This post is part of the Breast-Kept Secrets: Breastfeeding Advice from One Mom to Another series. Go back and read all posts here.
Before my first child was born, I learned all I could about nursing my baby. My expectation was set for an amazing bonding experience with just a little bit of adjustment to the “discomfort” of the first few days of breastfeeding.
It was nothing like I was promised.
My little guy’s birth was somewhat difficult and he began his life outside the womb in the care of NICU nurses because he was not breathing. It was a confusing and disorienting few minutes for me as a first-time mom and I wasn’t sure what to expect next.
He was sweet and quiet, his bright blue eyes taking in everything around him. When we began nursing he had no issues latching or eating for long periods of time. I decided to use a method of feeding where we let him nurse with no routine for the first 10 days but simply worked to get full feedings. After about 2 weeks, he naturally transitioned to eating about every 2 to 2 ½ hours and my milk supply was excellent.
It was at that point that I threatened to call it quits.
Why? The physical pain I experienced in breastfeeding. It was excruciating, causing me to dig my nails into my loving and accommodating husband’s arm for the first few minutes of each nursing session. There was no “uncomfortable tugging.” Oh, no. It was full-on, scream-inducing agony.
Not only was I sore, I was bleeding and cracking like crazy and so engorged that my body was undergoing a constant rush of high heat. Every nursing session that approached filled me with dread. No amount of pure lanolin, cabbage leaves or any other natural remedy I tried gave me relief.
When I first spoke to the lactation consultant on the phone, she thought I must be doing something incorrectly if I was having so much trouble. She was quite surprised after meeting with me to discover that I wasn’t doing anything wrong, as far as she could tell. I had done my research and tried every method in the book to relieve my physical anguish and so far nothing had helped.
So what did help? Mostly it was time. Allowing myself to cry through the pain. Some grit and determination was also involved as was the comfort of having a husband beside me to talk me through the most difficult moments. The peace of God that transcends understanding eventually worked its way in and talked me out of quitting. It was another situation for me to learn to let go of control and trust the Lord.
We worked and worked toward the goal of a better nursing experience. And after about four months, as things slowly improved, I was able to nurse without being afraid and wishing it would just be over. It finally became a time of closeness with my little boy.
I truly want you to be encouraged that breastfeeding is worth it, whether your experience is as bad as mine or better. Yes, there are women who can’t do it. Do not allow yourself or others to make you feel like a failure if you bottle feed your baby. But if you desire to press on, I’d encourage you to persevere as long as you are able because our bodies do produce the perfect food for our babies!
Whether you’re struggling with milk supply, latching issues, extreme pain and engorgement or other stressors, there are resources and helpful people who can advise you or simply be a shoulder to cry on when you are in need. And if you are a Christian, strengthen your prayer life! Take your cares and concerns to the Lord, casting all your anxiety on Him, claiming Scriptures that say you can trust Him.
Even an incredibly difficult experience at the beginning does not mean that you are doing something wrong or are not meant to breastfeed. Sometimes the textbook solutions don’t work and you may need to get creative and figure out what works for you.
Maybe it’s switching up your positions and stocking up on a store’s worth of lanolin for relief. Perhaps it’s a certain tea, supplement or relaxation method that helps your supply. It could be that consulting a lactation consultant gives you a calming reassurance and shows you if there is indeed something that can be corrected. Or maybe it will just take time, like it did for me. In the meantime, don’t let the criticisms of others destroy your spirit.
Now that our family has grown to three children (with baby number four arriving in October), I am thankful that my nursing experience has been a bit easier each time. There has been less of an adjustment period with each child and I have made it a point to remind myself that the ways I cope and work through the difficult moments will eventually bring me through to a precious bonding time with my babies.
Have you ever faced challenges that seemed insurmountable? How did God help you to persevere?
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий