Prior to the birth of #2, i told hubby "if baby cannot latch, I am not going to pump!". The nightmare of pumping 3hourly, the routine of being strapped to a pump, wash pump accessories, sterilise pump accessories, warm up milk for #1, feed her, wash and sterlise her bottles were fresh on my mind. Without help after my confinement lady left, I was totally exhausted and sleeping when #1 slept, skipping my breakfast and lunch...
The journey towards latching was not easy either. This time I made it a point not to pump unless absolutely necessary. Being a first timer at latching babies, I was put through the physical tests of sore, cracked and bleeding nipples and mental tests of waking every hour to 2hrly for milk feeds.
Day 1 to 3: Started bf-ing in hospital. Managed to latch and baby did suckle on the breast. There was a transparent honey textured discharge. Was quite worried as baby seem to have a sunken spot in the middle on top of the forehead. Asked nurses if she was dehydrated and they didn't answer me.
Day 3: Back home with baby. I continued to latch baby on when baby crys. Was quite worried about her hydration so sent hubby off to buy a tin of FM for baby. CL fed her 30ml using a spoon and I was super thankful for that gesture.
Transition milk came in. Unsure if baby had latched and drank, I pumped after the feed and manage to get 30ml. It was also during this pump, my aerola skin "tore". *pain* Unable to continue without knowing if I was latching right since my nipples hurt and the aerola skin tore, i sms-ed Betty Lee, a Lactation Consultant (LC) whom I met at the Avent BF-ing seminar for a 1 to 1 consultation...
Day 4: Continued to latch baby on despite the sore nipples and the pain fr the torn aerola skin. Jinny visited and passed me 2 tubes of her Medela Lanolin nipple creams. She told me that it was a lifesaver for sore and cracked nipples. Sure enough i needed them! She even bought a magazine n essense of chicken for me. ;)
During the entire day of latches, I was looking forward and waiting for my teacher (LC). During the session, she thought me the cross cradle and the football hold latch. She assured me that i was latching baby correctly and taught me how to massage the lumps while baby latched. It was such a "feel good" session, I felt encouraged to continue! Before leaving, she told my CL to cook papya fish soup to up my BM supply. :p
Day 5: As the day progressed, the engorgement got worst. It felt that two stones on my chest... Warm towels did soften the breast but there was no relief as my mum said they would. I could barely sleep and baby was not able to latch properly as she struggled on my breast. It was also during this period that my nipples became super sore and started to crack and bleed.
Day 6: Used warm towels again and did some massage. Suprsingly, it got comfortable. Baby's PD visit was my 1st venture out without formula milk/expressed breastmilk. TMC was great as there was a BF-ing room that I could use and the PD had a room where mummies can BF (wo privacy). Managed to latch the baby and survived! Was totally over the moon!
Day 7: Engorgement persists. I refused to use cold cabbage leaf but used cold compress instead just before the feed. Latch was definetely better and the engorgement finally backed off. *phew*
Day 8 to 9: The days where I routinely latch (yes it was so painful! I would tremble for the first few seconds of the latch), apply EBM, air dry and apply lanolin. The bleeding and cracked nipples began to heal... *double phew*
Day 10: Baby begins to have irregular latch time. From 2 hrly, she would wake up wanting milk hourly. Her latches were also shorter at 10 mins. This drove me insane because I was waking up every hour after midnight.
Day 12-14: Baby and I have learnt proper latch. She would spit out if she only got my nipple. I hope this means an eternal goodbye to sore/cracked /bleeding nipples. As the latching continues, I am faced with what fellow mothers say is a happy problem- fast flow. My LC, my cousin in law and internet recommends that the mother lies back or pump out some BM before the feed. Lying back did not really help much but pumping out does... so in the meantime, this is a problem that baby and I have to struggle with other than her milk intervals.
As the saying goes "no pain no gain". Several times along this 14 days, I was so tempted to put up a white flag and say "ok enough is enough". Crazy as it may sound, I feel encouraged enough to press on whenever baby wets her diapers, dirties them with mustard coloured poo and my CL tells me "有吃到". Thankfully, Hubby would also show his support by taking care of #1 and give me shoulder massage when I need it... ;p
The breastfeeding journey is tough and there would be challenges ahead. It is with hope that someday in the near future, I would model the image of a smiling mother looking lovingly at her baby latch.
Before I end this post, I would like to thank:
- Fellow mummies, Jinny, Sylvia and Jophia for being my breastfeeding hotlines, without you guys, I would have given up. ;)
- My LC Betty Lee who assured me that I could latch and breastfeed my baby. Without her, I would still be battling my inner demons of whether I was latching right.
- My CL for spoon feeding the baby so that she would not love teats over me.
- And of course, my supportive hubby! ;)
