Despite the Tears and Frustration…I’d Do it Again – Stephanie’s Story

Aidan James is my fourth baby to nurse, but by far the longest.  Each one of my first three had their own challenges.  

With my oldest, my only daughter, nursing caused me a lot of pain.  Not just feeding her, but the uncomfortableness of it all.  My back hurt because of the amount of milk I produced; I could never find a position that worked for both of us; I was young and didn't have much support outside of my parents and my husband. When the option of formula was offered, I jumped at the chance for some ounce of normalcy in my new life.  I quit nursing her at six months.

My second child, and first boy, was induced two weeks before my official due date.  He wasn't quite ready to make his appearance, but made up for it quickly by putting on eight ounces of weight by his four day exam.  I was exhausted.  He ate every two hours for at least 45 minutes.  All day; every day.  I felt like a zombie.  I knew if I could just make it to six months, like I did with my daughter, everything would be alright.  The day my son turned six months, I stopped.

My third child was a little more unique.  He was born with a tongue and lip tie so nursing him was excruciating.  He was my first baby born naturally in a birth center, so in my experiences, I had more support this time around.  We got my son the help he needed but not without blisters, mastitis, clogged ducts, and tears. I began to pump, so I could prepare for a week-long trip out of the country, without my son.  A year before my son was born, I had committed to traveling to India on a mission trip.  I left for that trip when he was around 4 months old.  I pumped every day I was gone, and cried every time I dumped it down the drain.  When I returned, I tried to continue to nurse him but I wasn't producing enough.  My milk had dried up by in that short time I was away.  We were both devastated.

I knew with my fourth I wanted something different, especially since he is most likely my last (unless God has a funny plan!).  I spoke about it with my husband and let him know that I wanted to go at least a year with Aidan and I would need his encouragement if I got frustrated and wanted to quit.  My husband agreed but reminded me that even if I didn't make it a year, Aidan would be okay. All of our other children were nursed and formula fed, and they all turned out pretty great - intelligent, friendly, athletic and good eaters - there is no reason Aidan wouldn't either.

Aidan took to nursing right away.  He had a slight tongue tie, but nothing like his older brother.  We adjusted nursing positions and he adapted easily.  I wondered for a while if I was producing enough milk since he is smaller than his older brothers, but even as we have added solid foods he has stayed in that similar build...and he can eat his older brothers under the table sometimes!

Aidan will have his second birthday on October 6th, we are still "deeting" - as he likes to call it.  The time has become less frequent, typically three times a day, but it is still one of our favorite times.  Because we do side-lying feeding, he likes to curl up in the fetal position next to me to “deet”.  If I have an itch on my side and go to scratch it, he helps me out.  Sometimes, he thinks it's funny to bring his foot up to my face and ask me to kiss his foot. He likes to comb my hair with his fingers while he “deets”...it's comforting to him.  Unless he gets a hair anywhere near his face - then we have to stop everything and find the hair.  He makes sure he can see both sides while he “deets”, because if he can't, he thinks one has disappeared and he frantically asks "Two? Two?"  When he is finished, we do foot-fives before he climbs into my arms to give me a love.  Then he takes off to find his siblings or climbs on my back to have me rock him before our bedtime routine.  

Breastfeeding has not been the easiest journey with any of my kids - even with Aidan it was a fight to get to this point.  But all those little things?  They make up for the tears and frustrations; and I would do it all again. 

Breastfeeding – The Journey Through Challenges – Charlene and Son

From the start we had it all planned, I was going to have a non-medicated natural birth. My husband would cut the umbilical cord and would shout out the baby’s gender then we would have skin to skin and breastfeed for as long as possible. No pacifiers, medication, or formula. However, life had a different plan for my family. I had an emergency C-Section and my son was rushed to the NICU before I could see, touch and admire him. During the time my son was away and not with me I felt defeated and heart broken. The only thing that I could do for him was PUMP, PUMP and PUMP, so that he could have something from his mom.  I started pumping right after surgery every two hours for two long dreadful weeks. At the beginning I had a hard time emptying my breast; as a result I was engorged all the time for the first few weeks. Once I learned how to express milk manually I felt some relief from the pain I was experiencing. Eventually I was comfortable enough that I could pump and hand express at home and at the hospital where I would benefit from seeing my son. I was concerned that not being able to touch him would decrease my milk supply and that I would have to give him formula, thankfully that was not the case. 

