Bu – Theresa and William

My breastfeeding story is sweet, simple, and uncomplicated - much like my pregnancies and natural births of my two children. I breastfed my first until we had a mutual separation at 14, 15 months - then we bonded in other ways. I read The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding cover to cover several times, was a card-carrying member of La Leche League of Irving, and had a LLL leader friend in my contacts list whenever I had questions about breastfeeding. I was passionate about breastfeeding, and had such a wonderful experience breastfeeding my daughter; I wondered why more people didn't breastfeed. Of course we had some issues - some engorgement, some sore nipples, pumping issues, weight gain issues. Nothing serious, but learning curves all - but isn't that how things are with children, anyway?

So when I had William, my second, I thought I knew everything I needed to know about breastfeeding. They told me that even if I know how to nurse a baby, that the baby would take some time to learn - and he did. Once he nailed the latch though, there was no turning back. At the time these photos were taken, William was 13 months - he is now 16 months, a busy, happy, healthy boy who always comes back to his mama for milk.

William is an easily distracted baby - his personality is dynamic and loud, so to get him to calm down enough to nurse, I sit in our rocking chair in his room with the lights dimmed, blinds closed, and we nurse. We cuddle and I stroke his cheek. It's one of the sweetest moments in life.

 

 

My favorite breastfeeding memory with William is his word for nursing. In Vietnamese, the word for nursing is "bu" - pronounced "boo." This was one of William's first discernible words, and the way he says it just gets me! It sounds like, "boooo?" in this sweet, high-pitched baby voice. He also signs "milk" while he's nursing. I love these sweet ways he shows me that he understands our breastfeeding relationship, and I look forward to sharing many more of these memories with him as he grows into toddlerhood.

Finally Successful – Tasha’s Story

I had my first child when I was almost 23. I had only seen one woman breastfeed a child, the wife of a business associate of my husband. Needless to say we became fast friends when I found out I was pregnant. I even ended up choosing her obstetrician to have my child. Before meeting her I had never even given a thought to how babies are fed. My mother had my half-sister when I was 9 and she never mentioned anything about milk coming from her breast. Babies drank formula from a bottle what other option was there? 

 

While pregnant with my daughter I wanted NOTHING more than to mimic what I saw my friend do. She held her baby close, placed her nipple in the baby’s mouth, the baby made such sweet little suckling sounds, she rubbed her tenderly, and they shared such a sweet bond. She also pumped a gracious amount for her baby so she could go back to work. I wouldn't have to do that so this would be so easy. I’d latch her throughout the day and we would be the best of friends. I had no clue how very wrong that was.

 

 I had a speedy hospital birth. There was meconium present when they broke my water so they took her immediately to suction her. After a few minutes she was back in my arms wrapped tight like a baby burrito. She was so small and sweet and so much red hair, my little NYE baby. When the nurse helped latch her on, she clamped down like a "champ". I was shocked by the pain but I was breastfeeding my baby just like my friend. This was going to be easy. I was so very wrong. We left the hospital went home alone and settled into life as a family of three. After several sleepless nights, having no clue what we were doing, we went to her first pediatrician checkup. I followed my friend’s advice and used her breastfeeding friendly doctor. Baby is weighed, measured, looked over and then bomb came. After comparing her birth information from the hospital and her current stats she was "failure to thrive" on breast milk alone. We would need to come back in a few days and if she wasn't gaining properly she would need to be placed on formula. As a new young mother all I heard was you are starving your child.

