Day 13: Relax, you say?

When I was still in the hospital, the nurses kept trying to get me to relax while nursing. Relax? Do you know how hard it is to get this dang baby to latch? I felt like I had to pretzel my body into some sort of pretzel shape with one leg propped up against the bed rail, the other balancing two pillows, in order to get her to stay on there. Or I would hold her up with one arm until my forearm started pulsing from the effort. Getting her to eat was more important to me than my comfort, so I dismissed this advice. After two weeks of feedings, however, it became evident that I could not maintain these contortions forever. I finally found a system of positions and props that allow me to comfortably feed her. But I still find my shoulders hunched and neck straining unless I remind myself to sink back. So sink back... Let your jaw relax... Your eyes and cheeks relax... Your whole face relax... Your shoulders relax down your back... Your belly and back relax... Even your legs…

...relax them. You can think of these feeding times as moments to release tension from your body through this progressive relaxation. It may be awhile before you can sneak away for someone else to do it for you.