Recent data from the CDC shows that 3 out of every 4 mothers in the U.S. start out breastfeeding their children. But the percentage of mothers breastfeeding exclusively at three months drops to 33%, and plummets to 13.3% by six months.
What this tells us is that many women want to breastfeed and are trying to do so, but they face barriers. Maybe they’re not getting the support they need. Maybe they’re not hearing a ton of great examples. Maybe they don’t know other breastfeeding mamas. Whatever the case, they data shows that the vast majority of women give up on exclusive breastfeeding before the six-month mark.
This is where you come in
If you overcame breastfeeding challenges early on only to find that breastfeeding became easier and – gasp – even joyful as the months went on, please share your strength and hope in the comments below. New moms (like me) need to hear this!
Many friends have already told us as much. Here are quotes from natural mamas on my Facebook page.
- Aimee Nemeyer
Sticking to it is key. It does get easier. I promise!!! - Tara Dukaczewicz
Stick with it, it will get better. in fact, at 7 months, my baby and i are pros. we are so in sync and i love it. i produce exactly how much he needs. i hardly ever leak or get engorged. we both sleep great. it’s so cute how he finds me in the middle of the night w/out waking up. and because we are so used to each other there is no crying or screaming. it is such a peaceful relatioship! - Emily and Dustin Horton
I think the most important factors that made breastfeeding successful for me were drug-free childbirth (so that I was of clear mind and immediately able to bond w/ my babies after birth), being able to stay at home, constantly with baby for the first year, and not giving up due to persistent encouragement from midwives/sister/partner (because breastfeeding is often difficult at first for some moms/babies, but if they just stick with it, it will work out). - Yvette Brooks
It became natural and easier each time. What made the entire experience possible (nursing a little over a year all 3 times) was being able to consider the whole experience as divine, the whole household preparing for it, keep everything peaceful and positive and thoughtful. - Marion Magiera Lacroix
I think a great piece of advice would be to never quit on your worst day. There were certainly tough days but the joy I get from the bf relationship with my children is worth any amount of difficulty.
Here are other encouraging comments from my top 10 tips for breastfeeding entry:
- Melissa
You’ll want to breastfeed for LONGER than a year. Trust me. It does get easier. I started off the same way as you and went on to nurse my first for 2 years and am on month 10 with my 2nd. I would say it took me at least 9 weeks to start to love it. My biggest tip was surrounding myself with people to motivate me–husband, my mom who breastfed 2 babies. They kept me going and kept me away from the formula Good Luck! - Amanda
It definitely will get better. I nursed my first till he was two, and am currently nursing my 2nd (he’s 11wks). I had a breast reduction 8yrs ago and was told i would never be able to nurse my babies! When i had my first, they told me to just stuff him full of formula but i went to a breastfeeding clinic for help and it was great ! Success! It is tiring at the beginning and you’re exhausted, But it is soooooo worth it in the end! This time I also had problems with the latch and every baby is different. Good luck! - Serenity
It gets easier with time! I also nursed my first until she was two, even after blistered nipples in the begining from an improper latch. We fixed it ourselves from The Baby Book, Dr Sears as there was no lactation consultant at the hospital on the weekends. My second is three and a half months and it has been smooth sailing. So good that she completely refuses a bottle of breast milk! I love the closeness and knowing im doing my best for them! - Polwig
You get your routine with time and it does become easier just because you are used to it. If you can deliver naturally you can definitely nurse for a year, it is less of a commitement. I exclusively nursed my twins for 2 1/2 years and the only pointer that I have is use the pump as much as you can. I did have to have a lot more milk then average mom but I pumped and served a bit also (when they were a bit older). That way my husband was able to take one of the night feedings and I could go grocery shopping without worry about kids getting hungry. My freezer was full of milk so when the kids’ needs dramatically increased I was prepared before my body was and therefor not too stressed out about them going hungry.
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It does get easier! If it wasn’t for my super supportive husband, FNP Father in Law and Home Health nurse post-partem, I couldn’t have made it through- but we successfully nursed for 7 months after that!
