The Nipple Nosher

Josiah is having his 3 week growth spurt. How do I know? By his dedicated attempt to nurse my nipples into bloody stubbs. Being a highly trained professional (ha), I recognize the signs of a growth spurt in progress and am not panicked by his seemingly insatiable appetite. I know this is when inexperienced, first time moms run for the phone in tears to their OB, pediatrician, LLL leader, fill in the blank whatever, about how breastfeeding is not working because the baby is hungry ALL the time. Does this in any way make the experience easier for me? No. After nursing him for over an hour last night (visiting each breast, twice) he continued to fuss, where before he would have settled down to sleep. Not wanting to compromise my tissue integrity (ie. develop sore nipples) and satisfied that he couldn't still be hungry (and that even if he was, my breasts were, for the time being, empty) I opted to hold him in my arms and let him cry. I didn't have the heart to abandon him to his cold lonely crib. He cried about 15 minutes, then slept till morning. This morning he again nursed over an hour while my nipples screamed for lanolin cream. I had forgotten how much fun growth spurts can be.