Prairie Update (*warning- there is boobage in this post)

I know I am WAY behind in posting this! By like 2 weeks...sorry. Prairie is now 6 weeks old as of January 15th. At her 1 month check-up she was 22 1/4 inches long and weighed 10lbs 1oz! Which is VERY, VERY exciting for us! I have been exclusively breastfeeding Prairie, which is a miracle since I have had the breast reduction surgery and nearly 4lbs of my breast tissue was removed. Most BFAR (breastfeeding after reduction) moms are not able to exclusively breastfeed and have to supplement with formula. So the fact that I have not had to supplement and Prairie is gaining exactly what she needs to is amazing. I feel so blessed!

 Baby girl at 1 month

 She is so big already!

 Happy milk drunk baby :)

You know those breast feeding pictures you always see in books, posters, and pamphlets talking about the benefits of breastfeeding, breastfeeding support, etc.? The ones with the adorable baby latched perfectly onto an average-sized, perky boob? They make breastfeeding look like the most natural, easy, and satisfying thing in the world. Don't get me wrong, breastfeeding is satisfying, but it is definitely NOT easy and nor does it come naturally for many women. With Gabriel he had a tied tongue, I have flat nipples and large breast, and this led to many breastfeeding problems (along with the fact the the hospital LC advised me to give him a bottle after feeding instead of helping me address his latch issues, which at the time I didn't realize was the problem). I never had that peaceful feeding experience, he never did manage to perfect his latch, and by 6 weeks he was done at the breast. 

Luckily, Prairie does not have the tongue tie, my boobs are smaller now, and I have a lot more patience, support, and knowledge this time around. The first 2 weeks sucked, by the 3rd week she latched properly and ate well most of the time, but it wasn't until the end of 5 weeks that we really got good at breastfeeding. I'd say she latches properly 94% of the time and no longer takes 1 1/2hrs to feed. 

This is my "poster" picture....and I'm proud of it because it's real. Not everybody has convenient-sized boobs that don't have to be propped up during feedings, not every baby learns as quickly, and not all moms can 100% breastfeed. I am 100% for breastfeeding, but all of that positive pro-breastfeeding propaganda can be misleading to first-time moms or those attempting breastfeeding for the first time. It takes work, determination, and support from loved ones to maintain a successful breastfeeding relationship with your child.