 

I called my friend crying, she said go to the Breastfeeding Center at the hospital and see an IBCLC for an evaluation. The next day, this time alone, I went to see the "nursing specialist" for a latch evaluation. She told me to undress the baby, weigh her, feed her and weigh her again. She aggressively shoved my nipple in my baby’s mouth and walked out. I cried, the baby cried; we just sat there together crying for what seemed like forever. Another nurse came in, calmed us down and helped me. After nursing my daughter on both sides, she was weighed again. The IBCLC nurse said it didn't appear that the baby was getting enough milk; that it was possible that my extremely large breasts were not allowing the milk ducts to properly fill and I may not ever be a successful breastfeeding mother. She sent me home with a box of formula. I was devastated. I again called my friend and she let me borrow her pump. After 20 minutes of pumping on each side, I got 2 ounces from my left breast and a few drops from my right. My daughter cried all the time and I just knew I was starving her. I gave her a bottle of formula and she never latched back on. I battled postpartum depression and anxiety the following 12 months. I didn't leave my house unless I was driven somewhere for fear I would follow through on the crazy thoughts that lived in my head. We never talked about having more children as I personally couldn't imagine going through all the emotional pain of PPD & PPA again. 

 

However 8 years later, after I had to take a 4 week medical break in birth control pills to do hormonal testing, I found out I was pregnant. I was so nervous but also so excited to try it all again. The pain of PPD and PPA had worn off and all I could think about was holding a little baby at my breast again. I would succeed at nursing my baby, which was my only goal.  At my 12 week sonogram appointment we learned our baby had stopped developing at almost 9 weeks and that I would soon have a miscarriage. A few days later, in the quiet of the night, I birthed our sweet angel baby at home.

 

We decided as a family to try for one more baby. I got pregnant quickly and we chose to go to a small local doctor and hospital since I was told I was a fast birther.  In the spring of 2012, after a membrane sweep and aggressive labor, I gave birth to a white-blond mohawked baby boy. I placed him on my breast immediately and let him find the nipple on his own, just like I had studied. I still didn't have a great personal support system and was mostly winging it but I did however have the internet and social media, so I would be successful this time. The same issues started to arise. My sweet son wasn't gaining enough weight and this time I was in immense pain. My nipples burned, itched and throbbed. Maybe this was what success felt like. I really had no clue. At his 2 week checkup the doctor wasn't impressed with his latch and he had thrush. That was a new word; I took the cream, did what they said and kept my head down determined. But I was hurting and bleeding and dreading each nursing session. He nursed nonstop, cried all the time, we never slept and the baby blues started to feel like PPD again and I was scared. I took to social media and sought help. I looked up thrush and found natural ways to cure it. However, nothing was working. At his two month appointment we both still had thrush and he still wasn't where he needed to be growth wise. I told the doctor what the nurse had said all those years ago and she agreed; maybe I just wasn’t meant to breastfeed my children. 

 

This sweet baby girl is my third child. After not having had a successful nursing relationship with my older two children, I declared while pregnant, that I would nurse this baby as long as possible and not stop for any reason. Even if I had to supplement, I would still nurse when I could. We had a rough start and I had thrush again. I was beyond determined this time. I didn’t give in and started an antifungal diet to eliminate all yeast from my body. She also has a lip tie but it hasn't caused too many issues other than some sore nipples. As of writing this (2/4/15), we have made it almost 8 months and there is no end in sight. She is an amazing nurser and I must say the fattest little chunk ever. 

A Celebration of Life – Christina and her Daughters

Breastfeeding is a celebration of life and is all about bonding with my daughter and being able to provide her with the sustenance she needs.  One of the things I was most looking forward to when I found out I was pregnant with my first child was nursing.  From the time I was a small girl my mother told me how special it was to nurse me and my brother and I knew wanted to do the same.  My plans to breastfeed my first child for her first year of life changed when I was diagnosed with cancer at the very beginning of my second trimester.  I was told that I would need to undergo six months of chemotherapy following my pregnancy and delivery of my child.  Marie was born via emergency C-section at 36 weeks and I immediately began breastfeeding, knowing that I would have to stop in a few short weeks when I started my treatments.

Breastfeeding didn't come easily because Marie was a preemie and I was in poor health from the cancer that had been growing in my body throughout my pregnancy.  I pumped to build my supply and to provide Marie with breast milk after I started chemotherapy.  I breastfed her until the morning I had my port placed and started treatments.  I mourned the abrupt end to breastfeeding and hoped that if we were able to become pregnant again following chemotherapy that I would be able to nurse my next child.

