I am new to posting on these boards, although I've been lurking here for many years. So please forgive me if I'm not posting this is in the correct section and apologies for the manifesto. I had quite a breastfeeding battle after the birth of my first son 3 years ago, and it still bothers me to this day. If I can help even one other person by sharing my story, then it will be worth it.
Nothing went according to plan (does it ever?) with the birth of my first son, and I ended up with a c-section. But that's another story. I was adamant about breastfeeding him from the time I became pregnant and indicated as much in my birth plan. And thankfully I had a supportive DH to stick up for me when I was in pain and not as coherent as I could have been. Anyway, despite resistance from the nurses, I got my son to latch and nurse in the recovery room after my surgery. And it was amazing! After about 10 minutes the nurse actually pulled him off me to take him away for cleaning and testing
I had tested borderline for gestational diabetes and had refused to take the 3-hour test during my pregnancy. I researched and was very careful with my eating and made an educated decision not to do that. Little did I know that the hospital would consider me a "gestational diabetic" by default for not taking the test. And so they immediately pricked my infant son's heel to test his blood sugar (we should have told them no, first-time parents faced with overwhelming pressure in a technology-focused hospital). After the test, an extremely pushy nurse told DH my DS would be having a bottle of formula. DH informed her that he would not be having formula, and he really had to fight it out with her. She claimed his blood sugar was on the low side, then admitted it was 54, and that the cutoff for low sugar was actually 40, so his level was perfectly normal! First battle won. I was then moved to a post-partum room where I nursed my son regularly, and he was a great and enthusiastic nurser.
We battled the nurses during our entire four-day stay as they continually tried to give DS formula. The final and most traumatic battle happened on our last day. A nurse had noticed the day before that DS "looked a little jaundiced." My research confirmed that more than 50% of newborns experience this, especially when breastfeeding. The pediatrician checked him out and said he wanted to do a blood test to make sure his levels were OK. I accompanied him to the nursery for this one and got to see firsthand the horror of him getting pricked in the heel for the third or fourth time. I got so emotional I had to leave him and DH there (my postpartum hormones were raging by this point and I was SO ready to go home).
After the test was done, I was discharged and we began packing up the room and getting ready to leave. The doctor called and told us DS had tested at 17.5 (his bilirubin level), and that he strongly recommended DS be put under special lights for a few hours and given formula. My geeky DH had his laptop with him and we frantically began doing research on the hospital's WiFi network. We learned that we could likely handle any levels under 25 (per the La Leche League and a few other resources) without this type of intervention. I was convinced (major mother's instinct kicking in here) that all he needed was a couple of quiet days at home breastfeeding and some exposure to sunshine and he would be fine. DH told the doctor we were declining the treatment and he was unhappy, but we were firm. We compromised and decided to test him again the next day, and if the levels had gone up then we would reconsider treatment.
Sure enough, after less than 12 hours at home with us his levels had gone down. No lamps and no formula. By the time he went for his 2-week pediatrician’s visit there was no sign of jaundice, and he had gained up to his birth weight – plus an additional 7.5 ounces. The pediatrician said he was perfectly healthy and was actually surprised at how quickly he had flushed out the jaundice and gained weight without medical intervention. Duh.
I had a much better hospital experience with the birth of my 2nd DS. But I know this sort of thing must happen all the time at big hospitals and even though we weren't prepared for it, we successfully fought for our breastfeeding rights. It angers me to this day that my breastfeeding relationship with my son could have been jeopardized had I agreed to formula and artificial lamps instead of mother's milk and quiet snooze time in the sunbeams of my own home.
Nothing went according to plan (does it ever?) with the birth of my first son, and I ended up with a c-section. But that's another story. I was adamant about breastfeeding him from the time I became pregnant and indicated as much in my birth plan. And thankfully I had a supportive DH to stick up for me when I was in pain and not as coherent as I could have been. Anyway, despite resistance from the nurses, I got my son to latch and nurse in the recovery room after my surgery. And it was amazing! After about 10 minutes the nurse actually pulled him off me to take him away for cleaning and testing
I had tested borderline for gestational diabetes and had refused to take the 3-hour test during my pregnancy. I researched and was very careful with my eating and made an educated decision not to do that. Little did I know that the hospital would consider me a "gestational diabetic" by default for not taking the test. And so they immediately pricked my infant son's heel to test his blood sugar (we should have told them no, first-time parents faced with overwhelming pressure in a technology-focused hospital). After the test, an extremely pushy nurse told DH my DS would be having a bottle of formula. DH informed her that he would not be having formula, and he really had to fight it out with her. She claimed his blood sugar was on the low side, then admitted it was 54, and that the cutoff for low sugar was actually 40, so his level was perfectly normal! First battle won. I was then moved to a post-partum room where I nursed my son regularly, and he was a great and enthusiastic nurser.
We battled the nurses during our entire four-day stay as they continually tried to give DS formula. The final and most traumatic battle happened on our last day. A nurse had noticed the day before that DS "looked a little jaundiced." My research confirmed that more than 50% of newborns experience this, especially when breastfeeding. The pediatrician checked him out and said he wanted to do a blood test to make sure his levels were OK. I accompanied him to the nursery for this one and got to see firsthand the horror of him getting pricked in the heel for the third or fourth time. I got so emotional I had to leave him and DH there (my postpartum hormones were raging by this point and I was SO ready to go home).
After the test was done, I was discharged and we began packing up the room and getting ready to leave. The doctor called and told us DS had tested at 17.5 (his bilirubin level), and that he strongly recommended DS be put under special lights for a few hours and given formula. My geeky DH had his laptop with him and we frantically began doing research on the hospital's WiFi network. We learned that we could likely handle any levels under 25 (per the La Leche League and a few other resources) without this type of intervention. I was convinced (major mother's instinct kicking in here) that all he needed was a couple of quiet days at home breastfeeding and some exposure to sunshine and he would be fine. DH told the doctor we were declining the treatment and he was unhappy, but we were firm. We compromised and decided to test him again the next day, and if the levels had gone up then we would reconsider treatment.
Sure enough, after less than 12 hours at home with us his levels had gone down. No lamps and no formula. By the time he went for his 2-week pediatrician’s visit there was no sign of jaundice, and he had gained up to his birth weight – plus an additional 7.5 ounces. The pediatrician said he was perfectly healthy and was actually surprised at how quickly he had flushed out the jaundice and gained weight without medical intervention. Duh.
I had a much better hospital experience with the birth of my 2nd DS. But I know this sort of thing must happen all the time at big hospitals and even though we weren't prepared for it, we successfully fought for our breastfeeding rights. It angers me to this day that my breastfeeding relationship with my son could have been jeopardized had I agreed to formula and artificial lamps instead of mother's milk and quiet snooze time in the sunbeams of my own home.
, Momma... Stories like yours keep me doing what I'm doing.
to you for standing your ground and I wish you many more of those moments!