I was completely engorged and had flat nipples and she wouldn’t latch long enough for me to have a let-down so we were both frustrated, she was jaundiced and losing weight. When a home health nurse came by to set up the Bili blanket- she asked me if I wanted some helpful hints- she suggested I get a nipple shield to help pull the nipple out and help her get milk easier. Since I didn’t have one there- we used a small bottle nipple (like the kind on a gerber bottle) as a make-shift nipple shield, WORKED LIKE A CHARM! Sent the husband and father-in-law off to buy real nipple shields (he earns his Daddy badge, for sure) and we only had to use them for a couple of weeks before she easily weaned to nipple only. I had trained them well and then when my 2nd daughter was born, all my anxiety with breastfeeding was gone- and she latched right on, no problems at all! It DOES get easier and soon you’ll be doing it one handed while managing 2 other tasks
Emily Myers recently posted Finding a groove
It gets better I promise. Each day is easier than the day before and no day is going to be as hard as the first day. My advice is to have support that knows to tell you how great you are doing, because you are doing great. My husband would sit with me and watch my son nurse and talk about how wonderful a mom I was for feeding our child the best way possible. He would also feed me if I got hungry while nursing or get a drink for me if I got thristy. Once my son got into our rythm I was no longer ingorgered or soar and he wouldn’t even wake me in the middle of the night he’d just nurse and go right back to sleep. One of the saddest days for me was when my son decided he was too busy to sit down and nurse at 15 months. We still have an incredible bond and are extremly intune with one another and I believe that is from breastfeeding exclusively for 15months.
Awww… love hearing the hubby stories. Sounds like you have a GEM. Mike brings me a glass of water when I nurse which makes me feel so loved
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With my first the first three weeks were not much fun. My nipples cracked and bled and it HURT. After that everything just kind of fell into place and healed and it was AWESOME! He nursed until he was 21 months.
With my second, he was so little that everything gagged him and it could take up to 30 minutes to latch him on. I got SO frustrated. I was so tempted to supplement. Just when I was about to finally give up he got the hang of it. He is now 14 1/2 months and still nursing strong!
Just as a side note, I took my little guy to the doctor yesterday and found out he has asthma. The doc said one of the reasons it hasn’t been much worse for him is that we exclusively breastfed until six months and still breast feed now. If not having to put my child on steroids isn’t a GREAT reason to breastfeed, I sure don’t know what is!!!
Very cool. My friend swears that her 2 little boys never got one cold their first year of life due to breastfeeding.
H0w often are you feeding your 14 month old. Curious as to what nursing looks like at that age…
Once I made it to the 5 week mark, it got so much easier!! I made it to 1 year and am so happy I did. I just made myself available to her and tried to keep my daughter awake as long as possible at each feeding. Making sure she had a full tummy each time helped her sleep longer so then she ate more the next time… chain reaction! I’m not sure I could have made it to 1 year if I would have returned to work though. My previous job just didn’t have very many quiet, private places to milk myself.
First, let me say, I’m really enjoying this website. Thank you for all the good information your are putting out, and the fun videos you and your hubby make.
Regarding breastfeeding…I come from a family that never breastfed, and really didn’t understand it. My husband was VERY supportive, and I was determined from the jump to make it work. I read everything I could about how to hold, latch, pump, etc. I felt very prepared, and had all the ammo I needed to ward off the females in my family preaching that it’d be so much easier to use formula.
Fortunately, I didn’t have too many problems. Cracked/dry nipples, of course! But, I had the lanolin right there after every feeding when I needed it. Difficulty getting him to latch? Absolutely! And if it wasn’t for the very “militant” nurse in the hospital who, literally, grabbed my boob and showed me how to express it myself and entice the little guy with that yummy liquid gold, latching may have been an issue for more than 24 hours, but after he got it, he was a pro! And, let me tell you, it makes all the difference. If your nipples are sore beyond belief and nursing hurts, consider the fact that he/she is not latching properly. Pumping (enough) was my biggest problem, and this time around (due w/ 2nd child in March), I will probably start pumping much earlier to keep my production up.
