Is there anything you'd do differently next time?
I would not use a pacifier.
What did you enjoy most about breastfeeding?
When my daughter was born, I wanted to breastfeed her as soon as possible. She was frank breech, and despite an inversion attempt, she could not be turned. So, I had a c-section. As soon as we were returned to the labor and delivery room, my daughter and I were given some time to try breastfeeding . I couldn't hold her right because of the anethesia, but with my husband's help, a very hungry baby was able to breastfeed. It was incredible how she just seemed to know where to go and what to do. I still breastfeed her despite problems at first, so, everything worked out fine in the long run.
What was the hardest part of breastfeeding?
The first night in the hospital my husband couldn't stay with me because I was not in a private room, but I got up with all of my IV lines behind me and picked up my daughter and nursed her every time she cried. All things said and done we were doing well.
The next night I was in a private room and my husband could stay with me. I later learned that he wanted to let me sleep more and had not woken me up a few times when my daughter cried. If I had known at the time, I would have told him to stop. As a result, our daughter would cry a great deal, and my nurse suggested using a pacifier. The nurse told us that the pacifier would not interfere with breastfeeding. The nurse was wrong. Our daughter became confused and would scream for hours instead of breastfeeding. By the end of our stay, my baby had become dehydrated and needed supplemental formula and an extra day at the hospital.
I ended up using a formula supplementer while breastfeeding for the next three weeks. It was a pain, and I nearly gave up breastfeeding entirely because I was already having to prepare formula every time I fed the baby. Then I decided to stop using the supplementer completely.
Tips and Tricks
- Do what you think is best for your baby.
- Get a second opinion if something doesn't seem to be working.
