Persisting pays off

[Bron]

It seems bizarre to me that something as natural and instinctive as breastfeeding can seem so freaking hard at first for some people. I struggled in the first few weeks. No problems with supply at all, but my nipples were very very painful, my breasts were agonisingly sore at night time, DS took ages to attach sometimes and othertimes wouldn't attach at all, leading to both of us being in tears (usually at 3am). I was scared about feeding anywhere except at home and stressed about feeding when DH wasn't at home to make encouraging noises and to help me hold DS's hands out of the way!!

But, I persisted. I was determined to get this feeding thing right, and give DS the best possible start in life. It paid off. Feeding is a much calmer experience now, it has stopped hurting, my nipples have healed, my breasts don't hurt much any more, DS is attaching well, and sometimes all I have to do is look at him and I leak milk.:o

I've now learned to love breastfeeding. I love that my body is capable of providing my baby with all that he needs, I love that I can be a completely transportable food source for him, I don't even mind being stuck on the couch for several hours a day.

So, hooray for our bodies being able to do this magical thing. And hooray for those who persist in the face of pain and difficulties. It really is worth it.

[whatwasithinking]

Well done Bron.

[Toffee apple]

:smiliedance: It is so great to hear that you now love BF , you have done really well to hang in there & get through the rough part ,cause gosh it is a real low point at times .
So YAY YAY YAY !!!!!!!!:smiliedance:

[Percy]

Thats so great to hear Bron. Im really happy you got to keep your breastfeeding up.

I went through a very similar thing with DS for the first 12 weeks. He was then diagnosed with tongue tie, once it was fixed, feeding was absolute bliss. I am so happy i persisted too.

Congratulations:hugs:

[Melo]

Yay Bron! I'm still kicking my self I gave up so easy with Jacob, I think it made me more determined to be successful with Ava. We are still going strong now at 5 months.

Congratulations :D

[Pixie]

Well done Bron it's all worth it in the end.:D

[mum2L]

That's great news Bron, well done!! :yelclap: :thumbsup:

Your start sounds very similar to what mine was like when I first started breastfeeding my DS. I came so close to thinking I just can't do this it just hurts to much etc and nearly giving up but I didn't. Now 12mths on I am still breastfeeding DS and loving it! :smiliedance:

It really is worth it and I feel very lucky that I am able to.

[Sheer Bliss]

:yelclap: Well done for sticking at it. Reading your story bought tears to my eyes - if only more people realised that persisting does pay off!! :smiliedance:

[madreader]

:hugs: Well done Bron.

[Tam-I-Am]

Yay Bron! Bron Bron she's our woman, if she can't do it, no one can...

Excuse the appallingly bad rhyme!

It IS so worth it to get through those difficult, excruciating, tedious, endless, mind-numbing weeks to find the wonders on the other side, isn't it!

:hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs:

[ButterflyMama]

Well done, you should be really proud. :hugs:

[Nickster]

That's fantastic Bron!:yelclap:

Your story could've almost been mine - another shaky starter here, but a strong finisher. It's definitely well worth it in the end.

Thank you for an inspiring thread. Isn't it just amazing what our bodies can do?

[GraceUnhearing]

:smiliedance: :smiliedance:

congrats Bron

well done

[pookiesossige]

Well done Bron :) Yep, for a good few weeks or even a months or two, it can be agony. I didn't pull through the pain after 4 months with Ronan and weaned, but with Ariene we made 12 months easily. But I will NEVER forget the toe-curling pain of the first month. I too was scared to feed without DH to distract and calm and keep those hands out of the way! And there were many tears...
It just makes that feeling of achivement all the greater :hugs: :yes:

[Bron]

It does make me quite annoyed by the midwives at the hospital who kept saying "if you are in any pain or discomfort, then you're doing it wrong". What they should have said was "it will hurt like hell for the first 20 or so seconds after he attaches. You'll feel tears in your eyes, and need to kick your legs in the air to cope, but it will get better."

[nemosmum]

Yes I hated when they would say that to me too, as I would often feel like i was doing ti wrong coz it DID hurt!

Sometimes its not a physical thing but an emotional barrier that makes bfing a challenge

With my ds I didnt bond with him at first and as a result I resented bfing all together I didnt have any problems with attachment ro supply it was all in my head!

I detested the whole damn thing for the first four or so months and used to pray for milk supply problems and so on eyeing off every bottle feeding mum with envy

DH was so supportive of me bfing though and I knew he would have been very upset if id stopped bfing his a BIG BFING ADVOCATE LOL

I persisted with ds and weaned him at about 11mths pretty gd considering I never liked it

HOWEVER this time round I LOVE bfing my baby girl, its so much easier and the bond was instant which i think helps!

love love love bfing!!!

Congrats BRON on keeping strong and perservering

[Beany]

Well done, Bron!

Been there, utterly sympathise. Bet we have matching nail prints on the couch arms.

The funny thing was, I actually kept bracing for pain for a while before realising that it didn't hurt anymore.

[Bron]

The funny thing was, I actually kept bracing for pain for a while before realising that it didn't hurt anymore.

Me too! I'd clench my teeth and get ready for the agony, I think it took me a few days to notice that I wasn't in pain anymore!

[vanessamb]

as above, this nearly made me cry! we are at week six, and i still have cracked nipples. we spent half the first month of little one's life in hospital with mastitis (got it twice, managed to ward it off two other times) and have gone from expressing to breat, to nipple shield to expressing countless times. it is possible we may have to express tonight, as the damage is a little worse today...

but... we are hanging in there in the hope that we too might be able to feel the same way some day... soon!

thanks...

[Beany]

Greeniemum: you will get there. Honest. Hones honest honest!

It took me 8 weeks for it to become bearable, 12 for it to become normal.

I remember sitting out on a wall in Darling Harbour while Pixie fed her (then) 6 month old and being so completely jealous of the way she popped on and off without any issues while I struggled and bit my lip against the pain of my 3 week old lacerating me.

By 5 months, I could attach him upside down. At 7 months, he attached himself and started doing acrobatics while on.

Hang in there! And let your boobs hang out - airing them out helps them to heal faster.