In the end, I found it SO rewarding. I nursed my son for 15 months, and one day he just decided he was done. In the meantime, it was much easier to nurse than to have to carry water, bottles, formula with me every where I went. What we saved in terms of expense was just a bonus, because the time I spent nursing my son was absolutely priceless.
Good luck to all you mamas out there. I would happily encourage anyone remotely interested in breastfeeding to really give it 110%. It’s so much better for your baby, and that is time you just can’t replace with anything else. It’s so very natural and a miracle in and of itself that our bodies are built to feed and nourish the little blessings that come into our life. Nothing man-made can replace that (IMO). All the best…
Thanks Aimee for your kind words and for sharing your experience. I agree that it is a miracle that our bodies can feed our little ones in this way!
It didn’t with my first born. I was 22 nervous and a wreck of emotions. With my second it did. I relaxed! I knew this was what was best for her! I didn’t give up when she went through growth spurts (3 & 6 weeks), you will nurse more at these points. My baby girl started not wanting to nurse around 10 months though. She had a big brother who was home from school she paid more attention to him instead. She is now 2 and still adores her older brother and he is so good and patient with her.
My problem with Breastfeeding started at the hospital. My son was jaundiced and slept a lot. It was hard for us to get him to breastfeed because he was always so sleepy. They tried everything and even had me pump milk to give him. After I got out of the hospital it became very painful to breast feed. I went to the lactation consultant and she said he was latching fine and didn’t know why I had pain. One day I started to feel cold so I got into bed and couldn’t get back out, I was in pain and shivering all over even though I was under two blankets. I had a large mass in my right breast, I had mastitis. I felt so warn out and tired, it was hard for me to even carry my son into the dr office. After the Mastitis cleared up I still had pain. I went to the lactation consultant again. They gave me an ointment to rub on my nipples but it didn’t help. The pain was so unbearable. You know that pain you feel in your nipples when you’re not wearing a bra, or a thin bra and it’s cold, well that’s how my nipples felt, except more like I was standing topless on top of Mt Everest. I kept with it, though, and after about 3 or 4 months it just stopped hurting. I don’t know if we finally got a good latch or I just became indifferent to the pain . Of course now it hurts when he bites me with his teeth, but it’s no where near as bad as in the beginning.
Wow, Krystal, you are one committed mama. Sounds like breastfeeding was more painful than labor. LOL! Good for you for staying with it… an inspiration!
wow, i’m going through the same sort of pain. I just went to my dr to get checked and I dont have an infection. They checked my daughters mouth for a tongue tie, and the lactation nurse told me our latch is good. The pain is so bad, even from pumping. I’m sticking with it, i sure hope it doesnt take 3 or 4 months to stop cuz i’m only a month in right now.
I breastfed exclusively for the first ten months. You would think something so natural would come easy but it def didnt. The first few weeks were extremely rough for me. Luckily, I had an amazing support team. And in addition to my family and friends support, there were also other people out there that encouraged me. My midwife, the Le Leche League and a few support groups I found online were wonderful!! They gave me many different tips and I tried them all to find what worked best for me and my son. Everyone is different and you have to remember that just because one way worked for someone else, doesnt mean that will work for you. It will get easier!!! It takes time and A LOT of patience. If I can do it, anyone can!! Truly!!
Dont be afraid to use nipple sheilds!! I walked around with those on while my nipples were cracked and they saved my nursing ‘career’ lol. My mom called them my prosthetic nipples lol. My goal was 2 years old and my son just turned 2 Oct 14th. I am slowly cutting down on nursing time. I am SO SO happy that i stuck with it. I remember people telling me if I could make it through the first 2 weeks, I would be solid. But i didnt even want to go through to the next feeding session let a lone another week. But please believe that it gets better AND enjoyable. Not only are the health benifits worth the cracked nipples, but the bonding time is amazing! Good luck to all the mommies out there!!
(Support groups can be found on Cafemom and other parenting websites! and a MUST READ book is ‘So Whats What They’re For’ by Janet Tamaro)
In my mind, thank God for nipple shields. If they can get us over the hump, they are so worth it!
