Thanks for hopping over from the start of Jade’s from Mummies Waiting breastfeeding journey and welcome to my post for the Keep Britain Breastfeeding Scavenger Hunt Day 1 The Start of My Journey we have over £700 worth of breastfeeding and baby goodies up for grabs including prizes from Boobie Milk with a £50 voucher, Cherub Chews who are offering a breastfeeding necklace and Loveyush who are offering a breastfeeding scarf. Full details of theGrand Prize can be found here and all entries to be completed via the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.
The Start of My Breastfeeding Journey
I didn’t know I was going to become a breastfeeder when I first fell pregnant with the toddler.
I definitely didn’t realise I was going to become so passionate about it.
And here we are nearly 3 years after my first baby first latched on and I’m on my second breastfeeding journey. A lot more sure of myself and confident in my beliefs.
I still remember my first breast feeding experience. Despite being completely out of it having just had an emergency c-section and being pumped full of drugs. I had a baby plonked on my breast and there he stayed for the next 45 minutes. Coming round and having my head clearing from the drugs I looked down at this little helpless baby and fell in love with him.
It was during those first feeds I discovered him. His tiny fingers. Stroking his little toes. Spending time just holding him and smelling him. Finding the perfect fit for him in my arms. How to soothe him by feeding.
Don’t get me wrong, it was hard in the beginning. The cracked and bleeding nipples. The constant feeding and needing of me was exhausting. Trying to work out how he should latch without the midwives help. Syringing my milk into his mouth a ml at a time because i didnt think he was eating enoughm Counting dirty and wet nappies. Sobbing in the nursery because he wouldn’t latch and I didn’t know what to do. Resting him against my hot and aching scar because that’s where he wanted to be. Leaning on my my husband for invaluable support.
As time passed, we got to know each other, and it got easier.
Until it became second nature to me and to him.
I was his ultimate comfort and soother.
And as my love for him grew every day, so to did my love of breastfeeding.
I was in doubt this time round that I was going to be a breastfeeder. I was determined. I mean I’d done it once hadn’t I? I wasn’t prepared for it to be different. I wasn’t expecting life saving surgery again. And I wasn’t expecting a swollen baby who, when following his natural instinct to latch and feed, would cut off his oxygen supply. At that point I thought that the start of my second feeding journey was already over.
Then I remembered an important lesson.
Babies are learning just as much as you are. Though breastfeeding may be a natural and instinctive act it doesn’t mean that it’s easy. Just as we are all different, so to are babies.
My second journey started with a different bump to my first, until the swelling went down I had to learn to break his feed to allow him to breathe. I had to find different ways to hold him to make it easier for me. And he had to learn to breathe while eating. To latch on and snuggle down.
But settle down and snuggle in we have. Learning every day and once again, falling deeper in love with my second marvellous little boy each day.
And once again, falling in love with breastfeeding. I don’t know where our journey will go this time, but I’m honoured and privileged to share it with this little man.
Following on from my journey, please do hop over to “The first six weeks of Oliver’s life were the hardest” from Diary of an Unexpectant Mother to see how her journey began and be in with more chances to enter the grand prize draw. Remember you need to earn 50 points to be eligible, full details can be found on the Keep Britain Breastfeeding Site.
At the moment a trusty maternity dress! x
Lovely post Laura. 🙂
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Thanks Helen!
I have a lovely long dress with a split up the side 🙂 I have enjoyed reading your breast feeding story.
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Thanks Leanne 🙂
What a beautiful post, you describe those first feeds so well. Breastfeeding can be such a bumpy journey but isn’t it amazing =)
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Thanks Jenni 🙂 those first feeds are a blur and so clear all at the same time!
The start of my breastfeeding journey was awful. Undiagnosed posterior tongue tie which was missed by all NHS staff (one paediatrician said I didn’t have enough milk because I was vegan!) and not snipped till 10 weeks. But my daughter was exclusively breastfed (including expressed milk fed by cup for a few days) till 7 months, and is still nursing at 4.5 years.
