My Breastfeeding Journey
Welcome to my personal account of my breastfeeding journey. As a mother of four beautiful children, each breastfeeding experience has been unique and filled with its own challenges and joys. It’s funny how we might expect things to be similar each time, but in reality, every pregnancy and breastfeeding journey is different. Just like every baby has their own personality, I’ve discovered that each journey holds its own surprises and rewards.
With my first child, who arrived a little prematurely, we faced some difficulties with latching on. He spent nearly two weeks in the NICU, which gave me ample time to work closely with lactation consultants and the hospital staff. During that time, I pumped for him as I didn’t have my own pump. To aid with his latch, I relied on nipple shields, which became a regular part of our feeding routine. Although he never fully transitioned away from them, I supplemented with formula for about four months until my milk supply dwindled.
With babies number two and three, I had a smoother experience. Latching wasn’t as much of a challenge, and nipple shields were no longer necessary. I breastfed them for about three months each, while also supplementing with formula.
In all honesty, I supplemented with my first three children because I couldn’t afford a pump at the time. As a college student juggling work, I found myself away from them for hours on end. While I exclusively breastfed in the beginning, going back to school or work meant incorporating formula. I was young and didn’t have the financial means to invest in a pump, especially since they were quite expensive back then. Unfortunately, insurance coverage for pumps wasn’t available until years after my first three were born.
My fourth baby was also born prematurely, leading me to conclude that my babies simply like to arrive “early” compared to others, as none of my pregnancies made it past 38 weeks. Although her latch was strong and good, it was also quite painful. I had two lactation consultants examine her for lip and tongue ties because I didn’t recall experiencing such discomfort with my previous babies. Surprisingly, there were no ties. However, she had a small mouth, making it challenging for her to accommodate a large portion of my nipple in her soft palate.
I endured the pain during every feeding for the first three months and almost considered giving up. However, my determination to exclusively breastfeed her for at least a year and avoid using formula kept me going. This time, I acquired a pump and was fortunate enough to be able to stay home with her, eliminating the obstacles that previously hindered my ability to exclusively breastfeed.
How did I overcome the pain and prevent nipple from cracking and bleeding?
To alleviate the pain and prevent cracked and bleeding nipples, I immersed myself in breastfeeding research. I discovered a simple routine that worked for me and helped maintain the health of my nipples. After each feeding, I applied nipple balm or coconut oil, allowing them to air dry for a while. This practice kept the skin soft, moisturized, and aided in the healing process.
I also wore nipple shields within my bra to protect my nipples from rubbing against fabric, which could dry out the balm and exacerbate any existing discomfort. This step was crucial because when nipples are raw, minimizing friction and dryness is essential to prevent further damage and promote faster healing.
These two simple yet significant steps prevented things from worsening. However, there was one technique I found particularly transformative but not adequately explained when teaching a baby to latch. I stumbled upon a helpful YouTube video that illuminated the process for me.
When positioning your nipple in the baby’s mouth, aim for it to point upward toward the roof of their mouth. As the baby opens wide, gently roll the nipple into their mouth while they close their mouth around it. This technique is pivotal because it positions the nipple further back into the baby’s mouth, especially for babies with smaller mouths or those struggling with proper latching. This approach was a game-changer for me.
Implementing this technique made a tremendous difference. Although there was still some discomfort due to my baby’s tiny mouth size, I could feel that most of the nipple was resting on the soft palate compared to before. On a particular day when my nipple was dry and cracked, utilizing this method allowed me to feed her without pain, and I healed quickly. Adopting this approach during every feeding significantly reduced the challenges I had faced previously.
Does fenugreek or other supplements work to increase milk supply?
Now, let’s address the topic of increasing milk supply with the help of supplements. I’ve tried a few supplements in an attempt to boost my milk production and create a small freezer stash for my baby. However, I must admit that my milk supply doesn’t exceed my baby’s daily needs by much.
I experimented with fenugreek, mommy milk teas, and even lactation brownies and cookies. Unfortunately, many of these methods didn’t yield consistent results for me. In fact, anything containing fenugreek made my breasts feel deflated, almost as if my milk supply had diminished. It took me around three days to restore my supply to its previous levels. On days when I felt my milk was reduced, my baby nursed more frequently and for longer durations, indicating that my supply wasn’t flowing as usual.
Do chickpeas increase or decrease milk production?
As for chickpeas, which some believe can affect milk production, I adore hummus. However, consuming a medium to large portion of it seemed to have a similar deflating effect on my breasts, although not as pronounced as fenugreek. Nonetheless, I continued to enjoy hummus, but limited my intake to once a week at most, which didn’t significantly impact my milk supply.
What about pumping?
Now, let’s briefly touch on pumping, a topic that could be explored in much greater detail in a future blog post. Initially, I attempted to pump every day but quickly realized that committing to such frequent pumping sessions was too overwhelming for me. Dealing with a baby and other responsibilities left me exhausted, and adding multiple pumping sessions into the mix became too much to handle.
Consequently, I only pumped when I was away from the baby for more than four hours, which wasn’t a frequent occurrence. In the beginning, I didn’t have a substantial amount of milk stored, but as time went on and I spent more hours away from the baby, my pumping sessions allowed me to build up a stash that mirrored what she would have consumed during those times. I did have to supplement once due to a lack of breast milk, but after that, I no longer needed to rely on formula.
I encountered several hurdles when it came to pumping, but with some perseverance, I developed my own system for pumping and storing milk. However, I must admit that simply nursing directly from the breast is much more convenient!
Breastfeeding can be incredibly challenging, especially in the beginning when it can be painful and exhausting. I hope my personal insights have been helpful, and if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me. I would love to chat and offer assistance in any way I can!
Thank you for visiting, and have a wonderful day!
