Breastfeeding 101

I am a devoted breastfeeding mom. I breastfed Bailey my oldest until she was 17 months. It was harder for me to give up than her. It was the best thing for her though. Bailey rarely gets sick whether that has anything to do with breastfeeding her that long I do not know but I will bet on it. Since my new little one Hudson has arrived. Breastfeeding has been something I have had difficulties with and set backs. Hudson did not take to me for the first 24 hours of his life. I thought something was wrong with me, my boobs, my milk, something drastic. Hudson took in a lot of fluids when he was born and spit that up for the first 24 hours of life. He had to have formula due to his blood sugar being low, which he spit that up too. I told my husband before leaving the hospital I wanted to get him to latch on to me with no problems. A lactation nurse came in and he had no problems latching on.... so what was I doing wrong.

At home for the first 3 weeks Hudson has and continues to have difficulties latching on. God has been my rock through this. I have been in tears sometimes and almost given up, but then God reminds me to keep going and trying, Hudson will eventually get it. In the first week of life at home one day it took Hudson almost 45 minutes to latch on to get his milk intake for the morning. I was in tears and crying out to God to help me and to help him. I tell Hudson, "you can do it." Already cheering on my little guy just so he can eat! I got a call later that day from a neighbor who attends our church. She asked and had heard I had Hudson and wanted to make sure all went well. She also told me over her baby monitor she picked up some of our frequency and heard me when I was trying to feed Hudson. She asked if he was having problems latching on and figured it was Hudson and me that she overheard on her monitor. She said she prayed for me and for him because she had difficulties with all of her children in the breastfeeding department. Wow, stop and think.....This is truly answered prayers and God working in my life to strengthen me more through this difficult time. Praise God!!!!

A week later I woke up with a very tender breast and felt total engorgement. Through church it started hurting way worse than just engorgement. I then cried into my husband's arms after church telling him something was wrong with my breast. I called the lactation nurse at the hospital and left a message. I prayed she would get back to me soon. I was in a lot of pain and in tears. I could not feed Hudson on my right side it hurt so bad, I could pump on that side. The nurse called me back within 30 minutes. After hearing my message she was pretty sure that I had a clogged milk duct. I was relieved to know the pain was not just in my head. For the next 24 hours I put warm compresses on my breast and used olive oil on a cottonball at the end of my nipple to help open the milk duct up. Within 24 hours, I was feeding Hudson on the right side again. Praise God again!!! Hudson does much better with latching on, but I still stop and pray many times when things get difficult and when things are going good with breastfeeding. I am not one to really open up about the whole breastfeeding thing, but it is the experience I like to share where I put my trust in God alone. Breastfeeding is such a beautiful gift God gives woman and I am thankful I can breastfeed.