Early Days of Breastfeeding

I wanted to share with you my Breastfeeding expierience. Starting straight out of the operating room. Yes, I said operating room, more on that in another post. J Baby and I began our breastfeeding journey with a LOT of help from my Midwife/Lacatation Consultant, Susan. She was there in the operating room and stayed with me to help get us started breastfeeding in the recovery room. She held J Baby so we could nurse. I had no strength, I couldn't even hold my arms up. She held him there as long as he wanted to nurse which was quite a while if my memory serves me right. He latched perfectly. He continued to nurse wonderfully the entire time we were in the hospital. We began having trouble once we got home though. I began to swell from having fluids from surgery and my milk was coming in so I was engorged as well. This combination was not good. J Baby began refusing the breast and we didn't know what to do. I was able to pump with my Medela Harmony Hand pump and J Baby got my milk from a dropper. We called Susan several times over the following weeks. She even made a house call to help us out. At each feeding I would offer my breast first and when he refused we would then feed J Baby from a small cup (aka the Medela Bottle Lid). Susan suggested to cup feed so J Baby wouldn't get used to a bottle nipple. It worked great! I kept offering breast first and finally after several days my swelling began to decrease. My breasts weren't as engorged and J Baby was staying latched longer when I would offer the breast. I would only have to give a partial feeding from a cup. We we're so excited when he finally latched and stayed that way for an entire feeding. Once he started he never stopped. Now at One year old J Baby is still nursing great! Breastfeeding in the beginning was the hardest thing I've had to do so far. I am so glad we stuck out the hard times and I am still able to give J Baby the best milk possible, Mothers milk :)