31 Days of Breastfeeding Journeys | Day 11 | World Breastfeeding Week 2016
"Jemma was born 4/29/14, after 22 hours of labor and was taken from immediately because she had inhaled meconium. I had wanted to hold her immediately on my ch...est but my husband got her first. I remember she was crying and once I spoke her name he handed her to me and she stopped crying and started to immediately show signs of wanting to nurse. She latched on immediately and I was ecstatic. The lactation nurse called her a little barracuda.
Once we went home that’s when the pain really started. I remember every time she would latch, I would cringe, but I was determined to push through. I attended a La Leche meeting and they noticed that she was clicking on my left nipple and they showed me some pointers. About a week later I felt so sick and just thought it was my hormones. This went on for 2 days, so I finally called the doctor who asked if I had taken my temperature, which I had not. It was 103 and I was given the amazing gift of mastitis (sarcasm lol). I pushed through that, and then a week later my mother passed away from lung disease. This was so painful on top of dealing the extreme pain of nursing. I sometimes wonder how I pushed through this. I remember going to my pediatrician with my worries of not producing and being very stressed due to my mother’s death. Thankfully they did not suggest I stop breastfeeding just that I supplement a little during this high stress period. They had me pumping, nursing, and then giving my daughter a bottle with a small mix of formula and breastmilk. This was so much work and I had no desire to keep up with the formula so after a week or so when everything calmed down I was able to stop the formula completely. I was lucky to have 2 best friends that were nursing, as well as a mother in law who had nursed as well to help me through mentally. My husband was also an amazing support system through the whole process.
I remember once I hit the 1 month mark everything became a lot easier and the pain went away. I realized how much I loved nursing as time went on and was so thankful for the support of my pediatrician, husband, mother-in-law, and friends. I got a great cover and was able to nurse wherever comfortably after 3 months.
My daughter continued to be a very intense nurser at the age of almost 18 months, she was still not showing any signs of slowing up. She did many things that drove me crazy like gymnastics while nursing and messing with the opposite breast and nipple while nursing the other. Even though these things definitely annoyed me, I am still so thankful for this precious experience and so excited to have the pictures to remember it by. It is truly an amazing bond and I would go through it all over again the same way if I had to.
Jemma just stopped nursing this 4th of July weekend at 26 months. I will say I was ready to be done, but it is still a bittersweet feeling. I loved the bond, but she is still as loving as ever and she stopped when she wanted to as well as myself. I will always remember this amazing experience and can always look back at these beautiful pictures." ~ Jamie
Please help spread Breastfeeding awareness and share this post. Check back tomorrow to see more pictures and read all about another Mama’s Journey through breastfeeding.