Breast feeding success stories

[~Saram~]

With my first I did all my reading and although I was apprehensive and a little embarrassed (having been brought up with the whole sexual nature of breasts and how my artner would react etc) I was determined that it would be the best thing for my baby.

DS was induced at 36wks and had an underdeveloped suck reflex and jaundice which made him sleepy. Becuase of the lack of sucking my milk didn't come in until about day 9. I distinctly remeber day 4 at 4am when they were syringe comp feeding my little bub while I was hooked up to a breast pump exprerssing 2-3ml and the midwife yelling at me that I needed to have more than that, it just wasn't going to cut it and that my baby needed to be formula fed.

The next day the paed walked in and reved me again at how all this had happened, why didn't I say he wasn't feeding etc ( of course I didn't know he wasn't feeding - I would put him to the breast, he would suck at the nipple and fall asleep!) and then he yelled at the midwife for telling me not to bother breast feeding and told me to get back on that breast pump and stop the comp feeding.

2 wks later of expressing every feed and syringe feeding and then bottle feeding my MIL sugguested nipple shields. We went on to breast feed with shield for over 9mths before DS was ready to wean of the shields, we then BF until past 2yrs!

DD journey was a lot less dramatic with just the usual cracked nipples so we turned to the shields again but only for 3wks. DD is now successfully breast feed and occassionally bottlefeed and I lov ehte flexibility of doing both!

[krisp]

I have two beautiful (and miraculous) children. My BF journey starts 5 years ago before my children were even conceived.

In 2003 I was pregnant with a much wanted child. At 9 weeks I was diagnosed with breast cancer. To cut a long story short to save my life I had to have surgery, chemo and radiotherapy. The surgery included terminating my precious precious baby.

Fast forward 3 years and my DH and I were delighted to discover that we were pregnant. The Drs had warned me I might be left infertile from the chemo, but God had other plans for me.

I BF both my DS and DD for 3 months from one breast. It wasn't easy and at times I struggled with feeding and expressing in between to try and boost my supply. I sadly put both my little darlings on formula too early as I need to have 12 monthly mamograms which I can't do when pregnant or BFing. So they each got what I could give and then it was time for me to 'be sensible' and wean them so I could have the dreaded mammo.

I loved BFing. I loved the closeness, I loved the bond and the look of love from on their little faces as they suckled blissfully in the quiet of the dark in the middle of the night. I loved the instant happiness that only a booby can give when they were distressed. I loved the special and unique time that it gave me with my babies.

It broke my heart to stop and perhaps more so with my daughter as I knew it was something that I wouldn't do again.

Our family is complete and so is my BFing journey.

[Carol-Sean]

Like all other first time mums, the first weeks of BF were excruciatingHowever after abt 3wks of endurance, I found it a very pleasant experience. it brings out the most beautiful, warm fuzzy feelings and the connection it built between my son and I is indescribable. I think I have BF for 17months mostly because it makes me feel good than because it is necessary. I'm thinking of weaning him now though coz he is a very big boy and once he grabs onto that breast he leaves me famished and I cant keep eating like there' s no tomorrow, a girl's got to get her figure back. But i must say, it's the best thing a mum can share with her baby.So if u can go for it!

[kungfubecca]

our experience has been a good one. A little bit of hard work in the first few weeks getting to know each other, but he never went without. I considered myself very lucky with my supply and Xaviers ability to to feed.
I actually went back to work when Xavier was 5 months old, and have been expressing at work every day. Which I have to admit, has been quite trying, yet I perserveerd, because my supply was great and had no troubles expressing 400ml plus each day.

Then I got the flu and xavier got the flu so between me be dehydrated and him not feeding as much 'cause he felt so bad, my supply plumeted. To make matters worse at the same time I was performing a more stressfull job role, and meetings interupted my expressing.

2 months later and I am finally getting reasonable amounts of milk each time I express. I am currently am still expressing twice a day, and would be lying if I said I wouldn't like to drop one or both of those. I am really hoping to wean Xavier off his day feeds at the very least once he turns 1. I do enjoy feeding him, and I don't think that feeding is an inconvenience, but expressing at work is.

Another reason I chose to express at work, is to show every one I work with that it can be done. Power to the mums!!!

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

I have loved reading all these stories, what a great thread idea MantaRay!

Here's my story (it's quite a bitter one at first, but I'm bloody proud of myself now I look back at that first month!):

I always just assumed I'd breastfeed because I can't be arsed with bottles and that stuff. It was very much seen as a bad idea by my mother's family, who told me how awful feeding is and how wrong it is and they bought me bottles whilst I was pg! So I decided that I WAS going to breastfeed and my baby would NOT be having formula.

