Let’s discuss my breastfeeding experience. I’d say my breastfeeding journey began during pregnancy, with all the classes I took, including Breastfeeding 101, Ultimate Breastfeeding Prep, Birth & Breastfeeding, Pumping 101, Sleep for the Breastfed Baby, and The Brain-Boob Connection. The list goes on. I spent hours learning, but it was worth every second. From early on, I knew I wanted to breastfeed, whether through nursing, pumping, or both. I was committed, but I also promised myself that if I had to supplement or switch to formula, I wouldn’t let it ruin my early days of motherhood.
While managing gestational diabetes, I talked to a dietitian about my desire to breastfeed. She walked me through all the health benefits for both me and my baby, which the classes also reinforced.
When Ava was born on January 19th, we did skin-to-skin right away after my unexpected C-section while they stitched me up. Afterwards, they offered donor milk or formula for feeding. I chose donor milk, even though I wasn’t thrilled about it being fortified. But I knew I didn’t want Ava in the NICU for weight loss, and it was only for a few days.
The next morning, the lactation consultant arrived bright and early, and we began with hands-on support and a Medela pump equipped with a colostrum collector. It took a few rounds, but soon enough, I was getting colostrum and then, on January 22nd, milk! That first 20 milliliters felt like such a victory. I stuck to a schedule, took care of myself, and kept going. Even when postpartum preeclampsia hit, it sucked but it meant I had five more days in the hospital and daily lactation support. Those consultants and nurses were everything, so encouraging and kind.
I forgot to mention that I spilled an ounce of milk after a session at the hospital, and yes, I cried over spilled milk!
Once I got home, I was able to keep up my schedule for a few days. Then reality hit when my partner had to go back to work. Suddenly, I had to pump, feed Ava, take care of her, and take care of myself, all alone. I was still recovering and told to limit visitors. We continued with donor milk (it’s pricey, but breastfeeding takes so much out of you, so who’s to say what’s more valuable?).
Eventually, I made enough milk and even a little extra. But then came my first postpartum period, and suddenly, my supply dropped. I did all the tricks: power pumping, skin-to-skin, extra water. Still, it wasn’t enough. Ava hated the formula we had from the hospital—she screamed and threw it up. Thankfully, we could get donor milk anytime at the hospital, but it was quickly draining the savings I’d built up while pregnant.
Two weeks later, my supply came roaring back. I had an oversupply of up to 12 ounces extra daily, and froze everything I could. But like clockwork, my next period hit, and the stash disappeared fast. I tried goat’s milk formula since that’s all Michael could tolerate as a baby. Ava liked the taste but got constipated and fussy. A lactation consultant recommended I stop using formula and fortifiers, cut soy and dairy from my diet, and focus on feeding her what I could produce. That helped. Ava did great and was thriving. But then my period came two weeks early again.
That’s when I found Bubs Goat Milk formula (not an ad—just something that worked for us). Around this time, I began receiving more assistance. My best friend recovered and visited often, and my in-laws also visited from New Jersey. With that support, I was able to nurse more consistently. Eventually, my periods stopped affecting my supply altogether.
Now I’m exclusively breastfeeding, and Ava is thriving. I still keep a little formula on hand just in case. I also learned a fun fact: that if I eat too much garlic, Ava gags from the taste in my milk. At first, I added just a tiny bit of formula to mask it, but now I skip anything garlicky. Not worth the fuss.
The hardest parts? Always being hungry, the time commitment, and the physical pain of being full. However, none of that has been enough to deter me.
Now that I’m back at work and Ava’s in daycare (which I’ll talk about in a future post), I’m pumping during the day and sending milk with her. I also dropped off a frozen milk stash for backup.
This journey has had its challenges, but I’m proud of how far we’ve come. I plan to keep breastfeeding as long as I can or as long as Ava is on board.
A few tips I’ve picked up along the way:
- Take classes before baby arrives, they helped me know what to expect.
- Don’t underestimate the power of lactation consultants.
- Stick to a pump schedule when possible; it helps regulate supply.
- Make sure you eat and stay hydrated. Eat as much as you need to, even if it feels like a lot.
- Keep donor milk or formula on hand just in case, but try not to stress about using it.
- Watch your diet if your baby seems fussy; what you eat might be affecting your milk.
Sending love to every mama navigating this path. You’re doing amazing.