Well, i knew when i was pregnant that i would 100% breastfeed no matter what. I know a lot of women who say they will “try” if they can. This bothers me because we are meant to breastfeed, this is meant to work and most women dont give it a chance. My son is now 11 months (today) and when he was born he had a hard time latching, so i continued to go at it and finaly before leaving the hospital he latched. What a lot of people dont know is when a baby is born, they are not hungry. So many nurses who give HORRIBLE advice about breastfeeding will make the mother feel bad and tell them that their baby is hungry and they need to give them formula (eek) if they aren’t latching right away. My son never had a drop of formula because we were both learning and we succeeded. When i got home it was an adjustment of course because you are sore, but after you get over the initial couple of weeks in the beginning, breastfeeding is the most rewarding and easy thing in the world. My little guy is still going strong and im not planning on stopping for a few years. All this to say, breastfeeding is natural and everyone can do it, it just takes practice and patients. Remember, you are a new mom and you baby is a new human being, everything takes a few tries when you are new at it. DON’T GIVE UP.
I think it is a bit judgemental to say everyone can breastfeed because we are meant to do it. I am bfing my 2nd daughter and have had a hard time in both cases with low milk production. I have taken herbal supplements both times which help to some extent, but i work and pump three times a day at work and am lucky to get 9 oz. That doesnt cover the three bottles my daughter needs while in daycare. So does she get formula so she can have three 4 oz btls while away from me? Yes. I wont give up on nursing/pumping because i know it is good for her in any amt and love the bonding it creates, but will also make sure she gets enough fuel for her day. Sorry to vent, but it is really hard when you constantly beat yourself up because your body isn’t doing what it is meant to do and then reading comments that act like supplementing is just due to laziness.
Breastfeeding definitely becomes less challenging and more enjoyable the older a baby gets and the more experienced the mother gets. The first 12 weeks were the most challenging for me and my son. But like a light bulb went off at 3 months, he stopped needing a nipple shield and he began to stay awake during feedings and go longer between them. We’re now going on 15 months of breastfeeding!
My best advice to new breastfeeding mothers is to have a reputable lactation consultant on speed dial and at least a friend or an online support group you can count on to help you through the challenges. Before you know it, you will be someone’s support because you’re a pro!
For most women, it will get easier. I think there are a couple key factors for women (like me) who don’t think they make enough milk. Nurse on demand if you can, especially when newborns. This will increase the milk supply. Also, try not to get your baby sleeping through the night too early (I can hear the boos, I know but nursing at night helps build your milk supply too). Fenugreek, a natural herbal supplement can help as well and you can take a lot of it. Plus, an interesting side effect is it makes your sweat smell like maple syrup:) As for other parts of b/fing, I think it is the best thing you can do and is so much easier once you get into the hang of things. I am nursing my 13-month-old and pregnant with our third:) I can’t imagine not b/fing him!! Surround yourself with people who support your decision and don’t allow formula in the house when you are just starting out. But also don’t feel bad if you need to supplement…just do so after you b/f to keep up your supply.
I feel I was completely unprepared for how uncomfortable breastfeeding was going to be before my Son was born. My Mum had told me a story about when I was a baby, she remembered sitting in a rocking chair feeding me while she sobbed and sobbed because her nipples were cracked and bleeding. I, regretfully, wrote this off as my Mum being over dramatic and thinking that something like that would never happen to me. BIG MISTAKE! Just a few weeks later I was sitting in my own rocking chair with my beautiful new born Son suckling, hungrily away while I sobbed and sobbed, telling myself over and over again “I love my Son, I love my Son, I love my Son…I can get through this.” No amount of cream or remedies could help my poor, cracked, sore, nipples or the feeling it would never end. HOWEVER……as quickly as the pain and drama started, it stopped. I think it was only about 3 days of being uncomfortable if I remember correctly(although it felt a lot longer at the time!) Then one day Harvey latched on and I felt….nothing. Just the warm fuzzing feeling of knowing I was giving my Son the greatest start in life and filling his brand new little body with everything he needed to become a strong healthy boy.
