Breastfeeding Journey As A First Time Mom

“This is tough but so am I”

7 Positive Affirmations for Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is such a huge topic. I feel like not a lot of women talk about their breastfeeding experience. My sisters didn’t breastfeed. My mother did but she never talked about breastfeeding or even pregnancy. So when people asked if I was planning on breastfeeding, I would just say I plan on breastfeeding but I will also be open to formula. I really didn’t think nursing would be a problem. But one thing is for sure, I didn’t expect to struggle in the way that I did in the first few days. Nothing really prepared me for the intense emotions that you get caught up.

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Im the type of person that likes to plan, prepare, and research things ahead of time. During my pregnancy, I had planned and prepared everything I needed for the arrival. However, breastfeeding was nothing I prepared myself too.

Prepare Your Self

I naively thought to myself that I didn’t need to take a breastfeeding class. I questioned myself, Why would I plan and prepare myself if I work with Pregnant Mommies and I have read so many articles on breastfeeding topics. Naively assumed it would come naturally to me. Little did I know, I knew nothing when it came to breastfeeding my daughter Evelyn.

My Advice

Now, how I wish I attended to one. Im sure it would have prepared me and know what to expect breastfeeding.

If you’re reading this and pregnant, don’t be naive like me and search up a local Lactation Class and attend. I’m sure it’ll be very informative and very helpful for your breastfeeding journey, particular for us first time mommies.

Breastfeeding for me was tough and can be for your too but “just don’t give up and just go with what your gut tells you to do” (Thats my motto being a new mom). Do what feels right for your little one and yourself.

FIRST FEEDING STRUGGLES

In brief, let me tell you about my breastfeeding journey.

The very first time I breastfed my child, the nurse brought my daughter over to me for her first feeding. Exhaustedly, I get topless and held Evelyn. At the moment I realized I have NO IDEA what I was doing. Positioning? Latch? How much of my nipple and areola?

With my husbands help, we position Evelyn using the “cradle hold” but we struggled getting her to latch. While the nurse was cleaning up the mess, she noticed that we are struggling with the latch. She points put that my nipples are flat. A flat nipple? What does that mean? I asked.

She mentions that If the nipple is flat, it may not reach the roof of the baby’s mouth to stimulate her palate and trigger her sucking reflex. Meaning that this is why she’s having problems latching.

so by now I’m just overly exhausted and hungry and the nurse has me rolling my nipple between my thumb and forefinger to get my nipple to stick out. Didn’t work either!

In the meantime,. the nurse brings me a Nipple Shield. A nipple shield? I asked again.

She said that a nipple shield is used if you have flat or inverted nipples. The nipple shield is shaped like an extended nipple, and gives the baby a larger area to latch onto. Feeding through the shield helps draw the nipple out, to make it easier for baby to latch onto the breast.

Okay, so now I have a nipple shield and she puts pillows on my sides and positioned Evelyn doing what it’s called the “football hold.” The football hold definitely felt more comfortable. At least my big breast wasn’t all over her tiny face and I was able to see her better from this angle. Then, I place the nipple shield and we get Evelyn to latch but breastfeeding was so painful. Did not feel right. But continued feeding her anyway for 30 minutes.

FIRST NIGHT OF BREASTFEEDING

That night, I was transferred to the baby bonding room. Where I finally was able to quickly devour my Firehouse Sub and get some sleep. Shortly after, it was time for baby’s second feeding. My husband wakes up and helps me place pillows on my sides and gets me all comfortable.

He then bring Evelyn to me and helps me get her to latch using the nipple shield and that’s when it became so much more painful and uncomfortable and definitely not enjoyable. Seems that anything I do It keeps getting worse. At this moment I wanted to just give up breastfeeding. I couldn’t even tell if Evelyn was eating or not so that stressed me even more. My anxiety levels spiked up at this moment.

Regardless of all the pain and anxiety, I continued to breastfeed her hoping she was eating. And by now I have very sore and sensitive nipples.

Second Day In The Hospital

On the day we were coming home, the hospital lactation consultant came by to check on us first thing in the morning. I tell her I was in so much pain when nursing. She observes how I nurse. The lactation consultant tells me I’m latching her wrong. She gives me a big lecture on how to position and how to get her to latch correctly. After that, she came by regularly to check on us, and just kept saying that if it hurt it meant she wasn’t latching right. We would try relatching her but no matter what we tried it always hurt and I’d finally just say that it felt fine because I was so damn tired of trying. Breastfeeding for me was SO exhausting. We spent over an hour going over all this latching and different positions.

AT HOME.

Just when we thought we had the latching all set with the nipple shield and using the softshells, things began getting worst again. By day 5, not only did I have sore nipples but I also began having cracked and a bleeding nipple. I kept applying the Lanolin Nipple Cream and was the only thing that would sooth my cracked nipples.

On day 7, I let my sore and cracked nipples recover from breastfeeding. I had decided to just pump. Had been pumping every 2 hrs but because I was in so much stress my milk supply went down drastically. I was only getting half an ounce every time I would pump. Baby wasn’t getting enough milk. I asked Evelyn’s Pediatrician if it was okay if I supplement with formula while still pumping and giving her breastmilk. She said It’s completely OK and perfectly safe to do. So I supplemented with formula once she gave me the green light to supplement. I quickly googled the best lactation supplements. I came across to Pump It Up Lactation Supplement and purchased them with no hesitation.

It’s okay to not be perfect.

While I let my nipples heal and while waiting for the lactation supplements to arrive, I continued supplementing with formula. It was on the 4th day of supplementing with formula when Evelyn began having colics and gases and she didn’t even want the formula or the bottle anymore. She was just fussing all day and crying of pain and maybe hunger too. Made me now feel like a big failure! I remember that night I cried of frustration, sadness, and guilt. I didn’t know what to do.

Regardless of my intense pain and one nipple still bleeding, that night Evelyn left me with no option but to exclusively breastfeed her again using the nipple shield. I remember breastfeeding her and would cry of pain. By now, it has been 5 days taking the Lactation Supplements. I began noticing results within 5 days taking the supplements, it increased my milk supply abundantly. After finally seeing milk coming in I began having positive thoughts towards breastfeeding and towards the new mom life. It’s important to step back, take a breath, and look around at all the good things in your life.

After the first month of breastfeeding, it has been such a beautiful experience. Through all the failures, tears, and prescience I am thankful and very fortunate to be able to exclusively breastfeed my daughter Evelyn for 6 months.

Surround yourself with people that are going to uplift you, make you happy, and support you.

I am forever grateful for my husband for his encouraging words that made me continue with my breastfeeding journey. My mom also helped me so much and I want to thank her for making me “avena” for breakfast (oatmeal) and “Caldo de Pollo” (chicken soup) for lunch. Which she swears for these meals to boost the milk supply. Being surrounded with positive people and people that support my breastfeeding journey has been an amazing experience and I’m very thankful for that.

You can do it! And if you can’t, that’s okay too.

If you are breastfeeding or planning on breastfeeding, do not give up! Things will get better but also do not feel pressured that you HAVE to breastfeed your child. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Us women go through a lot during labor and talk about the postpartum recovery and breastfeeding can really be tough physically, mentally, and emotionally. If you feel like you need to give formula to your child, it’s okay to do so. As long as your baby is being fed, whether its by breast milk or formula, that’s all what’s important. Always seek for help. It’s okay to ask for help and reach out to friends, family, medical professionals, and Lactation Consultants whenever necessary.

Thank you for reading my Breastfeeding journey. God Luck on your breastfeeding journey and I pray for you to have success!

Here I have listed My breastfeeding Essentials that has helped me on my breastfeeding journey.