My Breastfeeding Journey PAIL Post

Like a lot of first time mothers, I knew I wanted to breastfeed. I don't know whether it was because of my fertility struggles or because I had placenta previa (that required me to have a c-section) but I was determined to breastfeed at any cost. I felt like I couldn't conceive or deliver a baby without help but I was going to feed my baby, no matter what!

While I was in hospital, breastfeeding seem to come very naturally to me and I thought 'this is great I'm one of the lucky ones'. My nipples were sore but I knew this was normal with early breastfeeding. Once I was home I was consistently on the look out for early signs of mastitis but didn't even think about how sore my nipples were getting. Looking back on this time, I didn't realise the pain medication I was on, was probably blocking the extent of my nipple pain.

About a week in I felt lumps in my right breast so I immediately starting draining this breast, massaging etc. to get rid of the lumps. I even made an appointment with a lactation consultant to check it out. By the time of my appointment I had managed to get rid of the lumps before they were infected but now my right nipple had started to grow more and more painful. The lactation consultant had a look at the nipple and found a wet spot. The wet spot was a crack in the nipple which was being prevented from healing because of it location. The lactation consultant advised me to keep it dry and it would heal within a couple of weeks.

Well it took five weeks to fully heal and those five weeks were so painful a few times I thought about giving up. The pain was 'toe curling' and I dreaded every time I had to feed James. Thankfully expressing wasn't as painful, so in the end I expressed from my right breast instead of feeding directly and give James the milk from a bottle. Another couple of days of this pain and I think I would have stopped feeding. I can see how for some ladies, breastfeeding is too painful.

Four months in and I'm so glad I persevered. I now enjoy feeding James and spending this time with him.  I had originally thought I would breastfeed until James was six months, but now we are getting closer to this time, I think I will continue for another couple of months.  We are hoping to try for another baby when James turns one, so I would like to have a bit of 'time off' before we go down the TTC road again.