  I gave birth to my second daughter, Belle, via VBAC 16 months after being told my cancer was in remission.  We have enjoyed 17 months of breastfeeding and are still going strong.  For me, nursing Belle is a testament to overcoming obstacles and emerging stronger on the other side.

Love the Benefits and I’m Cheap! – Kristin, Meghan, and Jack

 

Like many other breastfeeding moms, I knew from the very beginning that I would breastfeed my children. Yes, I’d heard about the wonderful benefits for baby, mother, and the environment, but the main reason was that I’m cheap! I couldn’t imagine forking over hard-earned cash for expensive formula if we could help it. My husband, Zac, was totally supportive.

Our first child, Meghan Mary, latched on immediately after birth and happily nursed until she was one. Throughout her first year I worked full-time and spent hours attached to my breast pump. I was a little over-zealous in the pumping department and ended up buying a deep freezer for our garage to store it all. This was before I’d learned about donating my milk to a bank like the Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas, so all that milk was used to help wean Meg. After she turned one, we weaned her onto whole milk bottles since she’d taken bottles her whole life at daycare. I remember I’d made a month-long calendar of how we’d wean her, down to the ratio of how of many ounces of breast milk to whole milk would go into each bottle. The plan was to have a Sunday night be the last time I’d feed her, but after nursing her the Saturday night before, I decided not to nurse her on Sunday. I didn’t want to know our last time was going to be our last! She did beautifully and never indicated a need or desire to nurse again. Around this time Zac and I decided that I could quit my job and stay at home full time. This gave Meg and me plenty of time together to make up for less nursing time.

Our second child, John Zachary, rushed into this world one Saturday night and proceeded to nurse for 8 weeks. I’m only slightly exaggerating as Jack spent his whole first night attached to my boob until my milk came in the next day; he then nursed every 90 minutes to two hours pretty consistently for weeks and weeks. It felt like a luxury to let him use me as a pacifier and to let him control the nursing schedule this time around since I wasn’t working.  Meg loved her brother and, although it was tough, I kept our routine almost exactly the same. Jack was at the library when he was four days old! Breast feeding gave us the flexibility to be out and about and I appreciated that. Meg also learned to play well independently during those times when I had to feed Jack. Lots of times she’d end up sitting next to us breast feeding her own baby dolls or reading her books.

Throughout Jack’s first year I’d usually pump every morning. I liked the idea of having extra in case I was sick or gone for a few days or for a bottle every now and then. I say that, but I think he had maybe a dozen bottles his whole life? We ended up with lots of extra milk and I donated it all to the milk bank. It’s super easy and I highly recommend it to any moms out there who make enough milk!

Jack nursed until he was one, like Meg; although this time I didn’t map out his weaning schedule. He led the way. It was a “don’t offer, don’t refuse” situation. We weaned him right onto whole milk from a cup. A couple of nights after we’d finished with his last bedtime nursing time, I needed some “relief” as my milk production hadn’t adjusted yet. I tried to nurse him – but he pushed away and looked at me like I was nuts! He was clearly ready to move on.

I love nursing my babies. And I love weaning my babies! After pregnancy and year of nursing, it’s nice to have my body be my own for a few months. By then we’re fortunate enough to be pregnant again. We’re expecting our third at the end of the summer, right after Meg turns 4 and right before Jack turns 2. I can’t wait to nurse him or her, too!

Dark Days to Second Nature - Evelia and Emilia

When I was pregnant I assumed breastfeeding would be natural and stress-free but it was not the case for me. The first 3 months were some of the darkest days I experienced.  I had every complication from teeth clenching pain to bi-weekly bouts of mastitis.    We would have not made it past the first week if it was not for seeking advice from breastfeeding groups and lactation consultants.  Also, having an amazing and supportive husband made the days hopeful.  Overtime, breastfeeding began to feel second nature and we have gone beyond our one year goal. With persistence and determination our breastfeeding journey became to what I imagined- perfect.  

