Must-know Breastfeeding Facts for Every Expecting Mother

Though breastfeeding versus formula feed is a personal choice, I would like to share my personal experience of how I managed to get on track breastfeeding my baby. I am the mother of a five-month-old daughter and always wanted to breastfeed my little one. My journey was not very smooth, and here, I want to share it with my personal experience. [Also read: 9 Tips to Increase Breast Milk Supply in Lactating Moms]

First of all, no one forced me to breastfeed my baby- neither my husband nor my family. It was purely my choice. I wanted to give 'my baby my milk'. I felt empowered by the fact that a woman’s body is capable of producing milk for her baby. But the story was not so simple. I’m just lucky that I found someone who helped me.

Some Breastfeeding Facts - My Breastfeeding Journey

The Colostrum

When my daughter was born she was taken to the nursery immediately. This is the problem with our entire medical system: The hospital staff should have given my baby to me right after delivery. When a mother embraces her baby in her arms, the touch and gentle feel help a mother to produce colostrums (the first thick yellow milk) for her baby.

I had my delivery in the afternoon and they gave me my baby the next morning, and that too when my daughter had no medical problems! I had no milk on the first day and when I received my baby the next day, I still wasn’t lactating. My gynecologist told me that I would begin to lactate anywhere between 48-72 hours; till then I would only produce colostrums. No one told me that the amount of colostrum that a mother produces right after delivery is sufficient for the baby. This is because the baby’s intestines are thin as a thread, and even a little amount can satisfy the baby and provide adequate nutrients and immunity. Nothing else was needed.

 [Also Read - Why Don't Give-up Breastfeeding so soon?]

Believing or Not Believing What others Say

When I held my baby for the first time I wanted to hold her tight to my breasts and feed her. I wanted to give her my warmth. I tried to breastfeed her, but she was not latching. I started to cry. The nurses started squeezing my nipples for a few drops of milk that were given to my daughter via a spoon. The pain was excruciating and it even bought tears in my mother-in-law's eyes.

Soon visitors started pouring in and giving their inputs. Some said ‘Oh, so little milk. Our gowns got wet when our babies were born.’ Others said, ‘she does not have big nipples, then how could she feed?’ Still, others said, ‘if she’s not producing milk, then give the baby top feed or formula feed’. Another set said, ‘give the milk in a bottle and with a cup and spoon, otherwise the baby will refuse the bottle later on.’ My tears were unstoppable and I felt that this was the end of breastfeeding.

My little baby was offered a bottle when she was just two days old. Just imagine. She was drinking formula and I was weeping. My desire to breastfeed was smashed. I felt cheated. I cursed god. I cursed myself. I started believing that I had small nipples, I could not produce enough milk, my baby could not latch and hence I could not breastfeed, period.

All Mothers Can Breastfeed

But my husband was not willing to give up. He told me that he came across a breastfeeding poster on the hospital’s notice board, which highlighted that it was not the nipples that were required to breastfeed but the areola (the dark circular area around the nipple). Since I was too disappointed, I did not pay attention to this. I was discharged from the hospital on the third day. My milk started coming in but I felt it was only a few drops. I began collecting milk for my daughter like a desert-dweller collects water. [Read - Benefits of Breastfeeding for Baby & Mother]

In this process my nipples became sore; I was yelling in pain. But I was determined to even give those few drops to my daughter. On day six, my daughter wasn’t feeling well. She was diagnosed with acute chest congestion (the precursor to pneumonia). Her pediatrician said that she must have caught an infection from visitors at the hospital. For the next five days, my daughter was in the nursery and I couldn’t meet her since I was also unwell.

The War Between Synthetic & Natural Nipples

I felt my greatest enemy was now the ‘Dabba’. The Dabba always won. It could make more milk than me and the preparation was effortless. It was even sweeter than my milk. But the biggest loss for me was when my daughter made the bottle her ‘new friend’.

She would refuse my breast; cry when I made her latch. A plastic nipple defeated my natural nipple. Artificial milk won over my breast milk, and a bottle replaced my breasts. Anyone at home could make milk for her and give her the bottle- I felt I was not needed.

Losing My Sanity

My friends thought I was going crazy. They told me that formula feeding is quite common. Again all kinds of advice came pouring in - “Dabba is convenient, it will give you some independence and freedom”; “it has all the  properties of breast milk”; “it does not make you a lesser mom”; “if your milk is less then there is no harm in giving formula”; “because of today’s lifestyle women do not produce enough milk”.

I started believing that formula was the best. The Dabba became a new member of our family, accompanying us to hospital visits, vaccinations at the clinic, meeting relatives; I had to keep that Dabba and its accompanying partners- the bottle and boiled water in a baby bag.

Learning More About Breastfeeding

I started reading on breastfeeding. I learned many things-. The most important fact- ‘the more a baby latches on the breasts and suckles, the more milk is produced’ - a simple game of demand and supply. But it was not so simple. I was still facing problems, but I wasn’t ready to give up. Something inside me made me fight back. But more than that I think it was the support of my husband and my family.

Meeting Lactation Consultants

On day 25, I met my savior- Dr. P, a lactation consultant. The idea of visiting a lactation consultant was suggested by my husband. Dr. P, a simple and friendly lady and a mother of two beautiful kids, struggled through breastfeeding herself and then eventually did a breastfeeding certification course. Since then she has worked with mothers who want to breastfeed their babies.

She gives breastfeeding sessions at home since she believes that lactation is a personal affair. On hearing our story, she made three insightful observations. First, that my daughter was nipple confused—where a baby gets confused between a bottle nipple and a breast nipple and prefers the former over the latter. Second, smaller nipples have nothing to do with breastfeeding. It is the areola that is crucial while latching your baby to the breast. And third, thankfully my milk supply had not exhausted since I was pumping regularly. [Read - 9 Tips to Increase Breast Milk Supply in Lactating Moms]

What she said left an indelible mark on my mind- ‘babies are hardwired to breastfeed. We change that wiring and give them a bottle. And then we want to bring them back to the breast. Since we have changed the wiring once, we need to rewire the process again. In short, we have to drop the bottle as well as the formula.’ I was completely aghast- what was I going to feed her?

But in the first session, she explained what a good and proper latch was; my latching was improper. She taught me how to make the baby latch and how to position the baby. Surprisingly my daughter was sucking my breasts. I started to cry.

Goodbye Formula Feeding

The first three days were very tough. I could not muster the courage to throw away the formula or the bottle, so I asked my mother-in-law to hide it somewhere. The first day was the toughest. My daughter would latch on to my breast again and again. Surprisingly, she was not feeling scared. I think I fed her15-18 times that day. [Read - How to Choose The Right Formula Milk For Your Baby?]

The second day our feeding went to 12-15 times. I could sense she was missing her bottle. On the third day, I fed her about 11-12 times and could see the difference. Meanwhile, I was also pumping and stocking some milk and in a week, I could see my milk supply increasing.

The Struggle is Over

Our second session with Dr. P was more for us to clear our doubts. Days and months passed, and now I’m successfully breastfeeding my five-month-old daughter. The struggle has paid off, and now my daughter loves it.

In this entire roller coaster journey, I deeply thank my husband and my family (especially my mother-in-law) for standing by me. I sincerely thank Dr. P, who gave me her guidance and last but never the least, my darling daughter, who helped me in making this eventful transition.

Do you have a similar journey? How did you overcome it? Let us know in the comments below!