Breastfeeding success story of first-time mommy K

Breastfeeding is a beautiful and natural part of motherhood, but it doesn’t always come easily. Many
mothers face challenges and obstacles that make this journey a bit more challenging than expected.
However, with the right support and guidance, these challenges can be overcome, leading to moments
of triumph and bonding between mother and child.

Today, we’re sharing the heartwarming story of first-time mommy K. We first met in the hospital the day
after the birth of her baby boy. The nurses referred me to her to assist with lactation support, as no one
can see if she has any colostrum (first milk) yet. Mommy K seemed very anxious and immediately told
me that none of her sisters could breastfeed because they did not have any milk, but she really wants to
try and get it right. Thankfully she gave birth naturally, which I explained gives us a bit of a head start.
I tried to set her mind at ease by explaining the milk production process, which normally takes about 3
to 5 days for the milk to transition into more mature copious milk, and so we don’t expect much in the
first few days.

Now, I have expressed many-a-breast in my years of practice. I consider myself rather good at it, but
there was nothing, not even a glimmer. Her breasts were soft, the areola was large, nipples were flat,
but I felt a small cluster for glandular tissue which was a sign of hope. I assisted her with the hand
expression technique to allow her to keep stimulating the breasts as much as possible. Still nothing after
repeated attempts. To top it off, the baby was in the first 24-hour sleepy phase and I just could not get
him interested to feed from the breast. None the less, we tried. I demonstrated and assisted with the
positioning and latching techniques to allow her to try and get him to feed from the breast as much as
possible. In the private sector, or at least where I practice, babies would often receive “top-up” formula
feeds if it seems like the breastfeeding is not going well. This will normally be recommended by the
paediatritian, sometimes the nurse or requested by the mother. So, our plan was to put the baby to the
breast as much as possible, stimulate and express the breasts two to 3 hourly if she can manage. I
reassured her that they will make sure the baby is fed in the meantime and it does not mean it is the
end of the breastfeeding journey if they give formula top-ups for now.

The next day, she was to be discharged from hospital and sent off to figure this out at home. I was eager
to see if she made any progress. She quickly showed me her hand expression technique, which she did
well, but still nothing? I tried again myself, and there it was! A glimmer of hope, nothing more and
nothing less. I then quickly phoned the nearby physio practice to come and assist us with some added
ultrasound stimulation before she goes home. Still, nothing…

I was finally able to assess a feed at the breast and I was amazed how well she latched and positioned
the baby. He did so well, feeding continuously and maintaining his latch. These were all good signs, but I
could not determine if there was any milk transfer. I made sure to educate her, her husband and granny
on how to feed the baby at home to allow us to keep stimulating the breast milk, while also ensuring the
baby is fed.

We scheduled a follow-up session a few days later to assess the progress and the baby’s weight. I could
not wait to see their progress!
The flood gates opened! She had copious milk by day 4 after birth. They did not need to give a lot of
formula feeds but started pumping and giving the milk via bottle. She was now struggling to get the
baby to latch again. I assisted again and we got the baby to latch deeply and comfortably, but this time I
was sure he was getting a lot of milk in. Finally, that beautiful “kah” sound of a baby swallowing milk. He
drank and drank and drank some more until he was in a “milk-coma”.
I will never forget how happy she was to see her baby so content after feeding from her breast. “Thank
you so much, now I can enjoy my baby”.

Mommy K’s breastfeeding success story is a testament to the power of determination and the impact of
professional guidance. For many mothers, breastfeeding can be a challenging journey, but with the right
support, it can become a deeply rewarding and fulfilling experience.

If you’re facing breastfeeding challenges, don’t hesitate to seek help from a lactation consultant.
Remember, mothers and babies are all different, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. With patience,
persistence, and the right guidance, you too can achieve breastfeeding success and create precious
moments of connection with your little one.