Absolute Love – Jessie and her son

From the beginning I knew I wanted to breastfeed my baby. What I didn't know was how passionate I would be. I decided I would breastfeed after seeing my sister in law nurse my niece. I saw how devoted she was to pumping and nursing her little one and being her source of food. So once I found out I was pregnant I knew breastfeeding was the way I wanted to go. I researched a lot of information during my pregnancy on latching on and pumping and the benefits of extended breastfeeding. I became so interested in all the facts and couldn't wait for him to come.

Once my son was born he was perfect! From the moment I put him to my breast he latched on. He did amazing and it was so natural for us.

It wasn't until about 3 weeks into it that I started to feel the pain of nursing. I almost gave up. Thankfully my friends and family helped me push on. I reached out to support groups who gave me so much advice and support and prayers. I honestly don’t think I could have continued without their support. I’m so glad I stuck it out.

I absolutely love nursing my son and the bond we have is indescribable. To know that I am his source of nutrients that I am what makes him happy makes me so happy. The love I am able to show him through breastfeeding is so important to me. Because of my son I'm a different person. I’m more honest, sensitive, loving and just a better person and it’s because of him. I feel if I'm happy and full of love my milk is happy and full of love. I know that may sound silly, but just like they say food made with love tastes better; milk produced with love does too.

Overactive Letdown and Oversupply – Anu’s Story

 

 

While I was pregnant with my first son, I knew that I wanted to breastfeed, but was concerned about a few things as a first time mom.  Would I be able to nurse my son?  What if I didn’t like it?  Would it be too awkward?  Would I make enough milk?  The beginning was definitely not easy.  I was dealing with both an overactive letdown and oversupply.  So much for worrying about making enough!  On top of that I could not get into a comfortable nursing position with my son, until I was introduced to the Breast Friend nursing pillow, which I was then” married” to until my son was 3 months.  I also had trouble getting him to latch properly on my right breast, and worked with a wonderful lactation consultant to help correct the latch and also adjust my oversupply.  In looking at the positive, my overactive letdown was really a blessing in disguise as it allowed me to nurse very quickly, especially in the middle of the night.  At about 4 months, which was much later than I would have liked, I got the hang of nursing lying down, and it made my nights so much easier.  I am so thankful that I did not give up in the beginning and worked through the couple of issues that I had.  With my second son, I was much more confident and knew right away how to deal with the oversupply and overactive letdown, and thankfully didn’t have any issues with his latch.  I felt like an expert, but reminded myself that he was a newbie.  I nursed my older son for 15 months, and hope to go longer with my second.

Ease of Breastfeeding – Lyndsey and Eleanor

When I was pregnant, there was no doubt in my mind that I was going to breastfeed. I did a lot of research and learned as much as I could because I knew no one that had breastfed. Most people around me thought it was pretty abnormal. I don't think I had ever even seen it happen in person my whole life! 

When Eleanor was born I was surprised at how easy it was. Other than soreness in the beginning we have been very lucky to never encounter any other problems. The hardest thing has been nursing throughout pregnancy, and even that hasn't been terrible. I am due in a few weeks and will be tandem nursing so that may bring some challenges, but I'm excited to nurse another baby! Overall the experience has been really great and I am thankful that it has come so easy for us. 

