How I managed it the third time

Right, so Adam was successfully bf until his first birthday. How, you may wonder, did I manage this when the first two attempts failed? The answer is simple - good information, and even better support.

I've always heard the 'Nipple-Nazi's' say that any woman can and should breastfeed, and I've always thought that I was a bad mother for not managing. After all, how *dare* I give formula to a baby?? Well, it turns out that they were right... It was easy. Well, okay, maybe not from the start, but once things settled down, it really was easy.

First challenge: Sore nipples. They cracked, they bled, they turned white (like skin after a 33 hour soak in water), they became swollen, and above all, the pain was worse than any contraction I've ever felt. Nothing helped. I asked everyone. And finally asked the right person. Turns out, just applying expressed milk and exposing your breast to air as often and as long as possible, helps. A lot. Also some direct sunlight, for about 3 minutes at a time. Paracetamol was my saviour too - it helped with the pain (a little) but mostly helped to stop the inflammatory process caused by the wounds that was my nipples.

Second challenge: Blocked ducts. One lump, and a few hours later, unbelievable pain. I tried massaging, heat, cold, latching the baby, breast compressions while nursing, etc. Nothing worked. Said Fairy Godmother suggested (tongue in cheek?) to let my husband have a go.... I was desperate, and commanded him to help out at once! He obliged (wonderful man that he is) and within minutes the lump disappeared.

Third challenge: A bleb. Yes, that is actually what it's called. It's a white spot on the nipple, where one of the ducts open. It is also very, very painful. The Fairy Godmother set us right though, and all was well on that front.

Fourth challenge: Mastitis. Oh how I hated it. My breasts were full of milk, full of lumps, and I was full of fever. I tried to just get on with things (as you do with three small kids) but to no avail. The Fairy Godmother suggested a visit to the doctor, and after about two days on antibiotics, the fever subsided. The lumps were cleared via vigorous nursing by my baby, and just as vigorous massage by my husband. I was just a spectator to it all, bravely smiling through the tears.

Fifth challenge: Misconceptions and lack of knowledge. I always thought that I was educated, and should know how to do this. I have a degree in nursing and midwifery, plus an honours degree, and years of experience. Okay, not in lactation necessarily, but still, surely I know enough??? Nope. Through my own experiences with the three boys (especially with Adam) I realised how little I know about lactation and breastfeeding. So I decided to find out more.

Sixth challenge: Support. My husband is the kindest man I know. He is the best father, and the best husband any girl can ask for. He went through all the issues with Harry and Ben with me, so when Adam was born, he was ready for the roller-coaster ride. I told him during the pregnancy how much I wanted to breastfeed. He supported me. Until the challenges rolled round. He wanted to help. He wanted to fix the problem. (He did, in some respects) In the end though, he suggested formula. I nearly gave in.....and am so glad I didn't. Today, so is he. It may have been easier if he was getting informed along with me, but what with work and kids and a wife suffering with post-natal hormones and (very) sore boobs and not sleeping and having guests....well, life happened. Nowadays he is still not the expert in lactation, but he is definitely an expert in how to handle an emotional wife!!

During one of my (many) visits to the Fairy Godmother, I was offered a job with her centre. I had just had Adam, but since I also just left my previous employment, decided to go for it. It took about 4 months to get the relevant work permits and registrations necessary (I am an expat in Singapore) but we managed to get everything sorted in time for me to start work when Adam was 4 months old! And my journey got a whole lot more interesting.

Flight of the fairies

Wow, this is exciting... my very first blogpost!

The purpose of this blog is to share my first few ventures into breastfeeding - from personal experience, and to share my failures and successes. I'm hoping that some of you will share your own stories too - I am learning everyday, and would love to hear about other people's experiences.

So:

My first son, Harry, was born in 2005 via emergency c-section at 36 weeks. I had pre-eclapsia, and the doctor decided that my kidneys were working too hard. It was a mind-boggling experience, as all mothers would no doubt know. I managed to breastfeed him for a week....and then the wheels fell off! After billibeds, bleeding nipples, severe mastitis, and just general miserableness, a lactation consultant was called in. She suggested a nipple shield, but never demonstrated the use....so of course I got it wrong. Harry never really latched properly, and was (according to the pediatrician) starving. So, formula it was.

My second son was born in 2007 via c-section at 39 weeks, after about 36 hours of labor in an attempt to try to have a normal vaginal delivery. The decision was made to have a section after he developed fetal distress and my cervix wouldn't dilate past 4cm. Joy. This time I was prepared: had a lactation consultant come to visit me in the hospital to asses the latch. Still, in hospital all was fine - when we went home, the wheels yet again came off. Ben was also treated for jaundice, so was extra sleepy. My boobs were sore, I was hormonal and crying non-stop, and he didn't seem to want me or my breasts! So I expressed and bottle-fed for about 8 weeks. My husband lost patience with me after 8 weeks of crying and miserableness...and out came the formula again.

Adam, boy number 3, was born via elective c-section at 38 weeks. I was determined this time: breastfeeding WAS going to work.... You'd think that a midwife/nurse/mother of two would know what she was about...right??? Um.....not so much. I had a pretty good idea of how NOT to do it, but no idea as to how to get it right. After doing really well in hospital, we went home and (as expected) my nipples bled, mastitis set in, and I was seeing my dream of successfully breastfeeding slipping away. So I approached a centre in town who do some lactation support....and found my fairy godmother. She got me through everything, and once Adam started putting on weight and the granulomas healed on my nipples, we were doing really well.

Adam turned one last month, and promptly bit my boob....so that was it. I managed (finally) breastfeed at least one child for a year!! Yayness.

Third time lucky...