I know it’s hard, you feel used and abused those first few weeks after giving birth and the last thing you need is to feel like a dairy cow!! But I breastfed my Son until he was 18 months old and I cannot even begin to tell you what an amazing experience it was. Not just because of the bond it forges between the two of you, or because of the AMAZING health benefits that breastfeeding gives to your baby but also because of how EASY it was! After a few weeks you are such a natural you can feed your baby wherever, whenever you want you. No bottles, formula, hot water or bags needed. Just you and your little one- the perfect Team!
If you are struggling, please keep at it! It is the last little leg of the long journey of becoming a Mother and I promise that your little baby will make you so happy for the rest of your life that those few days of struggling will be quickly forgotten! Good Luck! xx
Yes! I can’t imagine preparing a bottle in the wee hours of the night. Nursing is SO user friendly once we get the hang of it.
My little girl is 7 months and at first, breastfeeding was such a sad experience. I used to cry through it (funny, she was a pro almost from the start). It was worse because she didn’t seem to care that her mum was in agony. When she wanted to eat, she just didn’t care and by 2 months she had this nasty habit of biting down me with her toothless gum. But my mum encouraged me to stick with it.
It was hard because I felt like my body was no longer mine … Many times I almost gave up. I kept telling myself ‘one month more and its over!’ But by 3 months it was more enjoyable. Right now it’s a breeze; I have introduced some solids but I definitely prefer to breastfeed.
Sticking with it is definitely the key. It’s uncomfortable at first but that does not last for too long and the bonding is incomparable!
sharon recently posted What I’ve Learned from Being Married
Want to share a few additional comments from our Facebook page:
Beth Wehmeyer
I had a rough time with my first one. I cried every time she nursed for the first month. I had no help from anyone except my husband. It was a huge family effort and she finally got the hang of a good latch and then we nursed until she was 13 months. Remember not to stress about it. If you are stressed your body releases cortisol and it goes into the milk which can stress baby too. If you have a hard time relaxing try taking a warm bath and bring baby in with you you’ll both relax more
Dawn Acero
My first child was tongue tied and wowie did breast feeding hurt. I used to cry when I heard his hunger cry. We took him in to have his tongue clipped at the encouragement of our lactation specialist. The procedure took a few seconds and as soon as it was done I was instructed to breast feed. Wha-laa! Bliss! I couldn’t believe it! No pain after that. For our second child the first week was sore, but after that it was a breeze. My sister in law said the same for her three, that the first one or two weeks is really difficult, but press on it gets much better.
Jessamina Longislandgoddess
Breastfeeding Gets Easier!!! Try not to accept ANY “bad” latches from your little one, you train them the right way, and it’s smooth sailing..If you don’t know how to get a good latch..Get help form an experienced mama or a lactation consultant.. It’s so important to ask for help!
Amber Aben
My son had a good latch but I have very sensitive nipples. For me breastfeeding was painful for the first 2 months. As time went on it got better and it was much worse in the beginning than in the end of the two months. I’m so glad I stuck it out along with my husbands support. He is now 15 months and I just stopped breast feeding last weekend. It definatly got more easy the longer I did it. I would only let him feed for 10 min at a time on each side and go back if he still seemed hungry and after about month 2 it didn’t seem to matter how long he nursed for, my nipples had finally gotten broken in!
Gina Mac Gillis-Hirt
IT GETS EASIER…for most! Find your support people to help you and keep you going! As an IBCLC…get the tongue-tied babies tongues CLIPPED if it interferes with breastfeeding! Sometimes it doesn’t so see an IBCLC for help. THEN…find a pediatrician that will support your decision to BF and will agree to get your baby’s tongue clipped. EASY PROCEDURE that usually fixes that painful gumming when the baby latches. GOOD LUCK LADIES!!!! Breast feeding ROCKS!!!
Laura Baney Adams
My hard time didn’t last as long as most… for first 2 days of my little girl’s life she would latch on great and have a really good suction, but after that she started having trouble latching on so we ended up having to use a nipple shield, which I hated! After my milk came in she started eating like a champ and we were completely done with the shield right around the time when she turned 4 weeks old. She never had a problem without it, and things are going great now, she is 9 weeks old today. I love breastfeeding and am determined to continue!
