Breastfeeding is NOT easy! (but is the BEST for baby)

by Atty. Jenny Ong 

(last edited March 29, 2008)

(This entry was composed and edited over the course of a month.  However, I became busy and just got to post it months after.  When I first gave birth, a lot of my friends were breastfeeding and made it sound so easy.  However, it definitely was not easy for me and I shed a lot of tears to make it work.)

As a new parent, everyone wants to give the best for their baby.  During my pregnancy, I was bombarded with information that "breast was best".  Thus, even before

 Naima Clarisse was born, I was dead set on breastfeeding her.  Naima Clarisse was born on 05 December 2007  and it was a fairly easy pitocin-induced delivery with epidural anaesthesia.  Within an hour after her birth, she had latched on and drinking up what little colostrum I was producing.  During her first 24 hours, she had pooped out so much meconium that Stan (my husband) was converted into a diaper-changing machine.

We were discharged on December 7, 2007 and the next 2 weeks were filled with sleepless breastfeeding days.  On discharge day, Naima weighed 5lbs, 10ozs.  

However, as a breastfed baby, we were informed that was normal and she should regain her birth weight on her second week check-up.  We went to our pediatrician on December 19 for her 2nd week check up.  Naima weighed 6lbs and 9ozs which was 4 ozs more than her birth weight.  We were very happy!  However, we were eventually dismayed to find out that she was jaundiced and even more so when we were informed that it was breastmilk jaundice!

The pediatrician recommended that she be given 1-2oz of formula after nursing.  By then, Stan and I were so paranoid that we decided that I exclusively pump so we could measure how much she was getting.  This was the beginning of my endless pumping and worries.  "Will I have enough mik?"  With the stress and sleepless nights, I wasn't pumping enough and we had to

 supplement with formula.  Also, as 1st time parents, we didn't know that there was an art to bottle-feeding the breastfed infant.  So to force Naima to drink milk, Stan would pull on the bottle every time she stops suckling == end result?! NIPPLE CONFUSION.  Everytime Naima would latch on to me, she would  only stay for 5 minutes because she wanted faster flow and she was pulling on my breasts like a bottle nipple - adding to my sore nipples and breasts.  It was a vicious cycle.  At this point, I was exclusively pumping and didn't know how long I would last.  I even rented a hospital grade pump and bought another double electric pump.

I was really determined to continue breastfeeding.  When Naima was  about 7 weeks, I felt that my supply had increased so again I decided to go back to direct breastfeeding.  I had been told that direct breastfeeding extends the breastfeeding relationship as compared to exclusive pumping.  Again, I was plagued with sore and cracked nipples.  At this point, I was ready to throw in the towel.  I kept thinking, I was a formula-fed baby, hubby was FF, my siblings and everyone else I knew were FFed and we were all doing great!

Maybe those die-hard breastfeeding advocates really got to me - I decided to continue giving Naima  breastmilk and go back to exclusive pumping.  I guess I was also a masochist because after 2 days, when my nipples had healed, I again tried to do direct breastfeeding.  And suddenly, everything became easier.  Her latch had improved.  There was still some pain on my right breast but it was tolerable.  And I started thinking that I could do this!  I continued direct breastfeeding for 2 weeks, not giving here any bottle for fear of a nipple confusion relapse.  This meant I couldn't go out without her and I couldn't go out often since my mom wouldn't let me take the baby out.

Then, plugged ducts hit!  I had been pumping and freezing breastmilk when we had to go to Cebu.  In Cebu, I didn't bring my pump and failed to do my regular 3 pumps a day (in addition to nursing) - resulting in engorgement!  Plus the fact that we were staying in hotels and had to fulfill some familial duties probably added to my stress ending in plugged ducts!  So upon going back to Manila, I went to seen an ob-gyne who was a lactation consultant and have her  prick my nipple to free up the plugged duct!  Boy did it hurt and for 2 succeeding days, it hurt everytime Naima fed on my right breast!  I was determined not to quit and my right nipple did heal.

Naima is now 16 weeks and we are  still exlusively breastfeeding.  I'm taking it month by month now and as we approach her 4th month, am hoping that the 4th-5th month is easier. 

 Conservatively, I'm hoping we make it to 6 months.  Then after that, we'll see how it goes.  I just hope that I'm up to facing the challenges that breastfeeding will bring.