~Breastfeeding Success Stories~(idea for pinned post)

[PrincessBride]

DeniseG/Mir~I had an idea for a pinned post. Maybe each of us ladies could post our breastfeeding success stories on this thread for new mommies facing challenges to read and be encouraged. What do you think? I know it helps me a lot when I read my New Beginnings from LaLeche League. I read it cover to cover! So, let's share about the struggles, challenges, and roadblocks we faced and overcame to feed our babies. We each will define our own success. Share, ladies!

Carla and Tommy
June 2002

[Holly]

Well, my first success was three years ago when my first dd was born. We had many struggles at first, but I was determined to make it work. I think our biggest struggle was what I thought was a lack of supply. My baby lost so much weight the first week after her birth and she was also jaundiced. She was also sleepy and didn't stay awake at the breast. After the first 3 or 4 days, we went to the ped, because I thought she looked "yellow", and they confirmed the jaundice. He recommended the Lactation Consultant at the hospital where dd was born. They had open b/f clinics for free every Tues and Thurs. I went and the ladies were ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL! They made all the difference in the world to our success. They had us use a supplemental feeding system and I started pumping a bit after every feed. I also took Reglan for a short period of time.

Finally, we got into a good groove and my dd nursed for a whole year - I even worked full-time and pumped for her.

By the time my second dd was born, I knew the kinds of things to look for, but I still went to the b/f clinic to check weights and say hi to the LC's. My youngest dd was better at latching and suckling, so we had very little problems (only sore nipples LOL). Today, at 19 months, we are still nursing and have a goal of at least 2 years.

That is my story. I know that many of you have more herioc stories and I hope you'll share them.

[susane]

Our success story started April 14th 2001.

Ds was born almost 5 weeks early. we put him to the breast immediatley but he wouldn't nurse. We tried every two hrs for 10hrs until he did try to latch. The nurse was so optimistic and helpful. My milk hadn't started to come in yet so they had me pump to get a jump start. We then used the supplement feeding tube to get him started. It took 36 hrs for my milk to come in and we tried every two hrs to get Jacob to nurse, he just wouldn't latch. It felt strange to have the nurses fold up my breast and shove it in his mouth but I was willing to try. I continued to pump and was actually liking it. Jacob developed jaundice so he was tired and didn't even wat to try to nurse but we persisted. He was able to come out of the incubater with the lights and go on a bili blanket so that made things a little easier. After 6 days in the hospital we were released with the blanket. I was told to nurse him every two hrs to get the biblirubin out to decrease his jaundice. So we did, the first night at home was hard becasue I was back in my own bed and I crashed so hard I didn't even hear Jacob crying and he was 3 feet away from in the bassinette.

He was readmitted to the hospital for his jaundice and I stayed there as well. We were there for 4 days. Then we were diagnosed with breast milk jaundice. I knew the stats before but don't anymore. It isn't very common but we did get it. I was told by "an old school nurse" to stop nursing and just give him formula, and he would be fine. I of course bawled like a baby and then asked the rest of the nurses and my Dr and they all said it would go away and they would monitor his levels, I could keep nursing as long as I wanted . the b/m jaundice lasted 6 weeks and it was tough but with being in the hospital for a bit of an extended stay I had the help of many nurses who were wonderful. I did go to a prenatal b/f class with Jacob and learned alot, I also went regularly to LLL and found that an enjoyable experience. theat was where I learned how to nurse lying down which way a joy.

We nursed exclusivley for 6 months until we introduced solids, and then Jacob self weaned at 20 months.

I am currently pg right now and hope to have success with this next baby as well!

[KTJ]

Hi! Campbell and I got off to a rocky start. I could NOT get her to latch. I have a very dim memory of the immediate post-partum hours (other than what seemed like endless stitching "down there") but I don't think they brought her to me to b/f within an hour of delivery. So maybe that was the problem.
She was jaundiced and we were nursing with a supplemental feeding system but the first night I was home from the hospital (after 2 extra days for her treatment) the SNS broke and I caved and gave her a bottle! It was the only way to get her to stop crying because she still wasn't latching well. My pediatrician saw her the next day (I saw staff pediatricians in the hospital) and she told me to just pump and give her formula until the jaundice was resolved. I think we could have just kept nursing her if the latch was right but my ped isn't very helpful/knowledgeable about breast feeding. So by the time the jaundice was improving Campbell had been bottle fed for over a week. She was very nipple confused and refused to breast feed. I knew I needed help but it was Christmas and then New Year's and I didn't call a lactation consultant. Everyone kept saying "No baby ever suffered from being formula fed" but breastfeeding was very important to me. I was pumping and giving her the expressed bm by this point but I wanted to NURSE her!!!
About 2 1/2 weeks after delivery I took her to see a lactation consultant. She suggested a nipple shield and Campbell nursed off of that IMMEDIATELY. The l/c said she was impressed that I was so dedicated and said that we would be nursing without the nipple shield within a week. I would put Campbell on the breast with the nipple shield and then try to remove the shield after about 10 minutes of nursing. Two days later she was nursing on one breast without the shield, and a few days later she was nursing on both sides without it!
I felt like I'd achieved such an accomplishment! I am so proud of myself and Campbell. She is 5 1/2 months old and already over 20 pounds. Fed exclusively on breast milk!
I'm nervous about getting started with the next baby we have but I think I've learned a lot from our problems!!!
Thank goodness for the wonderful lactation consultants out there!
Sorry to be so long!!!!
Katie

