On the babywearing

We got a Bjorn and (thanks, Lee) a Mei Tai (on the cheap, from Etsy). So far, so good. B likes the Bjorn. I'm reconciled to it, as long as he's not in it for hours. I prefer the MT - better back support. We'll take both with us on our first trip. But I am hopeful we'll be able to use the Ergo by our late July-August trip.

My informal poll reveals that the infant inserts (Ergo, Beco, etc.) are useless regardless of the size of the baby.

If you're keeping track, we now own four carriers.

I wish I could explain it

Because if I could, I could make big money as a lactation consultant.  But I have no idea what happened.  I was supposed to spend last Friday and Saturday in all-day training sessions.  I was apprehensive about being gone that long, but I was determined to go.  Zack had other plans.  As I was getting ready to leave Friday morning, he was just inconsolable.  Nothing Brent was doing seemed to help.  With both boys at the end of their ropes (at 9 a.m.!), I decided to stay home.  And Z and I spent most of the next 48 hours cuddling.  He took the breast a couple of times, but mostly kept fighting it.  Then at some point on Monday, he just got it!  By Tuesday, he was nursing at every feed with me and even resisting the bottle (fortunately, he still takes a bottle from Daddy and day care). 

We still have a few kinks to work out.  His technique isn't great.  Toward the end, he tends to really chomp down.  Ouch!  And he's incredibly inefficient.  He snacks, then dozes, then snacks, then dozes....  It would be okay if I had nothing to do, but duty calls!  And if last night is any indication, he's not getting enough to sleep through the night.  So I am thinking we will continue to pump/bottle-feed at bedtime.  That means taking the pump with us on our summer vacations.  But I'll probably be happier that way anyway, since it will give me more freedom (Brent and I could go out to dinner, if Georgie and Papa Bill are willing to babysit!).  I just won't have to pump on the airplanes!

I've ordered new supplies -- a My Brest Friend travel pillow and a nursing cover (so the French aren't too horrified).  It's a whole new adventure here!

I've created a monster!

At some point in the last 48 hours, he figured out how to nurse. And now? He. Won't. Stop. More soon!

Updates

Thank you to all who posted replies or sent emails.  The encouragement and sympathy were just what I needed!  I am still pumping 3-5 times a day and feeling mostly better about it.  Z continues to nurse occasionally.  When he does, he's doing a great job getting milk.  But he's still very inconsistent.  We'll have one or two good sessions, then he'll scream bloody murder the next time I try. 

I talked to a lactation specialist a couple of days ago.  This was our fifth consult (after three in the hospital and one after we came home).  She basically said that since his problem isn't really technical (he latches just fine when he wants to) but simply being breast-averse, there's not much she can do.  Her advice was just to keep trying without pressure.  If he fights, stop and give a bottle and try again later. 

So that's where we are ... no magic answer for us.  It's possible if I had spent a week earlier one just lying around doing kangaroo care, he would have figured it out.  But I'm not that patient!  So we'll keep doing what we're doing.  I'm definitely not ready to stop pumping.  My next re-evaluation point is at 12 weeks; though my pattern seems to be that I'm totally ready to give up, but commit to give it a couple of weeks and when the re-evaluation point arrives, I'm fine to keep going. 

He is just a joy ... smiling and playing like crazy, turning in to a real little person right in front of us!