Overcoming Hurdles – Stacey’s Journey

 

Providing breast milk for my three little ones has to be one of my greatest accomplishments as a Mommy. With each little one (I have three), my breastfeeding experiences started with us behind the eight ball somehow. I have encountered every setback/hurdle/booby trap that is possible for a Mommy and her baby. And it’s because I persevered and overcame those hurdles to fulfill my goals of providing milk for each of my babies, I think it’s important for Mommies to understand that breastfeeding is not black and white. Breastfeeding success is not destination, but a journey…

With the birth of my first baby girl coming up on 6 years ago, I knew nothing about breastfeeding. I didn’t research it… I didn’t even take that class they offer in the hospital. I wanted to breastfeed, but considering how my husband and I took three months to pick out a stroller, researching the ins and outs of every baby related item… the amount of time I took to prepare myself for a successful breastfeeding journey was laughable. For me, success was making it the 6 months (I wanted more, but a nursing strike stunted our already difficult breastfeeding relationship). I pumped for the rest of her first year, and while she was always supplemented, it was a badge of honor to know I did it.

 

With my second, my prized boy, I dived into ways to ensure we’d be successful right off the bat. I loved nursing, and darn it, I wanted to nurse exclusively for a year. I learned ways to combat my low supply, and how to prevent it. I even had my scheduled C-section set for late morning so that I could get a full nights rest and bargained with the CRNA to not give me the usual Benadryl that knocked me out with my darling first born girl. After everything I learned from my first breastfeeding journey, and all the preparation for my son, I considered myself a self-taught breastfeeding reference/guru, but that still didn’t prevent obstacles from sprouting up, and my breastfeeding success was making it 9 months of exclusive breastfeeding (losing out to another nursing strike!) and pumping for the remainder of his first year.

 

With third, and last precious girl, I can safely argue… I knew it all.  Since the birth of my first daughter, my passion for breastfeeding grew. I am a registered nurse, and made the switch from the ER to the NICU, where I championed and taught new moms of critically ill infants the power of mother’s milk. I took the steps and became a CLC, then passed my IBCLC boards this last fall… but that didn’t stop my baby girl from coming a month early. All my prep work didn’t prevent my baby girl from needing an NICU stay… BUT I knew how to combat early mother/baby separation. During her NICU stay she received Donor Breast milk, until mine came in… a long 4 days and from the moment she was stable, I held her skin to skin. We did non-nutritive breastfeeding, I pumped, I hand expressed, I refused bottle feeds (knowing they can gavage feed (force feed thru tubes) remainders; being an NI nurse and an NI mommy was a hard line to walk) I did everything… and it was exhausting.  For me success has been practicing what I preach, and follow through. Of course, we battled a lip tie, moderate reflux, and I cried/prayed/pleaded during her 6 and 9 month nursing strikes… but we overcame it. I had to practice what I preach, knowing we can get through it! AND we did. My sweet girl is 15 months, and still nurses several times a day. I thank God for the privilege to nurse her still (because as a lactivist, I wanted to nurse a toddler!)… and pat myself on the back for my patience, and perseverance. 

Breastfeeding success isn’t measured in duration. It’s not measured in exclusivity… and that’s because a successful breastfeeding journey can’t be measured. Never compare, never judge. Breastfeed for yourself, for your little one, and love every precious second of it.

No Doubt about Breastfeeding the Third Time Around – Lindsay’s Story

 

As for breastfeeding story, I nursed Gage and Claire until they were 23 and 24 months. It was not easy to start. Both had nipple confusion that was expressed in different ways; Claire refused to latch and Gage caused me a lot of pain. Both never seemed to gain enough weight to make the doctors happy and were always very small. People would always comment on how small they were and I would feel like what I could give them wasn't good enough. When they were 8 weeks old I couldn't take the pain anymore and was about to give up but knew that wasn't really what I wanted.  What I wanted was it to work for us.

 

My mom helped me find local peer to peer support group which made a world of difference. From then on every day got a little better until they were 5 months or so and I finally felt like "Hey, I got this!" They never gained a ton of weight but enough that the doctor didn't complain. They were always small and we did supplement with formula for a little bit but mostly they were breastfed. From then on breastfeeding was not just to nourish my children, it helped put them to sleep at night and comforted them when they were hurt or scared. After they were around 15 months we started dropping a feeding, not on purpose but just because they were so busy exploring the world until effectually they didn't nurse at all. And that part of their life was over. I was sad it was over but so grateful for all that we had overcome and accomplished. I learned so much from my experiences.

