bfing - a positive story

[reastie]

OK, so I know lots of people try bfing and it is not for them or for whatever reason ff works better, but I just wanted to share my positive bfing story to anyone currently having difficulties to show there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I intended on bfing my dd when she was born but was aware from friends experiences that it isn't always as easy as it looks so was open minded as to what might happen.

My chances of bfing were reduced statistically by the fact I had an emergency csec and couldn't bf my dd for an hour after she was born. I bf sucessfully when at hospital although due to a poor latch on my 3rd ever feed of dd I had a nipple blister. Before being allowed to be discharged from the hospital the nurse told me there was no proof that I had a good latch with her despite the fact this was written in my notes and she looked a little jaundice apparently and virtually forcefed dd formula before we were allowed to leave hospital. DD then refused the breast for a day or so because of the bottle feed it was sheer determination from me that made her take breast again.

The following 2 weeks were a heady mix of agonising pain and misery as my nipple blister became worse and from having to feed mainly from one side the other nipple also became excruciating. Mws helped me try to latch but they all showed me a different way which confused me and made things worse. I ended out using nipple shields for weeks.

DD then lost more than 10% of her body weight and mws had me on a strict feeding regime of bottle top ups after every feed. I tried expressin but couldn't get enough so ended out ff the top ups. This led to nipple confusion with dd and sometimes feeds would take over an hour just to get her to latch on.

Things then got a little better.....then I got nipple thrush and dd for mouth thrush. The initial treatment didn't work so we were both in discomfort for a while.

We gradually phased out the ff top ups in the end and did one ff at night (which dh did). DD dropped this on her own accord at about 3/4 months when she started sleeping through. I also then had probs with thinking I had supply issues.

I am now at the point where I LOVE bfing - it doesn't hurt anymore at all (well, only ocassionally for a couple of days if she moves into an odd position). I feel genuinely proud of myself for overcoming so much and still managing to bf.

I could never have got this far without the help from a bfing counsellor at my local bfing drop in clinic or some advice from ladies here. It was really really hard at first but I'm so glad I did it and I'm a weed with pain completely. I don't want people to feel bad reading this thread at all if they haven't managed it, more an uplifting one for people who might be having probs at the min - that they can and will get better.

Any other positive stories welcome on the thread

Thanks so much for that. Really struggling myself at the moment and it's good to know there's light at the end of the tunnel.

glad to help, i nearly gave up sooooooooo many times. so glad i didn't. hope all ok tit

Hello Glad things are going so well, that's a brilliant story. Thanks for posting. Can you believe it's almost 6 months?

Unless you are not who I think you are, then I've made a tit of myself

Thank you for your story.

Just to add mine.

DS is nearly 8 m/o. I always intended to bf him. When he was born, he latched on straight away and fed for a good half hour. He then slept for most of the rest of the day and woke up ravenous in the evening. Fed for another half hour to hour then slept. This is basically a really boring story because DS knew how to feed and fed well. Within a week he had gained a pound and has always thrived. I had sore nipples from week two to week four, but with practice they got better and by about six weeks bf him was a joy.

When he went through growth spurts he would feed all evening. I would lay on the sofa gazing at my beautiful son feeding for hours and DH would bring me food and drink. Following advice on here I got some good books, had my laptop to hand, and went with the flow.

Now he is 8 months and we are still going strong. He feeds around four to five times a day and two to three times at night. At the beginning he would suckle almost constantly. Now its five to ten mins tops, and I almost miss those hours through the winter feeding.

I can honestly say bf is one of the most special, wonderful experiences of my life. Nourishing your child from your body forces you to SLOW DOWN, live in the moment and keep your baby close at all times.

I hope this doesn't sound smug. I just want to let others' know bf doesn't have to be beset by problems (although these can often be overcome). Sometimes (often in fact) it just works, really really well.

yes, you have the right person . I can't believe it's nearly 6 months too - time flies when you're having fun

Time flies unless it's 4am How are you getting on? We're doing well, still tandem feeding. A is rolling around all over the place and starting to sit up, she'll be on solids in a couple of weeks. It goes much faster the second time around :(

Great to hear about your happy ending Reastie.

You obviously have been through a lot to get so this point, so congratulations. I'm sure your story will give a lot of hope to others who are finding things hard at the moment.

thanks badger

eau we are doing well - alice is rolling over madly but only back to tummy so we have to keep rescuing her all the time which is really annoying at 5am . I wish the pg would have gone alot a bit faster and this bit slower - I'll be back at work before I know it :(

idrilis amazing story - I admit I'm at hospital being so keen for you to ff (just like I was suprised the nurse to discharged me made me feel like I had no option but to give dd formula before I could go home)

What a nice thread :)

Like many I was really wanting to bf but went into it realisticly. DS wouldn't latch on so the nurses were hand expressing from me and feeding DS with a syringe. They suggested top up of formula as they couldn't get much milk.
After a couple days of they refusing to discharge me as bfing wasn't established, I said I was going to formula feed. I was getting nowhere in the hospital and was sick of being milked by strangers.

Back at home I received brilliant community support. Was was expressing and topping up with formula nad after a few days, a nurse helped get DS latched on with a nipple shield and have ebf since (DS 5 months). After 5 weeks I weaned him off the shield.

There were many times that I wanted to quit. The thought of the pain making me dread every feed but I'm so happy I continued as now I love it! X

Thanks for these stories.

Can i just ask those that started topping up, how long did you do it for before moving to ebf and how did you do it? my lo is being topped up at every feed due to weight issues (hops instructions). DD is now 5 wks, and has between 4-5 oz ff at every feed, after approx 30mins of bf. ....???

Oh, i should say, weight is fine now.

well I can't remember when we stopped but I think about about 2 months we started reducing it. We used I think max 3 fl oz after each feed of formula and we did it straight after bfing without a gap. I think we started off reducing it to every other feed with a top up for a week or so and then gradually took out all the top ups except one or two in the evening which we kept in until maybe 4 months. I think dd was a little unsettled at a couple of points as it took her tummy a while to adjust to lack of formula (they say it makes your tummy feel different fullness doesn't they?). I do'nt know if that's the best way to do it but it worked for us.

isitreallythattime - that sounds like your DD is having a very large amount of formula, much more formula that breastmilk at the moment. Can you see a breastfeeding counsellor or lactation consultant? I think you'd need quite knowledgable advice to be able to reduce the formula and increase your supply.

I have a positive bfing story too, but in retrospect (and having read so many other mothers' experience on here) I realise how much of it was down to the pro-breastfeeding care we received in hospital.

For example, I couldn't feed ds after the birth - so a midwife expressed colostrum from me while I was semi-conscious for DP to syringe feed him. Formula was never mentioned.

My ds was badly jaundiced too, and ended up in a phototherapy box. Again, no one suggested formula at all, I was just encouraged to bf him as frequently as possible.

He also had a tongue-tie, but it was spotted and treated quickly (within 3 weeks of birth) and we didn't have to struggle and argue for a diagnosis, and try to find someone privately to snip it as many people have to.

After getting through some minor issues like the jaundice, TT and a nasty bout of thrush in the early weeks, feeding ds has been an incredibly positive and worthwhile experience for both of us. Difficult to imagine at the beginning but you soon find yourself in a situation where stopping is much harder than carrying on!