Comments on: When breastfeeding begins badly, and what I should have done about it

By: How I got my bottle-guzzling, breast-phobic baby to love nursing – The Milk Mama

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 23:37:34 +0000

[...] dwelling on all the things I did wrong after my son was born, as you can read in my earlier post, When breastfeeding begins badly, and what I should have done about it. Here’s what I’ve learned from my experience, and in the work I’ve done with [...]

By: 76 Gallons of breast milk – The Milk Mama

76 Gallons of breast milk – The Milk Mama — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:27:09 +0000

[...] who knows how many calories my baby is “supposed to” eat. And, as a new mother, our bad start at breastfeeding shattered my confidence. I learned to trust my body slowly, with the help of a lactation consultant [...]

By: Heather

Heather — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:08:48 +0000

Great post. My youngest was born at what we thought was 38 weeks but she acted more like a 36 weeker. She hardly nursed AT ALL the 4 days we were in the hospital. I had successfully nursed my first for 10 months so I knew what I was doing. The LC at my hospital told me that she would get me a nipple sheild but that she really didn’t think that it would help. We used the nipple shield for 21 days and on the 22nd day of life she wouldn’t nurse with it. Something clicked and she got it. We continued to nurse for 16 months.

By: Fancy Pancakes

Fancy Pancakes — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:12:58 +0000

VULNERABLE. Yes. That word also jumped out at me when reading the comments and rang SO true.
I need to do more research before the next baby about some of the things you guys are talking about- low blood sugar, NG tube, etc, just in case.

By: Christina

Christina — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:54:31 +0000

Thanks everyone. It sounds like it’s a too-common experience to have a bad start breastfeeding and insufficient support from doctors and nurses.

Melodie: “a vulnerable time for women”…. so true. Some of these details in my postpartum experience are embarrassing to me, and so many times I’ve wished I could go back in time with the strength and conviction that were lost after all those hours of laboring and pushing.

Elita: thanks for the point about a support person. I bet if my doula had been able to stay longer, she would have spoken out against the bottles (she was upset when she visited the next day and found out) and she would have made me start expressing milk. Husbands/partners are wonderful for support, but mine wasn’t comfortable questioning the doctor, or telling me what to do. From his perspective, I was supposed to know what I was doing regarding breastfeeding and he trusted me to make the right choices.

By: » What I Wish I Would Have Known About Breastfeeding

» What I Wish I Would Have Known About Breastfeeding — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:31:18 +0000

[...] When breastfeeding begins badly, and what I should have done about it- Christina at The Milk Mama [...]

By: Barbara

Barbara — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:46:55 +0000

My oldest daughter went straight to the NICU after birth and was there for a day and a half. when I first went to see her, they didn’t want me to try and nurse her, since her oxygen sats were a bit low. I didn’t know the first thing about how to latch on a baby (and not to mention that I was reeling from a difficult birth/c-sec), so I just held her but didn’t try and nurse. By the time we did try–about 12 hours later–she was having none of it. I was fortunate enough to have enormous help and support and was able to turn things around, but I still wonder if I had tried to latch her on right after birth if things would have gone differently….

By: Rita/Fighting Off Frumpy

Rita/Fighting Off Frumpy — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:51:44 +0000

You’re so fabulously dedicated! Most people (read: I) would have given up under those circumstances. Kudos for sticking with it and for the fact that it PAID OFF!

This post has some wonderful advice – and some definite inspiration.

By: 4 things I wish I’d known about breastfeeding « Three Girl Pile-Up

4 things I wish I’d known about breastfeeding « Three Girl Pile-Up — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:05:47 +0000

[...] When breastfeeding begins badly, and what I should have done about it – The Milk Mama [...]

By: MumUnplugged » Breastfeeding: What I wish I’d known then

MumUnplugged » Breastfeeding: What I wish I’d known then — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:04:14 +0000

[...] I wish I’d known then – a poem Hobomama: AP principle #2: What I wish I’d known… The Milk Mama: When breastfeeding begins badly (and what I should have done about it) Fancy Pancakes: Breastfeeding – wish I’d heard more good things! Breastfeeding Mums: 15 facts [...]