I had such a hard time at the start of nursing DS that I thought I'd never make it here to BFing beyond infancy. But I did! It feels so great to be here.
Little background, my DS was early (36 weeks). He wouldn't latch. He was a drug free hospital birth, but while I stayed at the hospital some of the nurses were really pushy about formula. So, he wouldn't latch and they would say, let's just feed him a bottle, etc. I didn't give in, even though I wanted to. We started to use a shield in the hospital and I started to pump 5-6 times a day so I could keep my supply up. When we came home things were ok, still using the shield and pumping. Then at one week, one day, I got a fever of 102. I had no idea what it was, went to the doctor they thought maybe UTI. Well, it was mastitis. So, painful. So, now I was nursing with a shield and pumping and I had mastitis. I kept going. The mastitis cleared up (with antibiotics that I didn't really want to take). Then a day after I finished the antibiotics, wouldn't you know it, I got mastitis in the other breast. This time I didn't even go to the doctor, I didn't want to take more antibiotics. I just worked on it with warm heat, massage, nursing pumping, etc. It cleared up. But, then, a week later, I had it in the first breast again. I really wanted to give up at this point. Also, this was the day before my DS's due date and he still couldn't latch without the shield. I felt certain I was going to fail him. It was a really tough time to get through. My DH had to go to work and I was home by myself through all this illness.
Then at 6 weeks, DS latched for the first time without the shield. I was so happy!
. By 7 weeks, he was consistently latching without the shield. He didn't even want the shield. It was incredible.
Now, I was just reflecting after I nursed him to sleep peacefully, that I am so happy that I stuck with BFing through all that because our nursing relationship is so wonderful.
If you've made it this far, thank you for reading. I guess, I'm just so happy to make it to this forum, that I wanted to share my story and say Yay! I did it! And I'm honored to be joining all of you!
Little background, my DS was early (36 weeks). He wouldn't latch. He was a drug free hospital birth, but while I stayed at the hospital some of the nurses were really pushy about formula. So, he wouldn't latch and they would say, let's just feed him a bottle, etc. I didn't give in, even though I wanted to. We started to use a shield in the hospital and I started to pump 5-6 times a day so I could keep my supply up. When we came home things were ok, still using the shield and pumping. Then at one week, one day, I got a fever of 102. I had no idea what it was, went to the doctor they thought maybe UTI. Well, it was mastitis. So, painful. So, now I was nursing with a shield and pumping and I had mastitis. I kept going. The mastitis cleared up (with antibiotics that I didn't really want to take). Then a day after I finished the antibiotics, wouldn't you know it, I got mastitis in the other breast. This time I didn't even go to the doctor, I didn't want to take more antibiotics. I just worked on it with warm heat, massage, nursing pumping, etc. It cleared up. But, then, a week later, I had it in the first breast again. I really wanted to give up at this point. Also, this was the day before my DS's due date and he still couldn't latch without the shield. I felt certain I was going to fail him. It was a really tough time to get through. My DH had to go to work and I was home by myself through all this illness.
Then at 6 weeks, DS latched for the first time without the shield. I was so happy!
. By 7 weeks, he was consistently latching without the shield. He didn't even want the shield. It was incredible.Now, I was just reflecting after I nursed him to sleep peacefully, that I am so happy that I stuck with BFing through all that because our nursing relationship is so wonderful.
If you've made it this far, thank you for reading. I guess, I'm just so happy to make it to this forum, that I wanted to share my story and say Yay! I did it! And I'm honored to be joining all of you!