 

When I became pregnant with my third baby, I knew that there was no question that we were going to breastfeed. Despite what I learned from the twins, I still was worried that we might have problems. I originally planned a birthing center birth because I felt like some of the problems I faced with the twins was made worse by the hospital staff after their birth. I ended up delivering Ava in a hospital but things where much different. Maybe because she was a vaginal birth, full term, and a singleton made the difference. I also knew it was ok to stand up to the hospital staff and say "No, she is breastfeeding and can't have a bottle/pacifier etc." Things were not easy at the beginning and I did have a lot of pain and discomfort in the beginning. It still took 5 days for my milk to come in and she took longer than the doctors would have liked to regain her birth weight but this time I didn't wait 8 weeks to get help. When Ava was 4 days old I had a trusted IBCLC come over and help me with her. She helped me with my twins and I knew her insight was invaluable. When she left I had a sense of peace and knew I could do this. Things still didn't go just as I had planned. I thought since I nursed twins, I would have a chunky baby who would gain quicker than I could keep up with but she is just like her brother and sister and just gained the minimum amount. This time I have a new doctor who trusts breastfeeding and says that she may be small but she is doing great.  By the time she was 5 weeks old I had that feeling of "I got this". I've learned to accept that I do not make huge babies and that's ok. She is healthy and thriving and I am making the best decision for my baby. I learned that breastfeeding didn't have to be all or nothing and "success" can look different for everyone.

Surprise Baby – Elizabeth and Poppy

 

My third breastfeeding journey began more than three years ago with the birth of our third, surprise baby, Poppy Elizabeth. I thought my nursing days were over, but with her birth I was able to fulfill my nursing goals and heal some old wounds.

I consider both of my older children’s nursing relationships successful, as we did the best we could with the circumstances we were handed. My now 16 year old son breastfed until he was 6 months old, my 10 year old son only for 2 months. When Poppy came along, I was determined that with a better support system, and more education about breastfeeding, we would meet our goals.

What a relief it was when she latched beautifully for the first time, shortly after birth. First hurdle overcome! She was happy to stay latched nearly constantly for the first two days, and I quickly learned her “nah” cry for when she wanted to nurse. She made it so easy for me to know when she wanted the breast, and when it was another need. My milk came in at less than 48 hours old, and I felt that familiar sensation of my letdown. Another hurdle, overcome! I was feeling confident and she was settling in nicely. 

 

When Poppy was 11 days old, my husband had to return to work. He was out of town for one to three weeks at a time for her first two years.  She was so different than my other two kids, who were easy going and happy babies. She was, for lack of a better word, needy. I learned through my research while scouring the internet during those marathon nursing sessions in her early days, that she fit all the characteristics of Dr. Sears’ High Needs Baby. So we nursed and snuggled, bounced and sang, nursed some more, cried together, and comforted as best we could. She wasn’t an easy infant, and what worked for us one day would be ineffective the next. But the one constant we had was breastfeeding. My baby loved to nurse! Every 20-60 minutes around the clock for what felt like forever. But it’s what she needed, so it’s what we did.

We watched as our needy baby slowly developed into a confident, smart, hilarious, spunky toddler who still loves her “muckies.” She’s had three birthdays now, and breastfeeding is still a significant part of our relationship. Of course it’s different than it was when she was a tiny helpless being who depended on us for everything, but important nonetheless!  In the last months, I’ve taken to slowing down again, taking in every detail of her face, her hands, her conversation while we’re nursing. My heart knows that one day it’ll be the last, and I might not even know it. I cherish these moments, and am so thankful we’ve been on this journey together.

First Time Mom Anxiety – Courtney and Griffin

When we first discussed starting our family the plan was that my wife would be the first to carry. Through a series of events it came to be that I became the carrier of our first child. We had discussed that breast feeding was the best option for our family when she was trying to become pregnant.