Mistie Moore Jones
It’s the latch, make sure the latch is correct (LLL or lactation consultant) and you’ll be good to go! I that sounds so simple, but it is. As far as the time spent doing it, just do it and relish in doing it. Just think this could be your last baby, you may never get the chance to be this close to another person ever. That little tiny helpless baby needs and wants you. The hormone cocktail that you share is like building a building on a solid, granite foundation. It will bond you and your child together with strength to last through any event.
Serenity Lord
I had blisters on my nipples from the first couple of days. She would latch correctly so when checked looked fine. After a couple of minutes she would start sucking improperly and cause the blisters. I read the nursing section in the Baby Book by Dr Sears and learned that it was OK to gently break the latch and start again. No more blisters! Proper support under your arms is essential as well, she was pulling too much because I wasnt keeping her high enough. Mothers milk and Fenugreek tea are wonderful! No supply problems after the tea:)
I agree with Mistie latch is key to eventual success. In my case my nipples were very dry and sore. My(second child) home born baby had a perfect latch from birth. But, I thought to myself “this hurts so bad”. The first week was a challenge but Lansinoh’s lanolin cream was my sidekick. Once relief kicked in, I followed my midwifes instructions to have short and frequent feedings. I am now in breastfeeding bliss. Momma’s milk tea by Love and Tea in Vermont is awesome because it not only contains Fenugreek but has nettles, rose hips, blessed thissle etc. Practice makes perfect!!!!! I regret not having breast fed my first child > 3mos. This second baby will def. be fed at least 2yrs. Support is key, I have another friend that is breast feeding her son it keeps me going.
The first two weeks have always been the hardest for me.. the engorgement, the nipple pain etc. I breastfed my first for 1 1/2 years, my second for 3 1/2 years, my third for 1 1/2 years and my fourth and fifth twins are still breastfeeding at 2 plus years. The first three months with my twins was the hardest for me because I couldn’t find the right position that worked for me. Once I got that mastered (none of the holds suggested by the nurses or internet) it’s been smooth sailing ever since. I’ve never given any of my kids formula so I know that’s all possible even with twins to be successful.
Oh my, Gianna, you desire special kudos for breastfeeding TWINS! Please do share the position you use to feed those two!!
I sit down on the couch or bed and put a pillow next to each of my sides. I then put a boppy on my lap. Then I adjust the twins so they are sideways straight out on the pillows facing my breasts and their heads resting on the boppy. I hope this explains it well enough
Thanks Gianna! Sounds like a good system.
I agree it does get easier
It takes so much patience.
We didn’t successfully nurse until 7/8 weeks but it was so worth it. I’m happy I stuck with it and I’m thankful for the support group I found. We had latch issues but we prevailed and we’re still going strong at 14mths! I’m currently pregnant and look forward to my new breastfeeding journey tandem nursing!
My husband was such a huge help. In the beginning, especially the first days, I couldn’t get the positions down and my husband would be right there to help position my son so he could latch. It’s hard when you’ve never done it before, the baby is small (6 lbs 2 oz!) and you can’t really see if the “angle” is right. That’s where an extra pair of eyes and helping hands is exactly what you need to help get the hang of it. Then you start to feel like a pro and can’t remember that it was ever difficult in the beginning.
Things that helped me:
1)The Boppy Pillow. Some magazines say you can skip this and just use a pillow. For me, I found the Boppy more supportive than a pillow (that would dip and make it difficult to angle my son).
2) A Glider. WONDERFUL. Supportive of your back and really helps with comfort (over a chair, couch or regular rocking chair). I held out so long because I really wanted one of those rocking chair gliders from Pottery Barn Kids or Land of Nod (but my budget wasn’t ready for that). My mom brought a glider up one weekend and I couldn’t believe the RELIEF! My back was less strained (and my arms were less strained as well – but really this chair has saved my back).
