Making It Through | A Golden Bonding Story
My Breastfeeding journey was not what I expected but going through the trials made it that much more worth it!
My son was in the NICU the first day, so I didn’t get the chance for the ‘golden hour’ of spending time with just us. When I tried to latch him, it was very difficult and it left me feeling frustrated - I almost gave up.
I remember telling my husband to just get the formula. Then he reminded me that I wanted to breastfeed and encouraged me to keep trying. I decided to try and at least pump…then my angel Lactation Consultant (LC) walked in (1st one wasn’t helpful). We connected right away and she ordered some donor milk until my supply came in. If it wasn’t for her and my husband I wouldn’t be here writing this today and I’m so thankful.
My son was very colicky, spit up significantly every feed and dropped percentile. Everyone's solution was to give up breastfeeding and just give him formula. After a few one on one meets with my LC she insisted he potentially had ties. I got him evaluated for the ties by a qualified pediatric dentist, where they confirmed he had lip/ both check and posterior tongue ties. They were laser released and we did stretches for 5 weeks (to prevent reattachment). My most memorable nursing session was after his surgery, he was upset and I nursed him to comfort and sleep! We also did OT/Chiropractic work to help with his range of motion and it helped him be less tense.
There have been many challenges along the way such as clogged ducts, breast strikes and supply issues. Each time I thought my journey was over, but having a good support group and taking it day by day you can get through those hurdle’s. Even at 11 months, my supply dipped dramatically due to my demanding work schedule and him finally sleeping through the night.
Although I don’t produce as much and he often strikes taking my breast…I still try to offer and when he wants he will. I wasn’t ready to wean that soon but we are days from his birthday and hope we can have one last session to end our journey!
I am so thankful to Miracle Kisses for capturing timeless photos of our bond and the beautiful side to breastfeeding. It was the best way to end our journey and now we can look back and remember our journey forever.
—- I would love to document your journey, whatever it looks like. Every journey matters and deserves to be remembered. If you would like details on how to book a session for yourself or join in the project contact me here.
