There are 41 story posted.
Story told by Angela
From
Vermont She has
1 child Her child is
1 years old
Interestingly enough, I don't think my husband and I really talked about
whether or not I would breastfeed until we started getting free formula
samples in the mail, and at the doctors office. With each free sample, we
were also educated about the value of breastfeeding. My husband, though
supportive of my choice, felt strongly that I should try to breastfeed,
given the benefits to the baby. I honestly didn't feel passionate about
either decision until I gave birth to my son. Due to a strange rash, he
was rushed to NICU. Later he would become jaundiced and spend his time
under the bili lights unless he was being fed. There wasn't anything I
wouldn't do, or try to do, for my baby.
I was fortunate that my son had an excellent latch, but it was 5 whole days
before my milk came in. Five long, emotional days. I put so much pressure
on myself to feed him. I felt like a failure, like I was starving him.
Fortunately we stayed in the hospital that week where I received so much
lactation support from the nurses there. If I had been home and on my own,
I think I may have given up. Not because of a free can of formula, but
because my baby was hungry and I was so discouraged.
I continued to breastfeed my baby for the next 3 months, with a whole lot
of support from other breastfeeding moms. It wasn't easy. My son was
diagnosed with acid reflux after crying and crying and crying at my breast.
I had to watch my diet and really struggled with whether or not I could
continue breastfeeding. I collected different samples of formula, knowing
that I'd have to try various kinds to find one that would be gentle enough
on his stomach. I kept them in the cupboard for emergency use.
When I went back to work, my son went on a nursing strike. I sought help,
but nothing I did, no amount of nursing, would encourage him to latch on
anymore. My supply started to drop. My anxiety increased. Feeding time
became a battle. Again, he cried at my breast, and to be honest, I cried
everytime I tried to put him there. His weight was still within the growth
charts, but low, and he wasn't gaining as he should. The pediatrician
recommended I consider supplementing with formula. I collected another can
from her and added it to my cupboard.
Then I began exclusively pumping. Lactation specialists told me that my
body would probably never be able to produce enough milk without the
stimulation of my baby. At first, it didn't. Thankfully I had enough
breastmilk in the freezer to supplement through that time period. I pumped
myself ragged. Until I had enough milk to take him through his first
birthday. This was a huge commitment, one I may never be able repeat. Looking back, I often wonder how I
did it. There were days I felt so burdened by it. How much more quality
time could I have had with my son if I had supplemented with formula? How
much more relaxed of a mother could I have been? How many nights might I
have bonded with my son, instead of a pump?
The choice to breastfeed was one of the most emotional decisions I made as
a new mother. I could not have done it without the support of friends. I
could not have stuck with it, if it was not my choice.
My husband and I will have another child someday. If someone offers me a
free sample of formula when I'm pregnant, I'll take it. I can't honestly
say I know what I'll do, but I do know that a free can of formula in the
cupboard isn't going to decide for me. I'm thankful for free literature
and free formula. I'm thankful that I can be empowered to make the choice
to do what is best for my family.
Angela is married. Her son is now 13 months old and she is employed in the healthcare field.
Story told by Heather H.
From
Pennsylvania She has
2 children Her children are
5 and 3 years old
My younger son was exclusively breastfed until age 13 or 14 months. He was premature by five weeks and so the day he was born I began pumping my milk and storing what he did not need for a later date. My oldest was exclusively breastfed only until I returned to work. Shortly after we started him on the occasional bottle to prepare him for my absence, it became apparent that the supply was not going to keep up with the demand. We had to supplement with formula. At first we mixed the formula and breastmilk half and half, but after a few months he received breastmilk when I was home and formula when I was at work. He was probably six months old at the time and continued to breastfeed until 11 months. With both children I received samples of formula from the hospital and physician's office. The samples enabled me to experiment with which formula agreed with my older son's digestive system, without costing me anything or wasting much formula as the cans are usually small. After a few tries, we settled on a soy formula without iron because the others seemed to upset his stomach in some manner. The samples I received with my younger son's birth remained on my shelf for emergency only and later were passed on to friends who used those types of formula. Receiving the formula in no way influenced my decision to breastfeed my children. It was something I wanted to attempt but not pressure myself to do. Fortunately, I was successful. Also I know that if I was undecided about breastfeeding, a few sample cans would not have swayed me one way or the other. There are so many other factors that figure into that decision, too numerous to mention.
Story told by Jennifer W.
From
Pennsylvania She has
3 children Her children are
5,3 and 1 years old
My first son suffered from birth with severe acid reflux disease and was constantly colicky. He screamed all the time, and nothing I fed him seemed to soothe his tummy. He would arch his back and scream in pain during and after breastfeeding, making me feel helpless and like I was hurting him. After struggling through nursing him for 4 months -- during which time I cut practically everything out of my diet that could irritate him -- I finally found relief for him (and for my husband and me) through a special formula made for children with digestion issues. With the switch to formula, my baby was content for the first time in his life. My second child was a dream nurser. I was able to breastfeed him exclusively for 13 months with no issues. It was a pleasant experience for both of us.Then came baby number three -- my third child in four years. I nursed him exclusively for three months, but when the time came to return to work, pumping breastmilk throughout the day, working full time, and being a mom to three young children was just too many demands on one mommy, both physically and emotionally! So I made the choice to wean him and feed him with infant formula. Not only did he continue to thrive on formula, but it allowed my husband and oldest son to help feed the baby, giving them some good bonding time together. And weaning gave me back some of the physical energy that I desperately needed to care for three little boys while working in a demanding, fast-paced career. Weaning my son at that time was the right choice for my entire family, because it allowed me to be the best mom that I could be to my sons. I am thankful that I had the opportunity to breastfeed all three of my sons for at least three months. And I am equally thankful that I had, for two of them, the safe and healthy option of infant formula available when I made the decision to wean them. Women should have a right to receive information on their feeding options and make their own decisions about what's best for their own bodies, their own babies, and their own families.
Story told by Pam
From
Massachusetts
My sisters own a restaurant with a kids play space, and it's a natural hangout for nursing moms. Nobody ever bats an eye...but the male waiters are sometimes put in trying positions. My favorite all-time nursing story was the day that one of these poor guys tried to deliver a meal and when the baby looked up from his mom's breast, the waiter was hit in the face with a stream of milk!
Story told by Rachael P.
From
Pennsylvania
When I had my son I wanted to breastfeed. Knowing that I had three months maternity leave, I felt that would be best and I wanted to give him the benefit of breast milk. But I was also realistic that this could not continue once I returned to work. I work in broadcasting--a lot of deadlines and a lot of time on the road. Breastfeeding was not going to be an option; pumping was also not an option; therefore, at around eight weeks--I started to wean him off the breast milk and started with formula. As a woman, I feel I should have the right to make decisions about my "own" life and I should be presented with all the options.
My son is a healthy beautiful boy who did wonderfully with breast milk and formula. It was the only option for me as a working mom to do both. I am thankful for the choice and want respect for the decision that I made with my family.
Rachael is divorced. Her son is now 8.