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Oh wow Rosie! Tongue tie is something I know a few people have struggled with and it’s something that I personally think that it should be something more people are trained on as its simple to detect yet devastating when not treated x
Aww lovely post hun. It must have been even harder after surgery both times to get started and establish the feeding. It is such a lovely way to bond though isn’t it? xx #maternitymondays
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It’s incredible bonding, knowing that a little person is totally dependent and nourished by you xx
Such a lovely post. I had a good BF experience. Apart from a hiccup at the beginning, it was lovely and M latched perfectly. Very lucky! #maternitymondays
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Thanks lovely! I’ve just popped over and read your story it’s such a shame when people think they are being helpful and they are actually just pressurising you x
It’s amazing how second time round can be as hard as the first isn’t it? For us it started much easier second time but then got harder and harder with her reflux and lactose intolerance. Always lovely to read baout positive breastfeeding experiences! Thanks for linking with #MaternityMondays xx
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Thanks Caroline! I think I just assumed it would be the same forgetting that no 2 babies are the same…. x
Lovely post. Well done for staying positive and sticking with it. I wasn’t able to do it unfortunately but have huge respect for those who get through the initial pain x
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Thank you lovely x
For a special occasion i would wear a maternity dress and sparkly sandals x
I too never realised I would become so passionate about breastfeeding! Its an honour and joy to watch tiny chicken legs turn to chunky thighs and see a double chin appearing and chubby cheeks blossoming, all because of my milk. We need to keep britain breastfeeding and celebrations of breastfeeding are the way to do this! I’ve recently shared my (only) experience of negativity (so far) on my blog at http://allaboutelin.blogspot.co.uk/
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I love your description, both my boys had scrawny chicken legs. My first went from scrawny to lean and has stayed that way. My second has gone from scrawny to chunk and it’s satisfying to know that’s all thanks to me. Will pop over and read now x
With 1 of my children I could only breastfeed up to 2 weeks as she was born 2 weeks early and wasn’t sucking hard enough
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Kim that sounds tough, especially when they are so little and get so tired so quickly. On top of that they need to eat more to gain the weight they need. Catch 22 x
The start of my breastfeeding journey has been tough (we are only 10 weeks in!). We have struggled with a tongue tie, fast let down choking the baby, constant feeding due to inefficient latch…… But I am proud that we have stuck to it so far!
I have already faced the positive support and some negative comments, but I feel I am doing my best for my son and will try to continue as long as we are both happy. I really feel that it benefits me as much as him.
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That’s amazing Lottie and the positive support is so amazing. It’s what kept me going for the first 12 weeks with my eldest (along with cake)
It’s such a shame you’ve already experiences some negativity at 10 weeks in. As long as you are both happy then that’s the important piece xx
I wish I could remember the first few feeds. As a first time mum I was so unsure of what I was doing. It is all such a blur
Thank you for sharing your stories. I think it’s so important that people see that a difficult start doesn’t have to be the end of breastfeeding.
The first few feeds were so hard x
Indeed, what a priviledge and a honour to feed to sooth, to feed to calm, to feed to nourish, to feed to grow, to feed to occupy, to feed to de-stress, to feed cos it’s how we love!
Each child is different they say, each breastfeeding journey is also different. Thanks for sharing your precious memories and for articulating your thoughts and feelings in a way that fills me with a measure of nolstagia for the early days.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t fancy the pains of it; but I wish I took it all in more, I wish I was more present and less consumed with getting it right, I wish I was more chilled and that I just settled into the learning process of the start of my only breastfeeding journey so far, without so much struggle. #MaternityMondays
Just a quick note to let you know that your post is featured in my 3rd BritMums Breastfeeding Round-up and Positive About Breastfeeding Keep Britain Breastfeeding 2015 Day 1 Quotes Round-up (to be published).