His birth... didn't go to plan, let's just say, as that's a whole novella in itself. He was completely disinterested in feeding for the first day at least... but I don't know if he was given formula in the SCBU because he was just taken away for 90 minutes after he was born.

Then the stupid horrid cow of a midwife on the ward told me I'd never be able to breastfeed and DS "needed" formula so if I didn't give it she'd take him away and do it. I insisted on breastfeeding before formula, and only using a cup, which was acceptable.

Then my milk came in - same time as the woman in the bed opposite me. Evil cow midwife was very helpful to her and got her cold cabbage leaves, which the nice lady offered to share when she realised I wasn't getting the same treatment. Luckily for me I had no engorgement or pain so it wasn't needed.

We were discharged and home for the weekend. On the monday we were rushed back to hospital as DS had lost weight and was jaundiced and I couldn't feed him. The SCBU team were lovely and were really great, helping me express and BF and making sure they gave EBM before formula. They did let me sleep through two nights, the two nights surrounding my birthday, which meant I got my pre-birth birthday wish of getting a decent sleep with a baby for my birthday LOL. (BTW, I have damage to my optic nerve, which means that to me DS looked jaundiced normally, the pinky tone looked a bit more yellow to me. When he has a temperature he looks purple and bruisy, so I always know when he's ill on sight, but explains why I never noticed the jaundice, he looked the same as me for skin colour to me.)

At 3 weeks old DS was having one bottle a day. He started to throw up after that bottle so we stopped it. At about 5-7m he had a pre-bed bottle in the hope he'd sleep through, but that's a lie.

TBH, although I did a lot of fighting initially, after about 4 weeks it was really easy and my DH was fantastically supportive (once he got used to the idea that I'd squirt when uncovered at first, he was icky about that) and DS self-weaned really easily. Too easily really, I'd still be doing it if I could. Full-time, making meals for DS is such a pain and when he leaves food, just a waste.

I haven't even had many negative comments from people, possibly because my family realised pre-birth that I was going to feed DS for as long as possible. And because I'm scary LOL.

[Neenee Jellybeanie]

Great topic!!

DD and I had hurdles at first. Due to our unfortunate birth experience, she didn't breastfeed for quite a while after she was born. It was a bit tricky at first but we got into it fairly quickly. At a few months old, she went through a horrible phase of breast refusal. The only thing that really helped was time, patience and having showers together. Looking back, I think the problem was my supply. I had supply issues at around 6 months as well, again, we got through it. I was giving her bottles of formula before bed for a while in the hopes that she would sleep better but it didn't help, in fact it gave her tummy aches, so we cut that out. I had a few people tell me to stop BFing; my ex MIL, ex P (who didnt want my boobs to sag) and my GP who said (in response to me being worried about DDs weight, without actually seeing her) "You can't keep breastfeeding just because you want to! There's no benefit to breastfeeding beyond 3 months anyway" LMAO.
The most recent problem we've had is biting, which is a direct result of teething. 2 months or so ago, she drew blood from both nipples! She's cheeky too, I remove her from the breast when she does it so now she only bites and the end of the feed LOL. It's annoying and often painful, but once the tooth cuts the gum, she stops so I just grind my teeth and deal with it until it ends. Such is life!

I'm so proud that we've made it this far and I have a feeling we're going to make it to 12 months! I honestly didn't think we would many times but it was definately worth persevering. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't comfort DD when she wakes in the night or hurts herself with the boob! My life would be so much harder lol! DD has never been sick either, even when I've been sick. I contribute that to BFing

[The[cookie]Doctor]

I decided, that now we are nigh on six months, I would finally post in here.

Our journey has been quite simple. We had no attachment issues and no supply issues - our main problem was me fighting the norm of forumla feeding that surrounded me. I felt terrible pressure by my DF to breastfeed which made the first few days and weeks rather unpleasant. With my 'I'm so big I need my own postcode boobies', we battled through the discomfort until we found a way to feed that bothered neither of us. We eventually accomplished breastfeeding in public - which progressed from completely covered up in parents rooms, to the ability to now whip it out whenever and whereever; including supermarket aisles, trains and at the park.

I have battled through PND - where I do not want to be touched, or have my baby anywhere near me some days, and we're still going, still exlcusive and almost at six months. There are times I have wanted to give up. There are days when I wil cry through a feed, or when I will vomit afterwards, because I am sickened by touch. But we're still going. I have now encountered three painfully blocked ducts in a matter of six weeks, as well as shortlived, but painful and annoying round of thrush.

