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Breastfeeding was one of my biggest challenges when becoming a new Mom. I was always a little worried about it, but after being told numerous times that it would just be natural and work I became less and less weary. However, let me just state for the record it did NOT come naturally for me, AT ALL. This may not be the case for every woman, in fact every single Mom is different, but this was my case and one of my biggest struggles.
Our first breastfeeding shortly after Blake was born seemed to go great! I thought for sure, we’re golden! However, the nurses did 99% of the work for me and let’s be honest they made it seem SO much easier than it would be. After moving to the recovery room where we would be staying for the next 24 hours, we went at it again. The nurse had me try on my own and it was a disaster. I couldn’t get her to a position where I felt comfortable, everything felt awkward. She wasn’t latching and just kept falling back asleep. I was instantly in tears and frustrated. Plus, I had so much pressure on me to get all this colostrum in her because she was so little and her blood sugar was on close watch.
After three more attempts over the next couple of hours a lactation nurse came in. She had to hand express colostrum out and feed it to her in a syringe. I felt like a failure. I couldn’t even feed my baby! What was wrong with me? And then when they brought formula in to supplement her with because she wasn’t getting enough colostrum I was even more of a wreck.
I kept doing my best until it was time to go home, I fed as much as I could and did the best I could to get her to latch. We struggled though because she did NOT want to stay awake long enough to eat and our latch was a mess, so I continued to supplement formula the next couple of days, even after leaving the hospital. She had a little bit of jaundice and again, they kept saying feed her as much as possible. By this point, I was a hot mess and so frustrated with myself. ย We left the hospital on a Saturday and the following Monday we met with her pediatrician to check on her jaundice and everything. She had dropped weight, which is normal, but she dropped for than 10% which they didn’t like. This is when my little breastfeeding miracle happened.
My pediatrician recommended me to a new lactation nurse. We met with her a couple of hours after our appointment with him. I was beyond full because my milk came in the night before and we hadn’t picked up my breast pump yet, so that drive there was a LONG one.
This lactation nurse was ah-mazing. She instantly showed me what I was doing wrong and she was able to get her to latch on perfectly, though not easily. So, she had Marcus run down to the pharmacy and grab a nipple shield. BOOM. There it was! That nipple shield has saved us. She latched instantly when I did it on my own and has eaten like a champ ever since. As much as I want to wean her off of the nipple shield, if it works, it works and I ain’t complaining!
Well, that’s not it y’all, yeah you thought I was done talking didn’t you? ๐ Nope, that same week on Thursday the babe and I were diagnosed with thrush–talk about PAINFUL. So I thought. Then a couple of weeks later I got mastitis and I truly learned the definition of painful. I’m still dealing with that and it’s really not fun, at all, but we’re making our way through it.
Long story short, breastfeeding wasn’t easy for me. We’re all different. Sometimes it’s easy, sometimes it’s not and sometimes it just doesn’t work. That being said, we should all be ย supporting and loving each other no matter what.
Now, I’ve been asked lots what products I love, nursing bras, what’s helped with my mastitis, etc. So now, let’s chat about that.
Seriously, Mamas mastitis or not these are lifesavers. You can heat them up or cool them down to place on your breast. I kid you not they make a WORLD of difference. They’re filled with flax seed and lavender buds and shape to conform to your breasts. They’re fabulous to prevent clogged ducts or help for those of us that already have them… Oops.
Well today, you can grab 15% off your total purchase, just use the code “OAKES15” at check out, here.
Can I hear a HOLLA?! ๐
My ultimate, all time favorite nursing bra is made by Milk + Baby. It’s their B.D.A. Maternity + Nursing Braย and seriously the most comfortable bra in the entire world. Plus, it’s way easy to just slide over when it’s time to nurse your little babe! I love that there aren’t clips, clips for me were a struggle for some reason, so when I got this bra I was instantly in heaven!
Now, because we love y’all and know you love giveaways of course we had to work something out for ya!
So we’ve teamed up with both Lillemer and Milk + Baby to giveaway a pair of Lil’ Buds and a $50 gift card to milkandbaby.com.
Here’s how to enter:
โข Follow @lillemer, @shopmilkandbaby and @positivelyoakes on Instagram
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What was your experience with breastfeeding?! What’s worked for you and your little babe? Tell us in the comments we want to hear!