3. TV Shows & Movies
As beautiful as it is to breastfeed your little one. Let’s be honest – in those early days it can be a task. In that first month especially, when it can seem the hardest, the baby nurses (or at least mine did) for 45 minutes at a time. It seems like all you do is nurse! Sometimes I would get anxious (wanting to do something, wanting the nursing to be almost over) because it was just me and the baby and nothing else. It wasn’t a dread. It’s just that after 15 -20 minutes, your brain wants some kind of stimulation besides the awesomeness of adoring your new baby. TV Episodes on DVD were the best. For 45 minutes I could nurse and have something in the background to tune into. BENEFIT: I never rushed the baby to finish or tried to unlatch him to see if he was done. This way I just relaxed, he nursed, and I was a little entertained. I whipped through all 7 seasons of the Gilmore Girls. Loved it. =) Movies are great too.
4. Don’t be a Lone Ranger
Really. If it hurts or the baby has trouble latching or something just feels off – reach out! Other moms who nurse or have recently nursed were the best with advice and tips and tricks. My pediatrician and her nurse were/are amazing resources. The Nurses at the Hospital Nursery – another great resource and free I think. And there’s also lactation consultants. I’ve had many friends who did that and it really helped. For a fee or for free there is always someone who can help (you just have to find what feels most comfortable to you).
Best of luck! It does get easier!!
I had a difficult birth with my daughter and never thought for a second I’d have trouble breastfeeding. I had gestational diabetes and was induced when my daughter was 38 weeks. She was born a few days after induction started, but labour didn’t progress and I had an emergency caesarean.
She found it very difficult to latch on, despite obviously wanting to feed, and so for the first three weeks of her life, there were lots of tears and frustration and lots of expressing milk, sterilising bottles, rotating stock and so on. In the third week I was so fed up of the feeling of failure every time I tried to breastfeed (where my daughter would thrash around trying to latch on but just couldn’t seem to squeeze my areola properly) and vowed to give up by the end of the week. I tried one last time to get her to latch on and hey presto, she did it! It was one of the happiest moments of my life!
After this, my daughter breastfed with no problems until she got teeth at six months, after which she started to gnaw and bite at my breasts. This continued until she was 10 months old (the pain from biting was nearly enough to make me stop, but I knew she enjoyed breastfeeding so much). Now she is 15 months old and still adores breastfeeding. I love it too – it’s our special time and I am not going to hurry her along, despite being 9 weeks pregnant and exhausted!
I have had so many challenges nursing my little one. He will be 8 weeks on Friday but I’m finally starting to feel benefits from this part of our relationship. I really hope that we continue to nurture a healthy nursing relationship.
Nicole S recently posted Meeting Family (Part 2)
This post (and the other BF-related ones) are so helpful and encouraging! With my first child, I was a single working mom and struggled to breast feed during my 3 months of maternity leave. I quit when I went back to work and have always regretted it. Now I’m pregnant with my second child (23 wks), married to a wonderful supportive man, and very lucky to be a SAHM. No excuses for not breastfeeding this time! I’m very nervous and hope that I can stay strong and stick with it until it gets easier. Having more resources this time around is helping me build a positive attitude – thank you so much!
I also wanted to ask if anyone has ever had problems with their breast ducts while nursing. I had a blocked duct that led to an infection a few weeks after giving birth and it was terrible! It felt like a full-blown flu. The only thing I was told to do to prevent another is to wear wireless bras. Do you have any other tips? Is there anything besides an underwire bra that can cause them?
Thank you again – your blog is wonderful!!!
Hi Kristen!
So happy for you that you have the love and support for pregnancy #2. Being a mama is hard enough… not fun doing it alone.
For clogged ducts, definitely wear loose fitting tops, bras, tank tops, etc. No sports bras or push up bras. Sleep with no shirt is even better. If it were me, I would also consume 1-2 TB of high quality olive oil a day, drink plenty of fluids, including homemade lemonade (lemon, water and some kind of natural sweetner). Additionally, a friend of mine uses lecithin and swears by it. The usual recommended dosage for recurrent plugged ducts is 1 capsule (1200 milligram) 3-4 times per day (if duct is clogged.) So I would take 1-2 capsules a day to be preventative. Good luck with everything and keep me posted!