Even though I was hesitant to begin with, I am now confident, and as much as I am battling with tactile aversion at the moment, I do really love breastfeeding. There are days when I would like to give it up so I can stop feeling like I am losing my DH, but I am lucky that he understands. And I am lucky that I also seem to have had a stellar run with health professionals that have always praised WHO standards. I am lucky that I have had support from BB and I am ever so thankful that I have a thirst to prove myself.

[Inanna]

Great thread MR!
DD13: I had a very long and difficult labour - she was to be a homebirth and we transferred to hospital after 24 hours or thereabouts of labour. I had an epidural and had a dural tap - when the cerebro spinal fluid leaks creating an excruciating headache. I was discharged home with this as "the pain isn't bad enough to be a dural tap". I couldn't sit up without calling out in pain so we used nipple shields. DH attatched DD for each feed - she screamed and fed nonstop. After 7 days at home I went to hospital and a dural tap was diagnosed and a blood patch done to rectify. A few hours later I could sit up for the first time in a week without pain. It was heaven. We had trouble with attatchment and had to wean off the shields. I got blisters, bleeding - it was pretty hideous. But we got the hang of it eventually and she went on to exclusively b/f for 10 months and b/f in total for 3 years. She self weaned.

DS7: I had a beautiful birth centre birth - he attatched immediately but his attatchment wasn't great. I ended up with blisters, bleeding nipples and 3 hideous bouts of mastitis. My nipples were an absolute mess. By 6 weeks it was all good and he self weaned at aobout 2 1/2.

DD5: She fed like a trouper - she was born sucking and took to the booby with flourish. No problems, no mastitis, nipple trauma. She fed beautifully - she self weaned at 2 years.

DD4: She took to the breast beautifully too - no trauma, mastitis and she self weaned at about 16 months.

DD10 months: As most of you know she was a 28 week premmie. I began expressing the day after her birth (I was in icu for first 24 hours - and expressing wasn't even considered) and nothing came - not even a speck of colostrum. I was shattered. By day 5 the nicu staff were getting heavy about needing some milk for her. I was absolutely terrified of not being able to produce milk for her. I knew all the stats and premmies that don't have breast milk are at higher risk of all types of problems. I phoned a lactating friend who offered to give me her milk. She came with a bottle and I sureptitiously put it into the speci jars supplied by the hospital. At least I knew she would have "the good stuff". I then expressed and got my first colostrum - 5mls. It was like Christmas! My friend ran down to NICU with the precious colostrum. Her milk wasn't needed after all! I was on motilium for supply. I continued to express for the next 3 months and 1 week every 3 hours around the clock. Immy went home fully breastfeeding and still is!

[The[cookie]Doctor]

Oh Deb, what a wonderful, wonderful job you have done with Immy, you should be so flipping proud of what you have achieved. I have goosebumps just reading your achievement. Well done!

[Inanna]

Thanks Cookiemonster - it was very rocky but worth it!

[{sarah}]

Alexzander was my disaster story!! I had a 36 hour labour which ended with an emergency c/s at 1.30am. I had about 6 hours sleep in the preceeding 90-odd hours and was exhausted. The midwives commented that it looked as though I had given birth to twins - one vaginally & one caesarean. I tried to breastfeed him for the first time around 15 hours after the birth. I was too out of it to remember to try any earlier & no-one even suggested it. He was so tired & couldn't be bothered (this was Sunday afternoon), Monday was the same & all the nurses did was give him heel pr!ck tests to make sure his BSL was ok. They kept saying he'd get there. By the Tusday night I was told he was getting dehydrated & I had to feed more. So for 15 hours I had him on & off the breast continuously, all the while him hysterically screaming, me crying & the damage to my nipples getting worse with each attempt. In the morning (Wednesday) I demanded a bottle. No-one really questioned it, I was asked if I was sure & I was. That was it. I tried to express for the next week & got nothing, I tried to breastfeed and he would suck then scream as nothing was happening. I gave up & in hindsight there wasn't much more I could do. I was traumatised by the birth & should have had someone guiding me in what to do, but no-one was bothered.

Juliette is my wonderful success story, she is six months old today & has been exclusively breastfeed for that whole time. I had attempted a VBAC, but ended up again with an emergency c/s, this time after 11 hours of labour. I had lost a lot of blood so was kept in recovery for almost three hours & Juliette was taken to the SCN as a precaution because of her gagging straight after the birth. I hadn't realised where she was at the time & expected her to be waiting for me on the ward. I said I wanted to BF but was told I was on half hourly obs due to the blood loss & wasn't going anywhere, Juliette was also to be kept at SCN for another few hours. Enter my guardian angel & Juliette's godmother.... Cailin was awesme & pushed for me to be able to feed. So at 3 hours old Juliette had her first breastfeed & did wonderfully. The nurses were trying to kick me out to go back for my obs but we stayed until she was done. From then on she has fed like a pro, no attachment issues or anything like that. I had major issues for the first three months with one extremely sensitive nipple. I was in tears at every feed & there was nothing anyone could do about it, I had to press on through and just hope it would get better. So many times I wanted to give up, but I forced myself to keep going moreso for me than her as I felt I had to give her one good start to life seeing as I couldn't conceive her (IVF) or birth her myself. Sometime after three months the pain just stopped & we're here gong strong now. I'm so proud of my little girl and myself. I will be eternally grateful & thankful that I had my best friend there to push the point of breastfeeding early on otherwise we migt not have made it.

