk supply was getting harder and harder to maintain just by pumping and the only way to fix that would be to start nursing. I couldn't keep up the number of pumping sessions per day that I would need to in order to keep my supply up while taking care of a baby who somehow happens to start screaming every single time I sit down to pump. I knew I could continue giving her breast milk for a lot longer if I made the switch so I'm doing it, and I know it's going to be hard and frustrating at first but I'm making the commitment because I just can't stomach the thought of quitting altogether. Cameron had a rough start to her life and the best way I can help her catch up is to breast feed.

Yesterday was the first day and it was rough. Cameron was not liking it at all. I nursed her first at every feeding but I had to supplement with a bottle after almost every session. Today has been totally different though, I have yet to give her a bottle and it's almost 4 o'clock! Once she got used to it she started to do really well. She will still get bottled breast milk probably once or twice a day so Josh has a chance to feed her and to get a fortified bottle along with her vitamins (and maybe so I can have a break) but other than that she will be a nursing baby. I've always wanted so badly to be able to nurse for the bonding experience and I think I'm finally going to get my chance! I had really given up hope on making the switch but I'm putting my head down and doing it. I'm setting small goals so I don't get frustrated and literally taking it feeding by feeding. My goal for the next feed is to nurse her for the whole feed. It's that simple. I've taken that attitude for the whole day and before I knew it, I had solely nursed her for 4 feedings in a row! It's very exciting. But enough about that.

I took some bath pictures last night and as usual couldn't believe how much bigger and chunkier she is looking from the last time I took them! She was smiling in all but one of them and wouldn't you know, it was the only one that came out clear, all the others were so fuzzy, I was really disappointed! But oh well, she has become such a frequent smiler I'm sure I will get the opportunity to catch those precious bath smiles again. I just can't get enough of her smiles, they make me so happy! And as you can see she wasn't being very lady like and since this picture is going to be on the internet I did a little editing. Josh is right behind her but she is very good at keeping herself upright nowadays.

And two other things. First, no she does not have an outie, it's an umbilical hernia. It's gotten much better and they usually close all the way by their kindergarten years. And number two, she is 10 pounds! What a big girl!!