Breastfeeding fears
I want to breastfeed the new baby so badly. BUT my experience with Aiden was not a good one. I hung in there and gritted my teeth, dreading every feeding for 6 months before I weaned him when we started solids. I endured a yeast infection (that my OB told me was impossible b/c the breast doesn't get yeast infections--yet nothing else could explain the pain and when I pressed her for an answer she went ahead and prescribed Diflucan, which began working in a matter of days) and a mastitis infection. It was miserable. I saw lactation consultants and talked to friends who had breastfed, but no one could find anything wrong with our latch or any reason why it was always so painful. I have since read that a high palate can cause pain breastfeeding and there is no way to fix it. I believe that Aiden has a high palate, since his dad had the same issue--my MIL was unable to breastfeed any of her boys.
As I said, I want the experience of nursing this baby so much...but I don't want it to turn into what it was with Aiden (I dreaded feeding him, I hated it when he woke up because I knew it meant it was time for another painful feeding, but I thought breastmilk was best for him so I stuck with it--often crying through the nursing). Does anyone have any knowledge of high palates and being able to nurse? Or maybe we can just start praying now that this baby's head is shaped like mine...
Elsie
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Thank you Mikki...I appreciate that. And I had never really considered exclusively pumping. I don't know why I hadn't considered it, but it makes me feel better to know that I have that option if I need it. Last time I had an old used pump and it ended up dying--it was painful too, and I felt like it contributed to my mastitis because it was when I started using it that I got the mastitis. We've already planned on getting a new Medala Pump In Style for this baby, so pumping exclusively is definitely an option. It's just so important to me to give the baby my milk.
I will look more into the high palate, I remember reading about that in detail but don't have the information at the front of my brain, I will post it in here though. I wanted to be sure and share what came to mind immediately though,
Each one of my children had a different way to latch and feeling for me, so remember that when this baby is born and give it a shot. I am a 100% supporter of nursing our babies, but there are times when it isn't the best choice. One of the natural beauties of nursing our babies is the bond, and if mom is in constant pain it isn't beautiful. I pushed through 2 months of painful nursing with one of my babies and decided enough was enough and went to the bottle, feedings were far more pleasant for both of us.
Definitely try before you decide not to nurse and you can pump for the breast milk if you wanted to be sure to offer only breast milk. The electric pumps are so gentle and fast, it won't take any longer to pump prior to feeding than it does to prepare the bottle. Milk also stores very well so you do have options! I will look for the information on the high palate, and other breastfeeding complications (Aaron's was being tongue tied) and get that back in here this week.
Mikki Hogan Publisher of UniqueParenting.com