[AmySL]

I'm not bfing anymore but stopped in to peek at the board. I bf my ds for 14 months. He was hospitalized for emergency surgery at 2 weeks old and I came down with mastitis for the first of seven time in 14 months!!! Despite the constant struggle with this and my ds never taking a bottle, I loved nursing him and still miss it so much!! He's as healthy as a horse and rarely gets a cold. Breastfeeding was tough at times, but anything worthwhile usually is!!
Good luck to all of you nursing mommies and new babies! Remember, any amount of bfing is good for your baby and if you can't breastfeed for some reason, don't feel guilty--your baby will still be happy and healthy!!
AmySL
James 19mo.

[Jenni in TX]

DD was born @ 37 wks. I had a c-section, so didn't get to nurse immediately. It was 4am the first time we put her on the breast, so no lactation nurse was on duty. Luckily, I had taken a bf class. The lac nurse came in the next day, and said that while Hanna was trying to latch, she had a recessed chin, a very small mouth, and a high palate. She recommended the nipple shield. What they didn't tell me was how to wean her off of it! So we used it for 3 wks. At that time, I went to a lactation consultant, cuz she was hooked on the nipple shield. The lc was VERY helpful (we still keep in touch, even took a water aerobics class together!) and w/in a week, we weaned her off the nipple shield.

The next hurdle was my supply. I didn't know not to take benedryl, and that, coupled with the stress of traveling, and a growth spurt all at once, caused Hanna to start refusing the breast. She wanted that milk to pour into her mouth immediately upon sucking! I "quit" a day shy of 3 months, but the bond was something I just couldn't give up! We worked through it, giving her 1 oz of ebm or formula in a bottle to take the edge off, and then she would latch on. I started taking reglan, and then switched to domperidone, which I still take (I'm afraid to go off of it). Hanna took 1 bottle a day of formula until I started the reglan, but dropped that bottle at 5 months. At 7 months, I tried to give her a bottle, and she refused! She will only take the breast!

Now, she is 10.5 months. She weighs 25 pounds, and hasn't had more than a runny nose! We will continue bf past a year, hopefully letting her self wean!

Jenni in TX
Hanna Katelyn 7/19/02

[PrincessBride]

Tommy was born via emergency C-section in June of 2002. I was disappointed of course, but my dr had told I might have to have one. So I had a little preparation. I did miss having that "golden hour" right after birth. I had so looked forward to that! He was born right before 6 pm and I first nursed him at 10:30. Looking back, I wonder why they made me wait so long. He was our Champion Latcher right from the start. He would flange his little lower lip and everything. We had Lactation Consultants come by four times because my left nipple especially was flat. We also had problems with positioning since I couldn't just hold him on my tummy. The LCs were wonderful!

When we got home, I wondered A LOT about my supply. I kept thinking he wasn't getting enough since he wanted to suck so much. I've since learned this is normal and even helps to establish your long-term supply. I found that Lansinoh was my lifesaver for sore nipples.

At three weeks, I got really sick every hour for like 10 hours. I couldn't keep anything down and I worried about dehydration. We went to the drs, but by then I was okay. But Tommy had sucked SOO much on the right the night before, it began to spray big time in the office! I was a water hose! Luckily, it was just the three of us in there! lol

Unfortunately, the left never really got better since Tommy preferred the right so much (with the better nipple and latch).
It eventually stopped production. That was a very hard thing to accept at first. I felt like a part of me had failed. The right side is bigger, but is only noticeable when I have no clothes on.

Tommy is almost one and still loves to nurse. I am so grateful for my dh who encouraged me from the start to persevere. He knew how important this relationship was to me. Tommy does not take a bottle, but this is okay with me. I actually was jealous when I saw him sucking on a bottle! He hasn't had a bottle since August of last year. We thought it would be incredibly difficult to make our 18 hour drive at Thanksgiving with him not taking a bottle, but it worked out great! We just stopped when he needed to nurse and had a walking/potty break ourselves. It was the most relaxed we ever were on that drive!

I am now pg with our second and I spoke to a LLL leader about the left not working. I was worried that I would have two babies wanting the right at the same time! She assured me that my left would work again after the new baby. This was a relief to me. If Tommy self-weans during this pg, which babies sometimes do, then that's okay. But I didn't want to have to wean him. I wanted to be able to tandem nurse them if necessary.

I hope to read more success stories from happy mamas and babies! Good luck to you!

Carla and Tommy
June 2002

[Caro B.]

Sorry, this has turned out to be more of a list of tips rather than a success story, but hope it's helpful anyway.

I successfully breastfed Anna for 6 months, after nearly giving up after a week.

My problem was extremely painful cracked and bleeding nipples. I have very fair skin, which probably contributed, and inverted nipples.

