on my own

I'm still struggling on with breastfeeding. I've tried the La Leche league (got advice but no visit), the Association of Breastfeeding mum (ditto) and NCT - have a number but no one's there, and Breast buddies - left a message but no response. It's rather frustrating that there's all this theoretical help but not so much in practice.

However, I've had a minor breakthrough today. I tried a different sort of nipple shield and she latched on and ate. Prior to that, she'd latched on without it and had a little bit so she does still know what to do. I think I'm just going to have to be patient.

More positively, I weighed myself out of curiosity this morning and have lost a stone and a half in the last 4 weeks without trying to at all. I'm going to have to watch that I'm eating properly as I'm aware that Rosie is so demanding that I miss breakfast and am probably eating less that I ought to since I'm still expressing/theoretically breastfeeding.

Also, I've managed to get out of the house twice! Once on monday to the surestart centre where I went to a breastfeeding clinic which was helpful (i realised I've been forcing Rosie's head towards me which she doesn't like) and her baby weighing clinic - she's now back to her birth weight which is great news.

Today I made it into town where she was admired by everyone who saw her for her tinyness. We went to Costa Coffee where she got cuddles from a little group of ladies, whilst I drank a hot chocolate and then had her bottle fed to her by one of them who has had 6 children of her own! It was great to get out of the house and I'm feeling more confident about being on my own.