Finally, I can post a POSITIVE story!

[RedPanda]

I posted this in the breastfeeding stories thread, but am just so pleased that things are going well that I thought I'd post it here too. Hopefully my story will help someone else who is struggling through similar issues.

Here goes...

I have been hoping to one day post a success story in this thread, and today I feel that I can (but believe me, I'm touching wood as I type!!). I didn't breastfeed my first baby for long. We had attachment issues, I had emotional issues, and it was just all too much for me at the time. I regretted my decision, and vowed to myself that I would breastfeed baby number two. I did an ABA course, and joined the organisation in preparation for my journey. My son was born in a drug free, very fast labour and things seemed to be going well. On day three, my breasts were sooo huge and painful, and the attachment issues began again. I was expressing before feeds so he could actually grasp the breast, but it was painful and my nipples were cracked and VERY sore. Later in the night on day three, I found myself crying in the hospital nursery because things were very much the same as with my first son. A lovely midwife sat with me and told me I was putting too much pressure on myself. She helped me attach him, and told me to take things one feed at a time. Every feed from then on I told myself, "Just get through this one, just get through this one".

I had a massive oversupply of milk, and a very forceful letdown so attachment continued to be difficult. My son would come off at the start of every feed coughing and spluttering. I was feeling awkward and uncomfortable, and could only feed if I was sitting in a particular chair with strategically placed pillows. At night, I remember sitting on my couch with my baby in my arms nearly crying with the thought of attaching him. At three weeks, my son was hospitalised for three days with bronchialitis. He refused to feed, and if I tried to attach him, he pull at my nipple and gum me. The doctors said he would have to be tube fed if he didn't feed soon. He did feed after they siphoned the mucous out of him, but I felt like I was back at day three. Sore, blistered nipples and a baby who had seemingly forgotten how to attach.

Back home, we started feeding well again when I began getting really sore breasts. I called an LC because I was just OVER it. She told me it was vasospasm, and I started using panadol before feeds and heat packs. Apparently this is common if you've had damaged nipples. Anyway, I was finally feeling on top of this when I got mastitis. Antibiotics cleared it up in about three days, but I couldn't believe how terrible it made me feel. I was shaky, achey, hot, cold and nauseus. The ABs gave me thrush and by this point I was beginning to hate breastfeeding.

In a last attempt to save everything, I called the LC again and she was very encouraging. I also bombarded BH and several lovely hubbers (Beany, the_queen, Demeter, MilkOnTap, Funky, Ziggie and many of my other lovely pink friends) with questions and moans of "When will it get better?"

Well, it is finally better. I feed without pillows, my supply has settled down, and my baby is now smiling at me after feeds!! It took nearly nine weeks, and lots of agony, but I feel like we're there! So hip hip hooray!

[V8]

I read your other post when you were having troubles and am so glad you hung in there, and things are going well. It's awesome to hear of people perservering cause it really is tough in the first few weeks, but once you find your feet it can be so awesome!! Congrats and good work!

[punkbaby]

Thats awesome, so wonderful to hear well done. You have had a shocking time so now its time to sit back and enjoy. So pleased to here

[reAllytee]

YAYAYAYAYA !!!!!

Well done to you

[InSaneOne]

thats great that through all that trouble and pain that you persisted and are enjoying feeding your baby now. i have major regrets at the circumstances that stressed me to the point of losing my milk with my first child. now that i have number 2 i am expressing like mad and freezing so that if i do become stressed again and lose my milk at 4 months i can still give him some of the expressed feeds.

i love the fact that breastmilk is free - especially as formula is getting so expensive. and i like the fact that you have an excuse to give your baby a big cuddle while you are feeding

congratulations for making it to 9 weeks. for many more weeks

[MilkOnTap]

Well, it is finally better. I feed without pillows, my supply has settled down, and my baby is now smiling at me after feeds!! It took nearly nine weeks, and lots of agony, but I feel like we're there! So hip hip hooray!

Awwww Hazellew - Congrats!!! I'm so proud of you - and whats more, you should be proud of yourself! (You've brought a tear to a preggie womans eye, I'm really so happy for you)

Isn't that milky smile after feeds just to die for!

Awwwwww - I'm all mushed up now

[jojobewildered]

Congratulations! You are a wonderful mummy.

I had heaps of probs b'feeding too- but of a diff story.
Emergency c-sect which led to post partum bleeding which meant my milk came in late.
At the hosp i fell asleep feeding once and got badly grazed and then things just went bad to worse. My milk dried up at 14 days as well. I had cracked nipples, bits came off and bled once too(it was really cold that night). I was repeatedly told that it "wasn't giving up" if i stopped.
I cried through b'feeding for 3 months solid. The pain was horrific but i felt it was the one thing about the whole birth experience i could control. I had laser treatment to help heal myself- even the lady who did that said i had the worst nipples that she had ever seen.

Today my boy is almost 17months old and still having a morning and evening snack of mummy milk. I am so proud of myself and at 5 and half months pregnant, hope to continue feeding #1 for as long as he wishes- even if that means tandem feeding.

[westerner]

Thats fantastic news..

[Mummaholic]

Congtratulations, I'm so glad it worked out for you

[Milk_Monkey]

Thank you for such an encouraging story!

Im in a very similar agony that you described, but at day 9, i know its too early to give in.

I spent most of the day yesterday in tears, but when there are stories like yours out there, it makes all the difference!