The Breastfeeding Learning Curve - A Mother's Perspective

Words by Natalie Thompson

As I watch my beautiful son drift happily off to sleep after a relaxing breastfeed in the afternoon breeze, I roll onto the grass and reflect upon my breastfeeding over the past 14 months.

I’m not sure where it began, perhaps in the obstetrician’s room, 22 weeks pregnant, when he asked me if I was planning to breastfeed “Um… yeah I guess”. But truth was, I hadn’t really thought about it. I only knew one person breastfeeding and hadn’t ever seen anyone else breastfeed their child, I didn’t know how to do it, or who to ask for help. I looked up at the doctor, “Well your nipples look fine, you should have no problems!”

Breastfeeding in the early days was far from what I had expected and hardly free of problems like my Obstetrician had promised. After a stressful labour bub was taken away, weighed and wrapped before being placed on my chest. My earliest memories were of a midwife I didn’t know squishing my nipple into a screaming mouth over and over again.

The next few days were no better, more nipple squishing, hand expressing barely mills of precious colostrum, feeding baby through a syringe, and hours of looking at a screaming baby, not knowing what to do.

This continued into day 5 at home and it seemed like my world was falling apart. I had a screaming baby, a concerned husband and no answer to the question – Are you sure he is getting enough? “I don’t know, he is still crying and I can’t see how much milk is coming out. How much is he supposed to get anyway?” Blurry eyed and in-between sobs I scrambled through mountains of brochures to find the Australian Breastfeeding Association local bulletin. I rang a local counsellor and explained my problem.

She reminded me of what a fantastic job I was doing, and what a special time this was for our new family. She also reminded me that my body, without question nourished this beautiful 9 pound baby perfectly during our pregnancy. She told me to relax, my body could now produce the right amount of food and nutrients to feed this growing bub. She suggested that I hand our baby to his dad and have a shower and a sleep. Then when I wake up, lie down and feed him, and when bub cries, feed him some more and together bub will take enough milk and increase my supply to the perfect amount.

I never looked back. Breastfeeding continued, but not exactly the way I thought it would after reading so many books. I didn’t ever feel engorged when my milk came in (which was well after day 3). I never have felt my ‘let-down’ and have never been able to express much milk. My Little One has always been a frequent feeder and still at 14 months wakes at least once every night for a feed.

But I wouldn’t swap it for the world! For next bub I have a list of things we plan to do to help in the early days – this list might not be for everyone but it is what we have decided on:

• Develop a post birth plan to let the midwives know what we want with our new bub, such as skin-skin contact and time alone if possible.
• Surround myself by breastfeeding mums. Watch how they attach their tiny (and bigger) bubs. Ask them questions if I have any and surround my self by positive role models.
• Steer clear of people I know to be negative toward breastfeeding, especially in the early days when trying to establish good attachment.
• Remember the basics, how to attach bub and if experiencing problems seek help from a qualified support person.
• RELAX and trust my body, enjoy the precious moments and trust my natural mothering instincts!

If you would like more information about the Australian Breastfeeding Association and the services and support they offer, please visit - www.breastfeeding.asn.au.