What made you decide to breastfeed your child?
I would love to share my story about breastfeeding! My first baby was born by c-section because of fetal distress. I had made up my mind that I wanted to breastfeed. However, I had trouble. The next year, I had a baby girl. This time, I was doubly determined to breastfeed.
Is this the first child you've breastfed?
I have breastfeed 4 beautiful children, two of them into toddlerhood!
What did you enjoy most about breastfeeding?
I am an educator, and I work in a high school. There are times when I meet young ladies who are pregnant, and I try to encourage them the best way I can to love their bodies, love their babies, and to breastfeed as long as they can. If they will listen, I tell them my story, so they will know that, although it can be challenging, it is so much better for them and their baby if they breastfeed.
What was the hardest part of breastfeeding?
The nursing staff did try to help, but my son was not gaining enough weight. They didn't tell me this, but he was given bottles in the nursery. When I arrived home with my baby, I tried nursing him, but he didn't know how to suck, and I wasn't sure how to help him latch on. He would become frustrated and begin sucking on his fingers and fall asleep. I didn't know that he was nipple confused. My husband and I thought, "Well, when he is hungry, he will eat." In the hospital, the lactation consultant told me that breastfeeding wasn't supposed to hurt. So, when my son did finally latch on and it hurt, I thought I was doing it wrong, and I stopped. Eventually, my son lost so much weight, that I had to switch to the bottle. That was kind of sad for me, but the story does get better. The next year, I had a baby girl. This time, I was doubly determined to breastfeed. I arrived at the hospital in active labor, but I had enough presence of mind this time to tell everyone I came in contact with, "I am breastfeeding - Do not give my baby a bottle." This year, I was able to keep my daughter with me in our room, and I was able to nurse her. Did it hurt? Yes, for just a few days. I allowed her to self-wean, and she chose her sippy cup over the breast at 11 months. After my third pregnancy, I was blessed with another boy. Again, there was the threat of fetal distress, but he was born naturally. I went into labor at 3p.m., arrived at the hospital at 4p.m. and 9cm dialated, and he arrived at 5p.m. I was blessed to breastfeed this child until he was almost 2 years old. Presently, we have been blessed by another girl, a whole 10 years later. I am single, I work full time now, but I am still nursing my spunky 13 month old who, by the way, nurses with a barracuda hold! But she's mine, and I love her.
Tips and Tricks
- Be determined
- Don't let your baby have bottles unless absolutely necessary
- Give your baby the best start breastfeeding you can, even if you face some adversity in your birthing experience. You can turn it around.
- Love your body and your baby!
