Highs and Lows of Breastfeeding

I'd consider myself a bit of a scrunchy mom. A little bit of convenience, a little bit of all natural. Regardless of what niche I put myself in as a mother, I'm a good mother. I knew from the beginning I'd like to breastfeed, but also knew I needed to go back to work. This put me in the modern day momma dilemma. I was scared I'd lose out on bonding moments with my little one. None of which happened, but one can't help mom guilt from time to time. In actuality, my husband was able to gain that bonding time with her while I was away. 

 

My journey into breastfeeding and bottle feeding got off to a rocky start. Me and my daughter both had our first go at it. I was learning the football hold and she was mastering her latch. The lactation consultant was not able to see me until day 3 of my hospital stay so I was supplementing with formula and feeding from a syringe. All my precious colostrum was wasted, but once we got the hang of the breastfeeding I assumed it was smooth sailing. Unfortunately, it was much harder than I thought it would be and we eventually switched to bottles and supplemented with formula. I was nervous she would have nipple confusion and refuse my breast, but that never became a problem. She transitioned easily between the two. 

Within a few weeks, breastfeeding came naturally for the both of us and I went back to work. Pumping wasn't my cup of tea, but feeding my daughter breast milk was important in my book. I was able to create a stockpile of milk to store in the freezer. 

All was good for awhile until my supply dropped. My daughter started to sleep through the night and mother nature dropped off a gift. (I hadn't seen her around in awhile!) I made sure to step up my pumping game and offer my boob more to boost my supply. At one point, my production increased so much that I developed mastitis. (Talk about literal ups and downs of breastfeeding). Even though my supply had been regulated, it would still fluctuate from time to time. 

Now at 6 months, my daughter can seamlessly go back an forth between breast and bottle. She's eating well and has more rolls than a bakery! Something that was once so intimidating, now comes naturally. Whether formula or breast milk or bottle of boob, fed is best. 

 

About the Author

Courtney Ticen - Guest Blogger

Courtney, a member of the Nanobébé team, is a new mom herself living in Charleston, SC. She and her family enjoy adventuring around the world, giving back and spending time in nature.