Cold chicken balls for breakfast...

It's Sunday 19th February and I have just devoured three cold sweet and sour, battered chicken balls leftover from last night chinese takeaway for breakfast. And I have the cheek to call myself a 'Fithealthymummyblogger' on Instagram. I'm not proud of myself, firstly because that just happened and but also that having a takeaway on a Saturday night is becoming all too frequent in our house.
It's just hard when you are exclusively breastfeeding your baby (I haven't even started expressing milk yet) to actually go anywhere. So having a takeaway once a week feels like a nice treat.

Motherhood is not proving hugely enjoyable at the moment. Rafe's growth spurt doesn't seem to be showing any signs of being over, although he did sleep a six hour stretch last night so you never know (please God!!). He is feeding every hour to every hour and a half during the day still and it feels like when he's not either eating or napping he's super irritable and grouchy, as am I. He does usually have a nap of about two to three hours, where I take the opportunity to workout, tidy the house and make myself look somewhat human but other that it's just feed, feed, feed. Growth spurts are tiring!
It's not that I mind breastfeeding, I feel unbelievably grateful that I have been able to do it and that my boobs seem to produce as much milk as a small herd of Jersey cows, but it's not a particuarly sociable activity. As a stay at home mum it's very essential to get out of the house occasionally and interact with other humans which have mastered the art of talking otherwise you tend to go a little mad! So I have been attempting to be more of a social butterfly and invite my friends/in laws round and get out and about and visit people aswell. But this week all I seem to have done is cancel plans. There's nothing more awkward than going round a friends house only to have to spend the entire time with your boob out feeding your apparently famished baby, I swear all my friends must think I starve him the amount he kicks off for food at the moment. Then as soon as he comes off and I can thankfully regain my modesty he almost immediately wants to feed again, and I have to either jiggle him about, walk around with him or just try and shout over his yelling. Is it normal for a baby to want to feed CONTINUOUSLY?! 

I turned to reliable old Google in order to gain a bit of insight into babies growth spurts and also to see whether maybe Rafe isn't getting enough milk hence the continuous eating. Well apparently a growth spurt can last a couple of weeks (fabulous) and a sleep regression up to six (I'm not sure I will survive that long) and they are separate things. Apparently a lot of babies don't poop much during growth spurts as they absorb nearly everything they take in...er why haven't I experienced this small pro?! Despite being a breastfed baby Rafe poops at least five times per day! Usually two of these tend to be explosive poos that require outfit changes, I go through packs of wet wipes and nappies at break neck speed! But at least this is a good indicator he is getting enough milk aswell. I think maybe he is just a very, very hungry baby! 

It is partly my own fault that I have to deal with this feeding solo. I have got a breastpump, a steriliser and some bottles in the cupboard, I have just been to nervous to actually use them yet, I don't want to let go of soley breastfeeding yet. I have a real love/hate relationship with breastfeeding. I always wanted to do it, just because everyone goes on about how amazing it is for your baby but it definitely has it's downsides. Occasionally I find myself walking round with a wet patch on my top and that dried on milk smell lingering around me (lovely). It's, as a mentioned earlier, not a pleasant activity to engage in, in public places or at friends and families homes. Trying to fumble around, latch your baby on while maintaining your modesty is no easy activity. And the breastfeeding cover/apron device is no easier to work with. Therefore I have largely become a hermit. No no I'm exaggerating (slightly) but it definitely isn't easy to go out.
For some reason breastfeeding in public seems to be massively frowned upon. Yes it's the most natural, and some people might say beautiful, thing in the world but nobody wants to see you doing it. God forbid a woman gets her tits out for anything other than a glamour magazine.

Then on the other hand breastfeeding is also an amazing way to bond with your baby, that time when it's just the two of you and they just look up at you as they feed is really magical.  Plus it's a great way to get your baby back if someone has had hold of them too long (although right now I don't think I would mind too much, this mummy needs a break!) And of course it's massively convenient for night feeds to just be able to whip a boob out rather than having to go and make up a bottle. And they get all the nutrition they need.

I think growth spurts are just difficult times and maybe expressing would be a really good thing for me. I would be able to leave Rafe with Richard and go out solo and possibly most temptingly I would be able to have a couple of glasses of wine! Or maybe a shot of tequila! Before anyone starts worrying I have no intention of being in charge of my baby whilst under the influence of alcohol, I'm not that bad.
Sorry for the negative, ranty post just needed to write everything down before I went insane! Another development for Rafe is that we found out he loves Rock n' Roll music so Bill Haley, Elvis and Little Richard are frequently playing in our house these days! And he very occasionally lets out little laughs and also seems to want to talk to us! All in all very cute! I also weighed him and at the start of the week he was just under 12lbs and he is now 12lb 4 so the constant feeds are at least worthwhile! 
I'll keep you updated on the expressing growth spurt situation. Hope it's over soon.

Jx
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