[Shanti]

I can now say that I've been breastfeeding my gorgeous 6 month old baby girl for 6 months now!!!!!!!!!!

It's the best feeling. I did it. WE did it. We got through all our early problems of attachment problems, low milk supply issues because of the attachment problems, cracked/bleeding painful nipples, expressing, comp feeding with formula and EBM, expressing all hours of the night and sometimes 2hrly, flat nipple, thrush on the nipples, vasospasm of the nipple, had to take motilium and fenugreek (made me stink like curry!!!),DD's constant low weight gains (sometimes weight loss ), breast refusal on and off particularly on my L side and a few other things to deal with...oh and LOTS of tears from me and DD at times. I think the only thing I didnt encounter was Mastitis!!!

I am SO PROUD of my daughter and I for persisting and persisting thru it all. It is because of all our hard work and persistence that we made it to 6 months and now hope to continue BF'ing for many more months.... also many thanks to my husband for his wonderful support through some very tough days in the early weeks. My husband couldnt' take time off work so those early weeks during the day were really quite hard for me and not just because of looking after our newborn daughter on my own but also having so many feeding problems it was very isolating. But when DH was home, he was so helpful and supportive. Incredible support.

There were so many days where I could have easily just switched over to formula and the thought crossed my mind many times but I always wanted so badly to breastfeed my DD and always believed I could do it with lots of persistence and the help of a Lactation Consultant who came to my house for visits and help ( I paid her but it was sooo worth it). ALSO the help of some wonderful BB members on this forum, you know who you are
BIG THANK YOU again.

Due to DD's low weight gains and my difficulty establishing my milk supply in those early weeks (due to attachment issues) we had no choice but to top DD up with formula (or EBM if I had enough to offer) from 3wks of age (she lost 200g one week ) and I finally managed to again exclusively breastfeed her without any bottles from about 13/14 weeks of age!! Finally when DD turned 4mths, everything fell into place and we were exclusively BFing finally!!! no bottles, no pumping, no motilium drugs.
I admit, that I found it hard to get her off the bottles and she was probably on them for longer than she really needed to be because I found it hard to think that I alone, with just BM, could sustain my DD given the early weeks where I couldn't. But I did it!!!
It feels wonderful to not have to carry around a bottle of EBM or formula with me and to know that if my DD is hungry, I have it there ready to go in my boobs!
Our bodies are amazing!! I never wanted to give my DD a bottle, I never wanted to use a pump but thankgoodness they were there for me to use!!!!
Thank goodness for my breast pump too because without that I probably would not have been able to continue BF'ing as my milk supply just was not happening and DD had so much trouble attaching on even when she was a few weeks old. Right from birth we had problems as DD would cry and fuss and in hospital for those 5 days I always needed help attaching her.

I breastfeed anywhere, and everywhere and I attend ABA meetings with my local group!!

I hope my story gives inspiration, hope and courage to anyone out there who is about to have a baby and learn how to breastfeed for the first time, and to anyone who is currently having troubles breastfeeding or knows someone who is.

Thank you for reading!! and YAY for World Breastfeeding Week!!

Here is my thread if anyone was interested (it's looong though!! lol) http://forums.bellybelly.com.au/foru...ng-mother.html

[Jennifer13]

Well done, hun!

[rufalina]

WOO HOO!!! Congrats again hun. You have done so well.

[MrsB26]

Congratulations for making it this far
You have done a great job, well done xx

[boomba]

Well done babe! Its a great accomlishment you ahve made! And the very best start for your gorgeous baby girl! Well done again your hinesty and openess in your other thread has hopefully helped many ohter members in their BF journey! xxx

[~Kaz~]

Well done Shanti and a big clap to your DD as well

Your thread really helped me at the time. I don't think I ever posted in it, but reading through it really helped with some of the issues I had with DS so thank you.

[Megan]

Well done! I followed that thread from when you first started it, and think it has definitely helped me in my breastfeeding journey. We have been breastfeeding exclusively for almost 4 months (after a rough start, and even now we have our moments) but I was inspired and encouraged by following your b/f journey. Thank you for sharing, and congratulations again!