Here are some things I learned :

1. Don't let anyone tell you inverted nipples can prevent successful b/f : this has absolutely no influence whatsoever, as the baby's suction pulls the nipple out to a normal shape.

2. Moral support from those around you is essential in those early days. It is very important that your dh supports your decision to b/f 100% and doesn't try to persuade you to give up when the going gets tough, even tho' he may be doing this with the best will in the world.

Other support systems which helped me were this bulletin board and a lactation consultant who really got me back on track in the first week. The La Leche League is also excellent.

The important thing is to share your problems with a sympathetic and experienced ear.

3. It gets easier and easier and more and more enjoyable. As the baby grows and sucks more efficiently, feeding times grow shorter. And the bond you have with your baby really is amazing.

4. I personally found that any creams to treat my sore nipples were useless. My lactation consultant advised me to use nothing at all, just to rub some of my own milk into the nipple. She told me not to use soap on my breasts at all. My cracked nipples soon healed and I never had any more problems.

5. Breastfed babies don't necessarily wake more often in the night. My daughter was sleeping from 11pm to 6am at 2 months old. From 3 months onwards she went from 7pm to 6am.

6. Oh yes, positioning is really important too. A lactation consultant can show you many different ones to find the one which suits you best and the one which suits your baby's latching technique the best. Experiment, and don't forget the lying on your side position : this is very restful !

That's all I can think of for now. Just remember, if you are determined to b/f, then you will succeed.
But if you do give up, don't beat yourself up about it : a mother's prime function is to feed her baby, whether it be with formula or breastmilk...

Caro B.
Anna, 12 months
Sibling due mid november 2003

[sky]

Well I am shocked to be able to post here, LOL!

Our first 10-12 weeks were so rough! Many LC's looked at our latch in the hospital and said it was great, but it hurt sooo bad on my nipples. My dd was so small and had a biting latch (leaves a ridge on your nipple) and b/c of this all I could do was use the football hold, shove all I could in her mouth and wait for her to get bigger. Sure enough, close to 3 months I FINALLY had some relief. Due to this off and mostly on pain, I was treating and even suspecting thrush, but it was just nipple pain.

Like other ladies, I went through thinking my supply was low, from weeks 3-6. She slept a lot the first 3 weeks since she was a few weeks early and small, I was told I HAD to wake her to eat every 3 hours around the clock. That was a challenge, trying to keep her awake to nurse. Nothing worked except a cold cloth, and I was scared to do that too much b/c of her temperature issues (had to bundle her alot, her temp. would drop). She would want to nurse so often (every 2 hours) and took forever each time, about 45 min!

Major sleep deprivation and caring for a toddler (thus not being able to nap much during the day) made this even harder. I wanted to just quit so many times, but I'm so glad I remained determined to keep nursing. I never in those early days thought I'd have a difficult time emotionally weaning, wow. I also never dreamed I'd nurse 11 months. And I am only weaning now b/c of medical reasons for some things I need done. My long term goal was 6 months, and I truly planned to wean by about 7-8 months.

Best wishes to everyone planning to breastfeed! It's an amazing experience I will always treasure.

And for those that pump, good for you as well! That is soo much work. I pumped with dd#1, but only for 5 weeks. I am in awe of those that do long-term pumping.

Edited to add: I agree DH's major support is so important. He was not supportive with dd#1 (hospital and he pushed for formula bottle when I was having problems) and I wonder if I might have made it if I had been given better support all around.

Hugs to everyone,

Sky
dd 2 years
dd almost 11 months

[Shellyl]

Well, I almost gave up bf several times. I am amazed that I am still only bf my boys and they are 10 mo today.
My twin boys were born at 37weeks by c-section. I started bf them after recovery. They would both just scream at the breast. I just kept trying. My nipples were so sore and I did use some cream that worked wonders lactation gave it to me. I also needed ice packs becasue I ended up nursing both on demand. It was about every1 1/2 to 2 hours and it took them 45min to an hour to finish. So I was up 24 hours a day.
When I came home from the hospital my babies had jaundice really bad so we were back in the hospital several times. By me running around my incssion became infected really bad. The doctors wanted to admit me to the hospital to re cut me open and re stich me. I bagged them not to because they would not put me back to the baby floor. That means I would could not bf them. They ended up opening it up and I went home to treat it myself. Not easy at all it was infected. Then after that healed I ended up getting a really bad breast infection.
I bought formual at 2 weeks becasue my boys were screaming and I felt like I was not making enough milk. I almost gave it to them. I ended up just pumping after each feeding for 30 then after a few week my milk supply went up. I hardley got any milk from pumping but it helped my suply.
Then I had another infection. Almost stopped again.
What helped me was my husband and all his help. He helped me at all the feedings unless he was at work. but he woke every night with me and I would feed and he would burp and change both.
I guess I would say this has been the hardest thing I have ever done. Its not been easy nusring twins this long. I guess I just put a lot of pressure on myself that bf was the best for my babies and I better do it. I almost stopped at my 9mo baby well check and my doctor told me not to. she said you made it this far why quit now. So here I am at 10 mo and still wondering how long I will make it.

Shelly