By a Fed is Best Supporter

After having difficulty breastfeeding my older son, I was determined to have a healthier feeding experience the second time around. I learned, through incredible suffering with PPD, that the most important thing was a healthy baby and mother. This time, I had a plan: I was going to give my baby both breastmilk and formula.

My second son was born on his due date. The birth was without complications, and he latched within an hour of being born. I did have some damage to my nipples initially, but we met with a lactation consultant shortly after discharge and she was incredibly helpful. She helped me position my son correctly, and I stopped experiencing pain when he latched. My nipples were healed within a week, and my son regained his birth weight as well. By the time he was two weeks old, he took in 2.5 ounces after about ten minutes of nursing, as measured by a weighted feeding. 

To be sure I was successful with breastfeeding, I sought out every resource imaginable. A nurse came to our home for two months, and my son was gaining so well, we were discharged from her services. Every week, she weighed my son, checked his vitals, and tracked his growth. In fact, she was impressed with his weight gain.  For a while, he gained over eight ounces a week. He would not take much from a bottle, but nursing was so easy that I really didn’t mind. I was on an extended leave from work and thought we had time to figure out bottle feeding. Continue reading →