Breastfeeding - My Experience, Part 2

When I was pregnant with my first born I wanted to breastfeed, but if it didn't work, at least I'd try.  I wanted to breastfeed for at least four to six months.


When our son was born he nursed, but had a bad latch.  It took a couple weeks to correct.  Once my milk came in I was so full and sore I tried to use the hand pump the hospital gave me; it was crap.  I couldn't get relief.

My son was colicky and had undiagnosed reflux and sensitivities to dairy products.  He would scream and cry and scream.  In that first week I got so fed up with it all I decided I'd just give him some of the formula samples I'd received in the mail.  He wouldn't take it.  He spit it out.  He threw up.  He screamed and cried more.  I cried.  Then he latched on and nursed.  My milk came in the next day.

He never did take bottles.  Even after getting a better hand pump from WIC.  My son was a booby baby.  He finally would take a bottle at 9 months, but only with juice.

At five months our son developed his first cold.  We traveled to Arizona and Utah to visit family for Christmas and be sealed in the Saint George Temple.  During that trip we all experienced colds and a bout of the flu.  Then my supply started to drop.  After getting home we found out that Munchkin's six month well baby check was canceled.  I was unable to get him in for a month.  Despite still being sick.  Despite his severe symptoms, despite my drop in supply.  In desperation I visited a friend and tried a half glass of wine to help boost my supply.  It didn't work.  Then her daughter developed RSV with the same symptoms (though not as severe, thankfully) as my child.  Her daughter was nearly hospitalized and given a nebulizer and medicine to heal.  My child received nothing.  Remember, I couldn't get an appointment and I was not authorized to visit an urgent care or the ER.  Finally, I learned about fenugreek and I bought some.  You have to take about three capsules three or four times a day until you start smelling like maple syrup and keep taking it until your supply is reestablished.  We didn't leave the house I did a nurse-in for days.  My supply went up and he finally started to get better.  That was a nerve wreaking/stressful/terrifying month.

Once breastfeeding was established and going well (about three months) I decided I wanted to go as long as I could, at least 10-12 months.

After my son's birthday I started to get a lot of pressure from family and friends.  Saying things like its perverted to breastfeed that long.  Hubby implying that my breasts weren't for the baby any longer.  That there weren't any nutritional benefits to continue nursing.  That if I don't wean him soon, I won't be able to for years.

I weaned my child at 15 months.
Oh, how wrong I was.  After he was weaned, my son's reflux came to a full head complete with night terrors and vomiting acid in the middle of the night, every night for three weeks straight before the doctor's office would believe that there was a problem.  Never again, I promised myself.


Click here for Part 1, Part 3, Part 4