Dominique says
I totally feel you on this! My first son was so hard to breastfeed, I thought for sure we would have to use formula forever! With my second son I had milk production problems. Breastfeeding is definitely not the easiest I commend you for not giving up! Keep up the good work little lady!
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Natalie says
Sorry to hear about your struggle, but so happy to hear that you have a great LC and are feeling confident about feeding your baby!
I had a similar experience. We latched right after birth but same thing, she kept falling asleep. The nurse gave me a nipple shield at the hospital, so that was great, but after a few days of PAINFUL nursing sessions we went to our LC. She gave us the right sized ones and showed me how to put it on etc, and then we were good!
Well come month 3 my baby decided to go through a nursing aversion (though I didn’t know that was what it was at the time). Lots of arched backs and screaming. So I pumped and bottle fed her for a month. I ended up with plugged ducts and to relieve myself I tried to nurse her. Well she latched on just fine without the shield and we have been golden ever since!
It turns out that pumping helped to draw my nipples out and allowed my baby to get the proper latch. Yay!
The struggle is real my friend.
April says
Thank you so much for being so candid and sharing your story. As a woman whose about to have her baby any day now, I can say that listening to other people’s stories and feeling apart of a “mom tribe” is extremely comforting.
Denise says
Still waiting for my little one to arrive in October, but I admit, I’m a bit nervous about breastfeeding. Thankfully, there’s a great organization in DC called the Breastfeeding Center that actually offers free prenatal classes on breastfeeding and pumping techniques, as well as consults in their office or in your home if you are having any issues at all. Since I’ll be returning to work after maternity leave, I’ll be pumping during the day, so these classes will be extremely helpful. I have heard great things about Medela nipple shields, Ameda Hydrogel pads, and Lansinoh lanolin. Thanks so much for your honest posts and for keeping it real on your blog!
Jazmine Aluma says
THANK YOU, for sharing this! It’s so refreshing and encouraging to hear about other mom’s struggles. My little guy was born a year ago and we are way past breastfeeding troubles. (On to the next!) But still, I think parenting is just so hard sometimes, so it’s really great to get someone else’s perspective and hear their experience. Some blogs make it all out to be rainbows and roses. Please keep sharing the good and the rough. And I’ll keep eating it up! ๐
Chelsea says
Thank you so much for your transparency! I feel like as moms we’re supposed to have it all together when people ask us how we’re doing. I didn’t struggle as much with latching, but I am in the middle of struggling to feed my baby on both sides. He just starts screaming in the middle of nursing and I eventually just have to get him to sleep. No one can tell me what’s wrong!
All that to say, keep it up, mama! You’re right, every mom is different. We’re all doing great ๐
Jess Oakes says
Thank you!! ๐ Xo
Crimea says
I loved reading this post! I felt Like I finally had someone on my side. I just had my third and breatfeeding is going fairly well. He latches great and just sore nipples but the cream works great! However with my girls, breadt feeding was a disaster, I tried a lot in the hospital and with the nurses but it hurt so bad and they did not latch great! I honestly think it has so much to do with your lactacian consultant , family support and mind set! This time was determind and thought positive about it and so happy Im sticking with it. I love the bond! : ) Totally regret pumping and bottle feedinc my girls. But hey we win some and loose some! So glad you found something that worked! Xoxo
Jess Oakes says
Thank you!! And so glad it’s going well for you this round!! Xo!
Kasey Gearhart says
Thank you for sharing. I love that I stumbled upon your Instagram it has reassured me so much in so many ways. My little one was a planned 37 week c section due to a number of factors. He latched right after birth but was whisked away to test blood sugar and it was low so he was given formula. I spent one night in recovery with him, all while they continued to make me worry by saying “don’t tire him out too much on the breast, if he doesn’t latch go to the formula in 5 minutes” so needless to say we both were frustrated and couldn’t latch so formula it was. I was so worried about his blood sugar and his jaundice and his temp that I basically gave up. Next day he was swept away to the NICU, which originally I thought would happen at the beginning but it didn’t totally a mind game, so in the nicu he was on bottle formula and I was to pump colostrum. We still pump almost two weeks later and are mainly breast milk from a bottle. But I understand breastfeeding is hard and totally as much a mind game if anything. Thank you again for sharing your story continually
Jess Oakes says
Thank you! And I’m glad your little is okay ๐ Don’t be too hard on yourself!! We all do the best we can. Xo!
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