 It wasn't until I was nearly 5 months pregnant that it occurred to me that since I was carrying our beautiful miracle, I would be the one to breast feed him. I remember feeling a huge wave of anxiety and self-doubt at that notion. I am a very modest person and I was nervous about even the lactation consultants entering my hospital room. I wasn't even comfortable with the word "breast!" But it seemed like as soon as Griffin's tiny body was curled up on my lap contently feeding I was grateful at the opportunity God had afforded me and was encouraged to work at breastfeeding. It did take several months until I finally got the hang of supporting his body and taking cover.

 

Oversupply and a fast letdown caused frequent choking that made it all the more difficult to keep covered! All the while I was a nervous wreck when it came to planning outings. What if he needed to feed? Where would I go? What should I wear? How long until his next feed? If he coughs he'll draw attention to us! I would scope out possible discrete nursing sites immediately upon entering a restaurant or store; it was stressful! My wife was supportive on helping with handoffs and acting as a human shield but by time Griffin was 3 months old my hot natured baby wanted nothing to do with the cover. Simultaneously, I was blessed to find a supportive network of other first time moms and my confidence as a mommy blossomed. There came a point where I didn't care about the cover and breast feeding became natural and comfortable. Not only was Griffin benefitting but I was finally able to reap the reward; the bond, the cuddles, the silent language spoken between locked eyes. I still seek discretion but now it's so my distracted/curious baby can complete a meal! Otherwise, I don't give it a second thought. I am extremely grateful to my wife for building me up. I could've never made it through the breastfeeding journey without her. Initially, I had felt like my oversupply was a curse and I worked feverishly to even things out within the first 6 months. But all of that excess frozen milk was donated to a special couple and their precious boy and I feel blessed to have been able to perform that labor of love for another family. I wouldn't trade these past 12 months for anything in the World! Good times and rocky, all of them are precious and priceless memories I will cherish for a lifetime.

Family, Work and School Challenges – Ginni and Jesse

I always planned to breastfeed because of the many benefits. I dealt with engorgement and leaking, but overall it wasn't too hard. My intention was to make it to a year; I breastfed my daughter until 8 months and finally quit because I felt so tied down; I wanted to be able to go places and see people without my daughter. (I was also working outside the home at the time, which made it even more complicated.) I felt a little guilty about it, but it was what I needed to do for my mental health.

 

With Jesse, my second, I again decided to breastfeed exclusively until 6 months and then as a supplement until his first birthday. I had a lot of great support (when my doula told me "bring baby to breast, not breast to baby," it probably saved my back!).

 

He took to nursing like a duck to water. The challenge was that he wanted to nurse all the time. I already had my hands full with my daughter, work, and school; I often felt trapped, like I couldn’t go anywhere. He would scream and cry if anyone else tried to take him. He wanted only me, and when he was with me, he pawed at my chest and cried until I fed him. To top it off, some of my family members and friends were uncomfortable when I nursed around them, so I ended up spending a lot of time in a back room by myself, feeling lonely and frustrated.

 

However, we worked through it. When he started solid foods, it was easier for me to keep up with his voracious appetite. I started leaving my nursing cover at home, and not really caring about people’s opinions. 

 

I got mastitis twice, probably from trying to do too much and wearing my body down. I cried and laid in bed feeling like death, but still wasn't ready to quit.

 

As the one year mark approached, I worried that weaning would be really difficult and emotional. My daughter was fairly easy to wean; she just wanted milk, she didn't care if it came from me or from a bottle. But Jesse was really attached and loved to comfort nurse. Fortunately, the more his interest in solid food increased, the less demanding he was about nursing. By 13 months, I was confident he was ready. I just wasn't sure I was ready! He'd always been such a mama's boy; I worried that without the special bond of breastfeeding, we wouldn't be as close.

 

So far, that doesn't seem to be the case at all. The nursing photo shoot with Allison was a sweet farewell to a sweet chapter of our lives, and if I have any more children, I definitely hope to nurse them, too.

