I have three children and have spent about seven years of my life breastfeeding…so far! My children were all born via c-sections and breastfeeding came with its challenges each time. I battled through various issues and complications to breastfeed each one of my babies. This is my story.
My eldest was born via emergency c-section
My eldest child was born via emergency c-section and wasn’t breathing properly, I also bled out so I missed the ‘golden hour’ of breastfeeding which worried me. But once little man was more stable and I was conscious, he latched on in recovery and fed like a champ.
It turned out that he had neutropenia so he didn’t have enough white blood cells to fight infection and was in hospital every month for the first year of his life. This made me determined to breastfeed him as I knew how good it was for him. He began to overcome the neutropenia and fed until he was about two and a half years old.
It turned out that he had neutropenia so he didn’t have enough white blood cells to fight infection
My second baby had to be taken to NICU
My second baby stopped growing inside me so they got her out via c-section at 36 weeks. She was 5lb so was very teeny and taken to NICU. She had a NGT fitted and I hand expressed off colostrum for her to be given via the tube for the first few days, then as my milk came in I hand expressed that off for her.
She was only in NICU for about five days and became strong enough to latch on herself about day 4. As she was so small, I knew how important breastfeeding was so we continued to feed until she was three and a half years old.
As she was so small, I knew how important breastfeeding was so we continued to feed until she was three and a half years old.
I had a suspected mini-stroke after having my third child
My third and final baby was born last year and was the most straightforward c-section of them all. She latched in recovery and did really well. On day two, however, I had a suspected mini-stroke as I couldn’t speak or interact with anyone, then lost consciousness and was whisked off for a head scan.
My husband was called (he wasn’t there because of Covid) and he came up to hospital to be with baby who herself became severely jaundiced. I was unconscious for about four hours so they were talking to my husband about the possibility of using donor milk. I woke up not long after that. I still couldn’t talk but used my phone to text and explain that I wanted to feed her myself.
I still couldn’t talk but used my phone to text and explain that I wanted to feed her myself.
We had to overcome a difficult start to breastfeed successfully
It turned out my turn was because of a neurological condition and I soon started to improve. Unfortunately, my baby’s jaundice got so bad that she needed treatment and was put under the UV light for 24 hours, only being allowed out every two hours for boob.
They also discovered she had a tongue tie so that was snipped and things started to improve. We were allowed home after the procedure and she has been a true boob monster ever since. She’s 13 months old now and I think she’ll continue to breastfeed for a long time yet.
She’s 13 months old now and I think she’ll continue to breastfeed for a long time yet.
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