My breastfeeding story - Mrs. Ramya

This is my breastfeeding story

Like any other new mother, I thought breastfeeding my newborn would be one of the easiest and natural things to do and no extra work was needed to be put in, especially mentally or emotionally. But was I so wrong! I found out the very second day after my baby was born that she wasn't latching onto my breasts the right way and was losing weight because she isn't taking in enough milk.

To me I didn't know there was a right or a wrong and you could say I was very naive about it. I was in tears most times from the very beginning of my journey, whether be it cracked nipples, blocked ducts, milk blisters, engorgement, sore nipples etc. you name it I had it. Initially I even taught it may be because I did not have enough milk and that's why my baby wasn't putting weight which was not the case. I was producing enough or rather more than needed. It was at the hospital where I began expressing milk through a breast pump and I fed my baby. I had to resort to pumping because she needed it even after her direct feeds. I was producing so much milk that was way more than required.

In a way I would say I was lucky that I produced that much because even though she had a bad latch there was some milk entering her and she slowly started to gain weight. Initially she refused feeding from a feeding bottle and would drink very little through direct feeds. So, you can see I was challenged in in all sorts of ways. Then, after the third week she somehow latched onto the bottle and drank the required amount and gained so much weight that she was back on track but then she refused to get back on my breasts and that's when my exclusively pumping journey began.

It was not easy to exclusively pump, the tears continued to roll down and it felt I couldn't catch a break at all. There were times when I just felt defeated and decided to give her powder formula because excessive pumping was taking a toll on my mental and emotional stability. I was on the verge of getting into serious postpartum depression.

I didn't give up though. I somehow found my strength to bounce back from these challenges just so that I could continue feeding my baby girl the best food I can give her which is a mother's milk. From giving up in the first month I slowly pushed my giving up time to three months and then six months and now my baby is seven months old and I continue to exclusively pump.

It is because I had to make the hard choice of going against the stereotypical breast feeding. My baby has gained weight and her immune system has improved so much better. I will continue pumping till I can and until I feel it's necessary.

Also, I am happy and proud to do this all myself and for all the milk I donated for those mommies with less milk and newborns who needed breast milk!

PS: No mommy should be obliged to forcefully go through this path. This is just my story of strength. I have found the courage to find happiness in feeding my baby girl through pumping.