This week is World Breastfeeding Week and in honor of that, I'd like to talk a little about our breastfeeding journey so far so that maybe other mothers out there who are going through similar complications can know they are not alone. I know for me, I've been all over the Internets looking for help and assistance as I troubleshoot our breastfeeding issues. One lesson I've learned is that breastfeeding is HARD, folks. You'd think that something so natural and something women have been doing since the dawn of time would be easy. But it's really not. (some of this might be repetitive from what I've mentioned in past posts.)
Jack started out breastfeeding just 15 minutes after he was born. He seemed to do just fine. Until he got tired as newborns are prone to do. I was thrown a nipple shield and told he wouldn't need it after my milk came in, which it did three days later. Unfortunately it was three months later before he didn't need it anymore.
In the meantime I dealt with major oversupply and overactive letdown, which had its own share of problems including a super gassy/fussy baby. Lots of poopy diapers, thrush for me (ugh) clogged ducts, the works.
Then I went back to work and my supply dropped. I was pumping half of what I used to and I was still producing plenty of milk for my little guy. But because my milk had slowed down somewhat especially in the evening, Jack didn't want anything to do with the nipple shield anymore as it was just an extra barrier between him and the milk.
In the weeks that followed, I began to miss a pumping session here and there at work. Sometimes only pumping once. A couple times not at all. My milk supply starting dwindling. And Jack's latch was not so good. I could tell it was shallow but I was hoping it wouldn't be an issue. It wasn't painful for me so why worry.
The lactation consultant I met with when he was just a newborn about my overactive letdown never said anything about his latch and told me just to buck up and deal with using a shield.
However, once I started my first post partum period, it was all down hill. I started to think that maybe Jack was having bottle preference. Well, to a certain extent I think he might still have a little of that but it got to the point where he ended up going on a nursing strike that lasted nearly two weeks. The other day it started to get better, but he still refuses to nurse on occasion.
Fortunately, I have a great friend in Texas and I was telling her a little bit all that was going on and she had her lactation consultant ask around to see if anyone in Utah could meet with me. Fortunately an LC from northern Utah just happened to be on vacation here in So. Utah yesterday and agreed to meet with me.
And she was super helpful! Turns out Jack has pretty significant lip tie and some tongue tie too. Because his latch is so shallow (hence three months of using a nipple shield) he isn't sucking well enough to keep my supply up. This makes a lot of sense because I literally used to be able to pump 24 oz in two-three pumping sessions and now I am barely getting 8, which is only enough to send with him to the sitter the next day.
Anyway, hoping to get the lip tie resolved soon so things will be better! Going to start checking around Monday to see if anyone here will do it. Otherwise we might end up having to go up north to get it down. I will keep you all posted.
In the meantime I decided to make some of The Leaky B@@b lactation cookies to help up my supply. They are tasty!!
I just know that no matter what happens, I am so lucky to have this little man who is growing and thriving and it feels so good to know that I am helping to nourish and strengthen him as he grows.
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