31 Days of Breastfeeding Journeys | Day 25 | World Breastfeeding Week 2016
"I have been exclusively breastfeeding Levi for over 9 months, which is something I never thought I would be able to achieve. In the beginning it was easy and natural but when he was 2 months old I got my first case of mastitis. I considered stopping at that time but found the best way to ease the pain was frequent nursing so I kept on going.
After another case of mastitis and a clogged duct I learned that Levi had a tongue tie and wasn't nursing effectively. He wasn't gaining enough weight and my supply began to drop. I was faced with the option of switching to bottle feeding or getting his frenulum clipped. After attempting to give him a bottle and seeing how much he hated it I decided we needed to try to keep nursing. The procedure was successful and I was able to get my supply back up and never needed to supplement. I am still prone to clogged ducts and mastitis and each time I hear people tell me, "I can't believe you still nurse him". I see how much it comforts and nourishes him and think, "How can I deny him that?".
Another hurdle in my story is that Levi was born with a clubfoot. He has had a series of 9 casts since he was 3 weeks old and now wears a brace 23 hours a day to correct his little foot. This has made breastfeeding interesting in that the traditional nursing positions just don't work for us. We have figured it out though and made it work.
These last months have not been easy, in fact, they have been pretty difficult. But through it all I have let Levi be my guide in what he needs. At the end of the day when I nurse him to sleep his body melts into mine and I hear his content little sighs and see the look of love in his eyes. I know I would do anything for this baby and so I do." ~Sara
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