Overcoming pain and latching challenges
I had learned about the many benefits to breastfeeding before giving birth to my first child and was committed to breastfeeding. I was also aware of the set-backs that could occur while trying to learn the art of breastfeeding with a new baby. All of this was theoretical knowledge and it didn’t feel like I was prepared when the time came! However, the information we received in our pre-natal class with Liana gave us the knowledge of where to get help when issues arose.
My child was born by unplanned C-section. While delivery by C-section can create challenges in the initial breastfeeding relationship, Liana had provided some words of wisdom in our pre-natal class and I attribute those to having a good supply of colostrum when my child was born. Despite my good supply, I had difficulties getting my child to latch and feed adequately, which we later realized was at least in part due to tongue-tie. I had help from the lactation consultant at the hospital and from some very supportive nurses. But likely due to the tongue-tie, by the time we were being released, our child was at risk of jaundice from insufficient liquid intake. We were released on the condition that we supplement breastfeeding with formula.
Thanks to the information we received from Liana in our pre-natal class, we were aware that there was help available to us. We visited the Toronto Public Health breastfeeding clinic, had a follow-up with the lactation consultant at St. Joe’s, and had Liana come to our home. We rented a hospital-grade breastpump to ensure my supply didn’t drop and we followed an intense routine that started with me breastfeeding while struggling with the latching. Then I pumped while my partner bottle or finger fed our baby up with pumped milk and, if needed, formula.
The first two weeks were some of the most challenging times of our lives. The latches during this period ranged from uncomfortable to excruciatingly painful. We had a cycle of 1 hour feeding, 1 hour cleaning equipment, and 1 hour sleeping for days (and nights) at a time. It was exhausting. But the thoughts of bonding and the many benefits to breastfeeding kept me going through the pain and sleep deprivation.
During these two weeks, our child was diagnosed and treated for tongue-tie. Although the tongue-tie release seemed to help somewhat, we still had to work on the latch. I found things seemed to go well whenever someone was helping me and it was daylight but there were some rough times in the middle of the night when I just couldn’t seem to master the technique.
Throughout the challenging weeks after giving birth, I remember thinking, “how long before breastfeeding gets better?” My sister-in-law’s experience of watching Netflix while breastfeeding seemed like a different world than the one I was living in. But we persevered and it got better. One day, I was able to master the cradle hold and free up my second hand. I read a magazine while nursing and felt a surge of hope and joy.
Breastfeeding can be a rollercoaster. We ran into more obstacles like thrush and blocked ducts. There were times when things seemed horribly hard. But I got help from Liana, La Leche League, and support from other moms and every problem eventually resolved and the breastfeeding relationship got stronger. The snuggles and bonding alone were worth all the effort.