On Mother’s Day, just two days before my baby was released from the hospital I had the opportunity to hold him and breastfeed for the first time. It was the best Mother’s Day gift I could ask for. It was the utmost magical, beautiful, and most rewarding experience. My son finally had his mommy and I would never let him go. Once at home he had a hard time adjusting to us and his new environment, but the one thing that always soothed and relax him was breastfeeding. Even though we were finally home we had new challenges that I did not foresee; because of my C-Section I found it difficult to get into a position that was comfortable for me. We tried the cross cradle, football hold, and side lying until we found a very useful nursing pillow that took the pressure and weight from my abdomen. Eventually my baby and I got synchronized and overcame that challenge, but it seemed that we would overcome a problem when a new one arose. For example in my case my nipples were sore and at times they would bleed due to the fact that my son was born with one tooth, I also experienced clogged ducts, back aches, and after my maternity leave was over I had to return to work full time and the pressure to produce more milk was overwhelming. Besides all of that having the right support from my family and several lactation recipes along with teas and lots of determination have been key for me to be able to breastfeed for 6 months now. I now have an established milk supply, I no longer dread pumping and I look forward to coming from work to feed my son. I plan to breastfeed for the first year and if possible two plus years.

Despite the many hurdles and obstacles my son and I have encountered, breastfeeding has been a wonderful journey. My son is happy and healthy, and there is nothing I rather do than to be feeding my baby and him looking up at me with those beautiful brown eyes. Breastfeeding has created a beautiful strong bond between my son and I and I am proud that I trusted my body to make the magical substance that my son needs to thrive.

Lenae’s Girls

I never thought that I would support full term nursing, much less still be nursing my 23 month old toddler. She will be 2 on November 5.  When my oldest daughter was born in 2006, I didn't have any friends or family around me that had successfully nursed their children. I had no idea how to be successful at breastfeeding, and I didn't know where or how to find the support that I needed. I also didn't really care one way or the other about how it worked out. I figured that formula was really just easier anyways and don't even get me started about how embarrassing it would be to nurse in public! If only I could go back in time and tell myself what I know now.  

 Flash forward 9 years, and here we are. These photos were taken a couple of weeks after my daughter's first birthday. We have now been breastfeeding for 23 months and she never had a single drop of formula.  

I found out that I was finally pregnant with a viable pregnancy just a few weeks after I accepted my first teaching position and started my Master’s degree program. At the beginning of the pregnancy I was diagnosed with a blood clotting disorder, Factor V Leiden, so I had to do daily injections in order to maintain a healthy pregnancy. I had several miscarriages before this miraculous pregnancy, so I had a hard time becoming attached and bonding with her during the pregnancy. I started researching about breastfeeding and baby wearing. I knew that I wanted to do whatever I could to ensure the health and well-being of my child. I felt like I needed to find a way to create a bond like I had with my oldest daughter.  

I am a special education teacher and it was difficult to find a pumping schedule that would work with my heavy case load. I pumped during my commute to school, during a morning break, lunch, and then my afternoon conference period. I did this for one and one-half school years. It was difficult and it took a lot of dedication and sacrifice from me and my teammates, but every single drop was worth it. I was able to ensure that Cora never had a single drop of formula, and I donated to several other babies in need. 

As our breastfeeding journey is coming to an end, I look back with no regrets. My heart is so full from the bond that I have with both of my daughters, one who was nourished by formula, and the other who was nourished from my body. 

Craniosacral Therapy – Jesseca’s Story

I thought all was going well with breastfeeding until my son abruptly stopped nursing

when he was 2 weeks old. We met with a lactation consultant who helped us understand

his issues. His head had been twisted in the birth canal which put pressure on certain

areas of his head, neck, and spine. This restricted the movement of those areas and also

affected his ability to open his mouth wide enough and tilt his head back for a proper latch.

My son needed craniosacral therapy to help his head shape more correctly and in turn

affected his latch ability. He also had a lip and tongue tie that restricted his ability to nurse.

Due to the latch issues my son experienced, I exclusively pumped for the first 3 months

after his birth. This was one of the hardest and most trying times in my life. I had so badly

wanted to nurse him.

We worked long and hard with a therapist and chiropractor to help him understand how to latch

correctly. We also decided to have his lip and tongue tie corrected, which helped immensely. When we first met with the lactation consultant, my milk supply had dwindled because he wasn't able to nurse effectively enough to drain my breasts. I remember thinking, "There's not enough coming out to feed him," and we had to supplement some in the beginning with formula.

However, I was determined to get him back on the breast. I worked around the clock with him, and after 3 months he finally began nursing correctly! I remember many phone calls and text messages to a dear friend who helped me keep going. I also attended a weekly breastfeeding support group that was instrumental in our success.

I think having a support system around you is so important. My husband was so supportive and never once complained about helping with those midnight and early morning feedings so that I could continue pumping to help build my supply. My son loved nursing so much that we just celebrated two and a half years of nursing together! I was sadly ready to be done, but if it was up to him he'd still be nurse if I let him.

I pumped so much in the beginning that I was also able to donate my milk to other moms in need. Donating my milk was such a rewarding experience. I was thrilled to be able to help others. I learned so much about patience and perseverance during our journey, and I hope this helps another mom

who's struggling and wanting to quit. It was all worth it in the end!