<font color="ff0099">Twiggy</font>
Oh dear. That doesn't sound very feasible at all. I would miss my toddler too if I could only see him for an hour each day.
*hugs*
Actually part of the reason why I won't put him away to childcare is cos I can't imagine not having him around for many hours each day. But the irony kicks in when he irritates the hell out of me.
It doesn't take a pro to learn to BF handsfree, it just takes practice and a nursing pillow that works for you. It's all about experimenting with positioning.
Well, it also helps if the lil one stays still while nursing. Mine has a tendency to stretch alot during sessions, so I still have to keep 1 hand on him in case he stretches until he flops off the nursing pillow. But meanwhile at least I have 1 spare hand for my toddler. 1 hand each, very fair.
I'm also trying hard not to raise any feelings of jealousy in the toddler. Just last week, he came to ask me for a bottle of milk when I was nursing the baby, and I had to tell him to wait cos I can't make formula with 1 hand while nursing the baby. He GRABBED the baby's hair and pulled on it in a fit of anger. Damn, I was at a loss lor. Didn't know if I should scold him (and probably make him blame the baby for getting scolded) or just let it slide. In the end the baby unlatched and cried (duh, pain of course cry lah) and he felt so bad about hurting the baby that he kissed the baby on his own accord. That was the day when I started to read to him during nursing sessions. So he wouldn't feel like I was completely occupied by the baby every 2-3hrs. So far he seems to be taking to it well, and gets all chirpy once he knows it's time for me to nurse bb. Cos it means he gets to read another book!
Regarding spending time with your toddler, any luck to get someone to hold the baby while you bring the big one out for a walk?
Some evenings immediately after nursing, I pass the baby to my hubs and just spend time with the boy. If I'm tired, we'll just go to my room, lie down in bed, and play silly games, sing, or read. (My boy's a bookworm.)
Don't know how well this will work for you, but everything's worth a shot. The babies don't know much right now, let alone be jealous. But the bigger ones... I'm just more concerned about the emotional wellbeing (sense of security, etc etc).
But like you said, things will get better when the baby gets older. Most definitely.
Just hang in there, yah? Early days with a baby is always hardest, isn't it? Steep learning curve.
<font color="ff0099">Re: Leaky boobs</font>
Doesn't it hurt to put masking tape on your boobs?!? Not possible to just wear bra and put the breastpads in them?? Masking tape sounds so... extreme.
Well, on the bright side, leaky boobs phase shall pass too. Once your milk supply stabilises ard 6-8weeks? But then again... if you miss a night feed when bb sleeps longer at night, the leaky issue will return again. I got that alot when #1 was 4-6 mths old. Ain't pleasant, I gotta say.
<font color="ff0099">Pamelia</font>
My hubs does massage the way Mrs Wong taught lor. Sibei painful cos he'll really PRESS while rubbing hor!! Wah, thinking of it my boobs also feel sore.
I realise self-massage is not as effective as having someone else massage for you leh. Cos we cannot apply pressure evenly the same way cos our arms just cannot twist that way lah.
Ask your hubs to massage you when he come home everyday?? Gives him excuse to touch your boobs also.
You can also try massaging with both hands BEFORE you pump/latch. Then continue to rub the lumps during. That's what I do when Hubs not around lah. Then when he come home, i ask him to torture me again. LOL.