 

Breastfeeding My Fourth – Amanda and Nora

Nora is my fourth baby and I have had loved breastfeeding all of them. It is one of my favorite parts of having a newborn - they cuddle up and all their problems are solved! Nora was born in an unplanned, unassisted homebirth and I didn't get her latched until after our trip to the hospital and her evaluation, but she latched on right away. She took to nursing like a champ and we didn't have any problems. I pumped regularly, primarily to donate to the Mother's Milk Bank of North Texas, but she rarely took a bottle and after a few months just preferred to wait for me to return. When she was 12 months, she went on a nursing strike. It was the first time any of my kids quit cold turkey and it was painful, both physically and emotionally.  I just kept offering, and after a week she returned to nursing like she had never left. At 14 months she is still going strong, and it is still a special part of our time together.

You Can Do It – Jessie’s Story

 

Our nursing journey had a rough start to say the least. We had some latch issues, so after three days of painful and damaging nursing we called a lactation consultant my midwife and doula recommended. Although it still took awhile for us to get the hang of it, I wish we would have called her sooner.  I ended up getting a thrush infection in my nipples since they were cracked which added to the pain. The next couple weeks would alternate from good nursing sessions to toe curling pain sessions with me in tears. I never thought breastfeeding would be such a struggle. I was about to give up when my mom suggested taking a break, pumping and giving my son a bottle. Thankfully he didn't have any problem taking a bottle so I pumped exclusively for a few days while my nipples and emotions healed and the thrush infection finally cleared up.  I slowly started working one or two nursing sessions in a day later that week and can still remember the elation I felt after the first pain free latch!!

 

 My son is now 18 months and still nurses and I'm so thankful that I pushed through the tough times. It has been an experience I wouldn't have wanted to miss with him although in the beginning (while in pain) I didn't think I would care if I stopped. I wouldn't have made it without the support of my family, friends, and birth team and would encourage moms to seek help sooner if they are having any sort of pain while nursing. When my son recently looked up at me while nursing and signed "thank you", it definitely made it all worth it. You can do it!

Formula Feed or Breastfeed? – Amanda and Braidyn

It wasn't until the end of my pregnancy that I considered whether to formula feed or breastfeed. I thought it might be difficult to breastfeed, and I didn't have a whole lot of information on which would be better. My husband has two older sons who were breastfed until they were toddlers, so he was definitely pro-breastfeeding.

I looked into the benefits and very quickly it was clear that I wanted to breastfeed. My mom was supportive of me breastfeeding as well as my aunt who was also my doula. I had intended on having Braidyn naturally at a birthing center, but due to complications I ended up having a C-section. I made my wishes clear from the beginning about breastfeeding and skin to skin as soon as possible, and the hospital staff worked with me to get that accomplished. He latched really well the first day. I thought I was pretty lucky because in my research on breastfeeding I found a lot of horror stories.

Then came day 2, somehow I guess he forgot how to breastfeed. He had a terrible latch and was making a clicking noise with his tongue when he tried to feed. I had several nurses and Lactation Consultants come by, but they weren't much help (not for a lack of trying). He injured my left nipple to the point where I couldn't stand him nursing on that side. This was the same day I was released from the hospital, so when I got home I started pumping on that side exclusively to make sure I established a good milk supply. I think it wasn't until he was a week old that I could feed him from both sides. Because of my pumping, I established too much of a milk supply (pretty sure I could have fed twins!). I talked to my Lactation Consultant and she shared ways in which I could decrease supply, so that took another couple of days to get worked out.

Ever since then we have been doing great! (except he has 4 teeth now and occasionally bites, ouch!) My supply is still good after ten months of nursing. He drinks milk that I pump when I leave for work in the afternoon as well as solid foods now, even though he seems to only like sweet potatoes and bananas. As we transition to additional solid foods I am hoping to donate my pumped milk.