If At First You Don't Succeed

by Summer
(TN, USA)

My water broke unexpectedly three weeks early with baby number one...Total shock since I kept having drilled into me "first babies are usually late". I also delivered in two hours active labor after being drilled "First babies usually take at least 14 hours". What does this have to do with breastfeeding? Just that with all the things I was told would be a natural part of first babies, I was thinking how simple, natural and automatic feeding my baby the way it was created to feed would be. Or not. My sweet one still had some brown fat in her cheeks since she was early and so it sat her lower jaw back just enough so that she couldn't get a good latch. In her first thirteen hours of life she had nursed less than 30 minutes. The nurse said she was just too sleepy from her quick delivery. Finally I spoke with my doula who told me who to ask for (she used to work in the hospital I birthed at). Getting the right person helped so much. We got a pump and i got the milk going and as we tried over and over, I also learned how to suckle feed her to train her mouth to latch while we waited for her jaw to line up for a proper latch. After a week and a half of suckle feeding and another appointment with the "good" lactation nurse as well as prayer and support from family and friends who helped me stay the course, we got it figured out. Soon, it was natural and simple. We nursed until she was just shy of 18 months. My second nursed as well.

Sometimes what we think should be simple is not, but do we realize it's value enough to press through? I am so glad I did. Those late nights or early mornings when the house is quiet and no one is up but us was beautiful. To see those sweet smiles curl up her tiny milk filled mouth and she would rub my chest and look into my eyes.... Eventually getting long enough to hold and twirl my hair while she nursed. Yes it was the most wonderful of rewards and well worth every tear.