BREAST IS BEST - NO QUESTION! (The Breastfeeding Debate)

Member Name: elbar1

Product:	The Breastfeeding Debate
Date:	03/12/08 (126 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Healthy antibodies

Disadvantages: It is tough at times

I knew I wanted to breastfeed since I first thought about having a baby. Mainly because it is the best thing for new babies but also because it is easy and mainly because it is free!

I will give an overview of my experience, not to put anyone off but to say that if I can stick with it, anyone can, providing they have a milk supply.

I had a very prolonged labour (53 hours) and I had every drug going. My son had to be resusitated and it was all a bit traumatic so he slept for 48 hours. I tried to get him to feed but he just wasn't having any of it. When he finally got the hang of it (hunger got the better of him), he was really hungry but my milk hadn't come in, due to him not suckling for nearly 48 hours. It was so difficult to see him crying with hunger. I fed him for 2 hours continually and then stopped because I was getting sore. He cried straight away and was rooting on his hands. I phoned the hospital for advice and they said I could give him formula if I was upset but that the more he sucked the quicker my milk would come in so we persevered with the continuous sucking. My milk came in within 24 hours of him starting to feed and he put on 7oz overnight. He literally fed for 30 minutes then slept for an hour, then fed for 30 minutes again. This cycled went on all night. It was exhausting and I lost half a stone but it was worth it to see him full and content and to know that my milk had started to flow and he could have it whenever he wanted.

THEN, as soon as I thought all was well, I had shooting pains in and behind my nipple when he fed. I thought this must have been because of the lengthy feeds so put up with it for a day but then the pains started to get much worse and they would continue after I had finished feeding him. The health visitor thought it sounded like thrush and I was prescribed some cream. This was a pain because it had to be applied after a feed but I always fell asleep or I was about to have a bath. The cream did help but the thrush kept coming back. As soon as I stop using it, I get thrush and this has now gone on from when he was a week old and he is now nearly 10 weeks. Luckily it has never spread to his mouth and so he has never passed it to the other breast - so at least it is only every other feed that hurts!

I tend to get very full and my breasts hurt when he is due a feed. Although this is obviously not pleasant, I reassure myself that this is a good thing because it means he has lots of milk ready for him. Breast pads stop any embarrassing leaking nipple stains on my clothes when I am out and about. Also, having a hot bath and expressing a little by hand in the water can relieve the worst of the pain. I make sure I massage while I feed so that I don't get blocked ducts. I have had the occasional blocked duct when I haven't massaged the breast and it gets very hot and there is a throbbing pain in the breast. This can lead to mastitis so you should be careful and always massage during feeds and hand express if you suffer engorgement.

My son has a cold and so finds feeding difficult. He cannot breathe through his nose and so keeps dropping off the breast and gasping for air or spluttering milk everywhere. He is also sick a lot where he takes the milk too quickly and it mixes with the mucus that he has swallowed. The good thing about breastfeeding is the close cuddles you can have with your baby to reassure them when they are ill or insecure in anyway. He might find the feeding hard at the moment with his blocked nose but he never ever refuses the breast and stays on long after he has finished sucking.

I found it difficult to bond with my baby straight away and I think the breastfeeding was important to help him know who mum was. I am not sure it helped me bond with him particularly and I didn't get an overwhelming feeling of love when I fed him. My husband kept saying how amazing it was and I was and how I must feel privileged to be able to feed him from myself but I didn't get any of that. Now I am bonding better, I can enjoy the feeds more. I love giving him a cuddle. I particularly like warming up his hands on my skin in the middle of the night when he wakes for a feed and has cold hands (he sucks his thumb so we have to leave them outside the covers unfortunately.)

And one last thing, the little stinker has started biting my nipples during feeds. It is agony! I have screamed out a few times and it scares him and he starts to cry. But as soon as he has that nipple in his mouth, he is happy immediately.

My son and I have overcome a lot in only 10 weeks. It still hurts and it is still difficult but every day is a bonus for him and I am so glad we are sticking to it.

I am giving him so many antibodies that formula just cannot provide. I understand that some women cannot breastfeed but if you can, there is no excuse. Even if you manage it for just one feed, it really gives your baby the best start in life.

If you produce too much milk you can donate it to the special care baby unit for those babies whose mums' cannot feed them. I haven't done this but hope that eventually I can. It is such a good thing to do and you have such a short period when you are able to do something this special to help poorly babies.

BREAST IS BEST!

Summary: There is a lot of pressure to breast feed but that's for a reason. It is best!