breastfeeding. I wish it had worked for me (Breastfeeding in General)

Member Name: georgiesue

Product:	Breastfeeding in General
Date:	15/12/08 (72 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: every advantage possible for your baby

Disadvantages: not as easy as you think it will be and awful guilt if it doesnt work

I always assumed I would breast feed my baby. I really wanted to do so and whilst I had been told that it wasnt necessarily the easiest process I never believed I would not be successful at something that was essentially so natural.

My babys birth did not go as hoped. Unfortunately it ended up in an emergency c section. Immediately after the birth my daughter was taken away to be checked and I didnt really get her back until I was back on the ward some 30 mins or so later. I sometimes wonder if that is part of the reason breastfeeding ultimately didnt work for me but it certainly didnt affect my bonding with my daughter so Im not really sure.

I had lots of support both in hospital and when at home from health visitors and nurses but despite this support my little girl and I just couldnt seem to get it right. Much is made of latching on and getting the correct latch and it seemed that my latch was good but she would just drop off the breast very quickly and then a pattern developed of her sucking for a few seconds and then dropping off and seeming disinterested. I quickly became really anxious that my baby wasnt getting enough milk and despite persevering and persevering I started to get really stressed and resorted to expressing my milk and giving it to her in a bottle which she took to readily. I continued in this fashion for about 6 weeks but it was absolute hell. I could never seem to express enough milk to get ahead of myself so many nights in the middle of the night not only was I getting up to feed my daughter expressed milk but I was then sitting for half an hour pumping away like some frantic cow trying to get enough milk for breakfast feed.

It was not an experience that I enjoyed but I felt so strongly that I wanted my daughter to have breast milk that I endured a really difficult time. That being said I eventually cracked when my babies need for more milk outgrew my ability to express and she started to seem hungry after a feed. I could never express the mixture of guilt and relief I felt the first time I gave her a bottle of formula. she loved it and seemed more satiated and I did not continue with my expressing, which I feel guilty about to this day. But then I guess thats parenthood for you.

I truly believe breast feeding is the best possible option for your baby. I guess there are just times when it wont work. If I have a second child I will try again and hope for a better experience.

Summary: breast is best but formula is not a sin