...But not always easiest!
The American Academy of Pediatrics says that Breastfeeding is the best for new babies. However, over the past 5 weeks, I have discovered that breastfeeding is not easy and smooth sailing at first. Initially, I was frustrated because the hospital nursery gave Sierra a bottle and pacifier even though we had requested that they not do so. Sierra was having trouble latching on and I was certain it was because of the nipple confusion.
Then, we both got the hang of it, but I was leaking all the time, all over the place. I was changing my clothes nearly as often as I was changing diapers. Then, I developed severe cracked nipples; I literally had a hole in my one nipple. Every nursing session was agonizingly painful. Turns out, I did everything wrong!!!
Because of the pain, I would skip nursing sessions on that side, would not make her empty the breast all the way, wore wet nursing pads too long, was losing sleep, and was stressed out! All of which lead to a breast infection called Mastitis. (Most likely, in combination with the things listed above, bacteria in Sierra's mouth transferred into my milk ducts from the crack in my nipple and caused an infection).
Last Friday, I seriously thought I had the flu. I had extreme chills, headache, loss of appetite, body aches, fever, and terrible tenderness and pain in my left breast (the one with the crack in it). Brian's family was visiting, so I was in bed trying to rest and he was downstairs visiting. I sent him a text message asking him to bring me some Tylenol and to tell him that I thought I was getting the flu (again). He brought me some medicine and got in bed and held me for a while to help keep me warm - I was literally shaking with chills. The Tylenol helped and I was able to drift off to sleep. Brian and I both did some research and found that Mastitis starts with symptoms similar to the flu and develops into redness of the breast. Sure enough, when I woke up on Saturday morning, my breast was covered in red splotches around the tender area. I worked on trying some natural remedies all day Saturday, but when I woke up on Sunday, the redness had increased up and around my breast. I called my midwife and she called in an antibiotic for me. So, for the past 10 days I have been on the antibiotic and I am thankful for healing!
Over the past few days, I have been trying a few ways to help with the healing of my sore nipples as well. I am finally experiencing some relief and am hoping that in a few more weeks, breastfeeding will become a wonderful experience for both me and my growing little girl. I am thankful for loving friends and a loving sister who keep advising me that the pain does go away and it does get better. I now know why so many people give up breastfeeding, but I am glad that I have stuck it out these past 5 weeks and that I can provide wonderful nutrition to my precious baby girl.
Any other women out there who have "stuck it out", I welcome any suggestions you may have to help continue to get me over the "healing hump".
4 comments:
((hugs)) no fun! I've been there. Use a breast pump to empty the breast if you are having trouble with her latching on there because of pain... it will keep you from getting engorged and will also help promote healing. I adore my breast pump. It's been a God send! I've had it for all three of my children and have used it least for Mia.
Def. change your pads at every feeding, afterwards... because I always leak during feedings. Keeping the nipples dry really helps! ALSO... a nifty trick taught to me by one of my nurses when I was in the hospital with Wils... she said use a hair dryer on a the cool setting after every shower to dry off nipples. It works like a charm! Also, I think the Lansnoh pads are the BEST! I highly recommend them (they are in a purple box).
With Maegan, I took it day by day, session by session. With Wils I was a little more lax and he had a few more formula bottles, but not many. With Mia, she's had ONE bottle total in all 5 months of her life. Soon she'll be on solids in a month or two and drinking from a cup! :) (I start my kids on cups when they start on solids.)
It gets much easier! You've made it past a month, you are doing great! I'm really proud of you.
Hi Karen, I am a friend of Jenny Robertson's from college and check in with your blog occasionally! It's great and congrats on the birth of your little Sierra! I have an 8 month old and we are still nursing!! I know what you mean about sticking it out the beginning. I cried before we left the hospital with him, worried about not being able to feed him at home on my own! I remember working so hard those first few weeks to get him to latch on right, and not fall asleep after eating 2 minutes.
I found that the most helpful thing was using ointment for the cracking in the beginning. I used it after every feeding and you don't have to wipe it off, it's totally safe for the baby (what little they get at least). I leaked ALL the time at first too! I had a stack of like 40 pads and I could go through them all in like, 2 days. I couldn't go to the grocery store without leaving with a small pond on my shirt. After like 3 months, I never leaked at all. woohoo!
I also got mastitis too, one night when our son (at like 4 weeks) slept through the night. Gosh, talk about a time when you don't want them to sleep through the night. After a pretty miserable day with a 102 degree fever, I finally tried pumping and it was instantly better. From then on if I didn't think he'd eaten enough, or all there was, I'd pump at the end of a feeding. It keeps your supply up and helps to empty you out.
It was hard to stick it out, but now when we/he is nursing, I really have to reach back to remember how it started out. It's such a blur and becomes so routine and easy and special. So definitely stick with it. One day you won't even remember how tough it was and you will have so much useful information for friends!
Congrats again! I hope so of that was helpful!
Laurie Beardsley
Oh yeah, I remember that part. I couldn't believe all the things that were happening to me in the chestal region! Lanolin ointment was my savior, I put it on after every feeding, totally safe, and it healed me up quick as well as kept me from being sore all the time. The cracks went away after a few months, but getting over that hump is tough. The pump helped a bit, but I had one super boob and a near empty one, so I really used it to keep me even!
The hospital experience for us was miserable too. We didn't want a pacifier for Sonya either, and she showed up in our room with one in from the nursery. Hopefully, this time around it will be a better experience.
Thanks for the info on the sling. I really want to get one, so we'll see what I can find. Was it hard to figure out?!? I have visions of getting tangled up!
While it seems like you've gotten past the worst of it, if you start getting plugged ducts (pre-mastitis) in the future, I found that making sure I change positions for the baby to latch on at different angles helps to keep the ducts clear and flowing. That, and nursing more frequently than I may otherwise nurse. (Ahhh, the symbiotic relationship of God's design--nursing often to keep plugged ducts away and keep baby full!)
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