My own journey with breastfeeding
I would like to tell everyone about my journey as a breastfeeding mother.
I got pregnant with my oldest when I was 23, the joys of becoming a mother and growing a little human is indescribable. But with all that joy comes the worries, is the babys heart rate normal, is the baby moving enough, is the baby suppose to have hiccups this often!? And that's just while being pregnant! Then the worries about do i need a crib or can i cosleep? Do i let the baby cry it out or cuddle everytime? Theres alot of pressure on moms and the biggest one i see is do I breastfeed or formula feed?
I knew off the bat i wanted to breastfeed, i may have only been 23 with only knowing one person in my family who breastfeed for an entire year to all 4 of her children, (aunt Elizabeth Seckman) and my husband (then boyfriend) was completely supportive. I researched why breastfeeding was better than formula and everything just won me over. My husband was won over by all the money you save!
I had lots of questions about breastfeeding and asked multiple coworkers i am employed with about their own experiences, who gave me some of the best advice. I even got a breast pump off one woman and she showed me how to use it! Supportive friends matter!
Fast forward to the day I had my daughter, my sweet Paislee Rose. I had an emergency c-section with her due to her heart rate. She came out perfect, beautiful, and healthy. She latched right on and nursed away. I had an amazing lactation consultant who helped me those few days I was in the hospital. The first 2 weeks home where miserable, the constant nursing and not to mention my nipples where cracked, bleeding, and i was in complete pain during a nursing session. I wanted to give up but my husband was very supportive and convinced me to keep going. 2 weeks later all the pain, bleeding, and frustration was gone. What I know now but not then was nursing is suppose to be painless, Paislee had a bad latch which was causing so many issues. Thankfully on her own she figured out how to latch correctly. Paislee was breastfed for 13 months and she self weaned herself.
When Paislee was 10 months old and still nursing I found out I was pregnant with baby number 2! Side note, its totally safe to breastfeed while pregnant just get a doctors okay to make sure youre in the right health for it.
My perfect boy, Abram David decided to come on his own 2 weeks early. It was 2:36 in the morning. There was no lactation consultant on duty. Luckily, i already knew what to do. When Abram came out his little bottom jaw was pushed back. He looked like those characters from the Simpsons for awhile(hahahha) That caused pain while nursing for months but I never gave up.
My little girl is now 3 and my little man is now 18 months and still breastfeeding. I use to think they have to stop at 1 but now I believe that the child will stop when he or she is ready. As for my son, he doesnt nurse all day anymore but mostly at naptime and bedtime.
These 2 children have made the mother I am today and now I am a certified lactation consultant because of them.
I got pregnant with my oldest when I was 23, the joys of becoming a mother and growing a little human is indescribable. But with all that joy comes the worries, is the babys heart rate normal, is the baby moving enough, is the baby suppose to have hiccups this often!? And that's just while being pregnant! Then the worries about do i need a crib or can i cosleep? Do i let the baby cry it out or cuddle everytime? Theres alot of pressure on moms and the biggest one i see is do I breastfeed or formula feed?
I knew off the bat i wanted to breastfeed, i may have only been 23 with only knowing one person in my family who breastfeed for an entire year to all 4 of her children, (aunt Elizabeth Seckman) and my husband (then boyfriend) was completely supportive. I researched why breastfeeding was better than formula and everything just won me over. My husband was won over by all the money you save!
I had lots of questions about breastfeeding and asked multiple coworkers i am employed with about their own experiences, who gave me some of the best advice. I even got a breast pump off one woman and she showed me how to use it! Supportive friends matter!
Fast forward to the day I had my daughter, my sweet Paislee Rose. I had an emergency c-section with her due to her heart rate. She came out perfect, beautiful, and healthy. She latched right on and nursed away. I had an amazing lactation consultant who helped me those few days I was in the hospital. The first 2 weeks home where miserable, the constant nursing and not to mention my nipples where cracked, bleeding, and i was in complete pain during a nursing session. I wanted to give up but my husband was very supportive and convinced me to keep going. 2 weeks later all the pain, bleeding, and frustration was gone. What I know now but not then was nursing is suppose to be painless, Paislee had a bad latch which was causing so many issues. Thankfully on her own she figured out how to latch correctly. Paislee was breastfed for 13 months and she self weaned herself.
When Paislee was 10 months old and still nursing I found out I was pregnant with baby number 2! Side note, its totally safe to breastfeed while pregnant just get a doctors okay to make sure youre in the right health for it.
My perfect boy, Abram David decided to come on his own 2 weeks early. It was 2:36 in the morning. There was no lactation consultant on duty. Luckily, i already knew what to do. When Abram came out his little bottom jaw was pushed back. He looked like those characters from the Simpsons for awhile(hahahha) That caused pain while nursing for months but I never gave up.
My little girl is now 3 and my little man is now 18 months and still breastfeeding. I use to think they have to stop at 1 but now I believe that the child will stop when he or she is ready. As for my son, he doesnt nurse all day anymore but mostly at naptime and bedtime.
These 2 children have made the mother I am today and now I am a certified lactation consultant because of them.
When my oldest was born, I'd break out in a sweat at nursing time. For something so natural, it sure wasn't easy! None of the hospitals I delivered at had a lactation consultant. In all honesty, one hospital was downright hostile toward my plan to breastfeed. I was told the baby would be weighed after feedings and given bottle supplements. Which, of course, made everything that much harder. All the moms I talked to didn't seem to be having the troubles I was having. All of their babies seemed to be taking to nursing like ducks to water. I would love to have had a support like you back in the day. So proud of your commitment to your babies. You're such a good momma!!!
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