8 1/2 months in and I am still going strong on the breastfeeding front. I have struggled, I have complained yet I have persevered and now I am entering the home stretch. I wrote a post a little while back about the downsides of breastfeeding, and in that post I complained a bit about some items I had to give up in order safely breastfeed. Now, when I think it through a little more I realize that I am probably healthier for those sacrifices. Think about it? If it’s not good for the kid is it really good for mom?

I have had maybe 3 diet cokes since I found out I was pregnant. Why? Well the caffeine for one, and two, I didn’t want to pass the fake sugar stuff onto my son. But diet coke isn’t really good for people either. So I am probably doing myself a favor!

Coffee? I drank none until about my 7th month of pregnancy. After that I strictly stuck to 1 cup every once in a while. Once Christian was born I had no coffee at all for a long time. I didn’t want the caffeine to affect him. Over time I was so exhausted I had to do something so I gave in and had 1 cup a day. If I wasn’t breastfeeding I am not sure I could control the caffeine intake being that I’m so tired most of the time. Again…I’m probably doing myself a favor!

Alcohol? I still indulge but nowhere close to before. I was so excited to be able to have a drink again my baby was born, but once he was here I didn’t have any because I felt like I would just fall asleep if I had! Also, I worried about the effects it would have on my milk. I didn’t want to be the reason for a fussy baby. Even now I hold back. Pumping and dumping is like losing my liquid gold! So not worth it!

I take a lot less medication, I eat only real sugar and I drink a lot more water. I still eat a lot of processed foods (my bad!), but overall I eat a lot less of the “chemically” stuff than I used to. I have to believe that over all I’m healthier! Although it’s tough to give things up in order to breastfeed, I think in the end I’m better off! Who would’ve thought!?