Just reading through these comments again and it made me smile and teary reading how nervous I was when I was pregnant with my daughter. She is turning one this Friday! She did a great job breastfeeding, but for some reason decided around 10 months old she was no longer interested. I continued trying to nurse her and she would nurse for 5 minutes at a time, and about 10 minutes in the evening before bed. Now we’re approaching her first birthday and I think we’re both ready to be done. I know so many moms are going beyond year one, but I’m proud to have gone the whole first year and I think my daughter is giving me clear signals she is just not interested anymore. She eats a great healthy diet and I think I will continue pumping so I can put the milk in her food and smoothies. Thanks again for this awesome blog – I’ve loved all your posts!
The first week, it was going extremely well (awesome bonding experience skin to skin when he was brand new). The lactation lady at the hospital believed it was because I’d had a drug-free childbirth. Then I came home and developed sore nipples and mastitis. I remember crying one night while nursing around week 2, but the soreness does go away. Just keep using lanolin until it does. If you are going to start pumping to have some extra in the freezer for dates or have to go back to work, do not try to pump on too high a suction at first if you try pumping– OUCH! Match it to how your baby’s suction feels. Anyway, 3 months later we are going strong and I am soooooo thankful I didn’t give up when it was difficult. It really does get easier. Just work on that technique either by reading tips or talking to a lactation person or nursing mom, don’t let it go on the same if it’s hurting. Little adjustments can make a big difference I learned. I know it’s great for his health and it’s also really good for bonding. I wouldn’t suggest leaving out bottles altogether though…you need freedom every once in a while if you want a date or something. I try to give a bottle of frozen breastmilk about once a week and started giving them at 5 weeks. The other must-have is my cute nursing cover that I carry always in my diaper bag and just pull it out whenever he needs to eat. It’s actually way less trouble than bottles.
About formula– my son had breastmilk jaundice (very rare but something in my milk actually inhibited the bilirubin from flushing out of his system), so I had to alternate every feeding between breastfeeding and formula for 6 days. That came after the other trouble I’d had with breastfeeding that made me tempted to give it up. I’m so glad I had this experience because I learned that formula is way more mess, trouble, time, and expense. There is much more spitting up, and formula makes for nasty blow-out smelly poops in my experience. It’s just not what is naturally intended for their systems if you can avoid it. Before this experience I was also a little tempted to just pump and bottle-feed, and I found out pumping several times a day kinda stinks if you can avoid it, however pumps are awesome if you have to keep working and well worth the time to avoid formula– not only for health benefits but also so you can keep nursing whenever you are with baby. I now love nursing my 3 month old.
I breastfed all 3 of my children. My 12 yr old till 11 months. My 7 yr old till 15 months and 5 yr old till 17 months. All in all my best piece of advice is the first 2 months I believe are the hardest because you are both learning each other. So make it that far it only becomes easier. I never had a reason to let my babies cry because they were fed on demand. So they were fed when they needed it not a dr. or a book telling me, this worked because I was luckily a SAHM. There is definately truth behind the smart breastfed baby. I have the proof oldest has never been lower than an A grade at school and he is the top G&T (GIFTED&TALENTED) student for the last few years. Middle child has all O’s which equals out to an A. He also is being tested for the Gifted and Talented program as well. Last child is moving into kindergarten and I have been told by pre k teachers no need to come to confrences she is well above her classmates. I do not push my children into books or school I am however told by their teachers at school that they (JUST GOT IT.) So besides all the health benefits for mom and nursing baby I know I gave my munchkins the best of me by exclusively nursing them. Hey did I mention all 3 of them have many friends and great personalities.
YAY for your smart kiddos
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I think it’s interesting how babies decide when they’ve had enough. My eldest, who is three and a half, finished breastfeeding in early Jan. I loved feeding her but felt 3.5 was too old and we had the chance to bond in many other ways. She would bf for an hour at 3 years old!!
My youngest, who’s 18 months, luckily had no problems breastfeeding but now he only likes very short feeds, about 5 minutes maximum, a few times a day. Seems so strange compared to my eldest’s feeding patterns.
Well done all you mummies!