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| Law and her second baby , working mother from Motorola Penang |
I have two kids now. My eldest son is 4 yrs old now and I breastfed him till 1year old with mix of formula milk. I considered this as not successful as not exclusively breastfeeding. Iii
On my second baby, I was so determined to give the best to her which is to breast feed her exclusively.
When my baby was born, I started well by fully breast feed her in hospital. On the 3rd day, my haby had jaundice and needed to be admitted to hospital for phototherapy. This had made my breast feeding journey even more challenging as I could not have full access with my baby since she was needed to be under photo therapy for few days. I was really panic and wondered will I not getting enough sucking stimulation as a sleepy or jaundiced baby may not nurse vigorously enough to empty my breasts adequately.
I consulted Suli and her advice was to stay as lodger in hospital n direst feed the baby for better stimulation of milk supply. During hospital stay, nurse will only push baby to me every 3-4 hours as jaundice baby is known as sleepy baby. I can feel my breast is full and was worried on engorgement. And I had asked Suli for help again. Suli advised me to hand express the milk to prevent engorgement. Oh my goodness, now I felt I am so innocent to breastfeeding knowledge. Hand express milk was not easy as I think.
3 days later, both baby and i were discharged.
During 1st day at home, everything was smooth. I fed baby, and baby fell asleep. The feeding time was very frequent till I do not have enough rest.
The next day, baby started to get very cranky and she cried so much. My family members had started to request to feed her formula milk. Anyway, I rejected it. I am mother of the baby and I have decided to give her the best!
However, During mid night, it became worst. I tried to offer both breast to baby. But baby seemed to be so restless and cried badly. It was 2am midnight baby cried so badly again. I offered her left breast, then right breast and then left… right… left.. again. She became so restless (I guess no milk was sucked out by her). The crying of baby was sooooooo stressful and not bearable. I put her down and stared blankly to her, stunned of what to do next. I brought baby to bath room, opened the tab water to calm her, it did not work. I cradled my baby, it did not work. I felt so sorry for baby as I believed she must be so starving. And she had cried for hours in the middle of night. Finally I was almost collapsed and decided to go get some milk for her. As earlier I was so confident that I will have a smooth and successful breastfeeding journey, I did not prepare any formula milk for infant baby. What I had now is only my 4 years old son’s formula milk. Desperately, I prepared 1 oz of milk of 4-yr old formulat milk for her. Without any sterilized milk bottle or spoon, thus I used small medicine cup to feed my baby. Baby was so desperately on the 1 oz of formula milk. She finished the 1 oz very quickly and fell asleep. And I thought the crying will be ended. Anyhow, after an hour later, the crying of baby started again. I tried to breastfeed my baby but she was soooo frustrated with me and cried loudly. So I gave another oz of formula milk (4-yr old formula) for her. Finally, the dawn came…..
The very subsequent morning, I eagerly requested my husband to immediately go to get infant formula milk for baby in view of last night situations. He was shocked to hear this. and for me, I had started to doubt about my body limitations that I won’t be able to produce sufficient breast milk for my baby and been really low self esteem. I texted Suli that probably I will give up breastfeeding as I am not ‘talented’ or ‘gifted’ to breast feed, that some one was really "gifted" to hv abundant milk. And I just produced not enough milk no matter what i do. Suli read my text and she scolded me again on this that every mother will have sufficient milk for their babies. It is just the mother who did not equipped with the information and knowledge.
Eventually, Suli worked out a way for me which is to mix 1 oz of formula followed by breastfeed in between feeds and noon 2pm till 8pm will be fully breastfeed. This will calm down the baby so that baby will start sucking form my breast. Till my milk production had been established. It worked and now I am breastfeeding my baby exclusively. She is almost 3 months old now, gaining enough weight, not as chubby as other formula-fed baby, but she looks cute and good!!
I really appreciate what Suli had guided me during the difficult and bad days… Thanks to Suli… be it a kind counseling session or a stern speech, just to ensure I continue to breast feed my baby.
And again, I know being a mother, we know what is the best for our baby and we just need a bit more perseverance to succeed onto breastfeed exclusively….
I am glad you make it though. Su Li
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