Midwives rock. Even though I had the New Age, female empowerment variety. :) Still beat out OBs by a mile.

re: the above comment. If you’re having trouble nursing, talk to a consultant or the La Leche League if there’s a branch nearby. A little bruising the first day or two is normal, but cracking and bleeding are almost ALWAYS due to an incorrect latch-on, which can be fixed. Really, you don’t have to just “live with it.”

Congrats!

~this is Dawn Davidson, Chris’s friend, btw.

Nursing was very hard for me, too. I expected the pain of delivery to be all that I would have to deal with. I didn’t expect five months of cracked and sore nipples. It was very hard to be happy when I was dreading every feeding. But I knew that if I stopped, I would heal up and then be stuck using formula and wishing that I had perservered a little longer. The pain will go away eventually and then, when just thinking of nursing isn’t something that causes you to tear up, you’ll be glad you stuck to it. Keep the long-term benefits in mind when you’re in the midst of all these short-term troubles.