Tag: breastfeeding manual

I love the bond I have with my baby but I struggle to breastfeed and have to top-up with formula. At least I can still breastfeed a bit…
The trick is to always offer the breast first and then the formula after if needs be.

The team and info surrounding a woman from pregnancy through to breastfeeding can shape her self belief and motherhood experience dramatically. At a time when women are at their most vulnerable – too often we are bombarded with misinformation. I am both proud and grateful to have been empowered by factually correct pro-natural antenatal classes, a natural, unmedicated birth and pro-breastfeeding practical support. (eg. immediate skin-to-skin after birth and an undisturbed first hour with baby) which was all made possible by the outstanding Birth Options Midwifery team and my supportive husband.

Cape Town based Birth Options has a 82% vaginal birth rate and a 14% emergency c-section rate (based on 2014-2018 client) proving that gynae’s are not required at the vast majority of births. This is in stark contrast to South Africa’s private sector c-section rate of an alarming 73%.
When Im facing breastfeeding challenges  (which we continue to do- its not always easy) my team of midwives’ complete confidence in me and my baby’s design inspires me to seek the help and support we need and to stick with it! I strongly believe that what the recently launched Right to Birth SA movement stands for (i.e. the right to chose how and with whom you birth) has the power to directly impact South African womens breastfeeding journeys.

Feeding my twins was hard in the beginning. I had an amazing doula who helped me latch them both, and she helped me tandem feed them from the day they were born. But my girl had a bad latch that I could not correct, even with the help of a lactation consultant, and my boy had a mild tongue tie, all leading to painful blisters almost constantly for those first seven months. I also had something called vasospasm which caused painful spasming of my breasts whenever i was even a little bit cold. It was a lot of pain. With time it resolved, and now breastfeeding is just a joy, a wonderful way to comfort and nourish my babies.

After struggling with infertility my husband and I are thrilled to be parents. Breastfeeding is one of the hardest and one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. The bond that it has forged between my son and I is very precious.

I felt so emotional hearing the stories from your book and hearing from other women in the Moms Connect group. Emotional because I know how much of a sacrifice it is to breastfeed, how discouraged one can feel on some days and how much it is a tool for nurturing a child.