Helen's story: I thoroughly enjoy my breastfeeding babies
I have 2 children and I breastfed my son til he was 6 months old and I am still feeding my daughter, who is nearly 10 months old. I have thoroughly enjoyed the breastfeeding with both children (more so with my daughter since I felt more experienced about breastfeeding babies).
When I breastfed my son I initially became very sore and really wanted to give up, but with help from a local breastfeeding support group I continued feeding him myself til he was 6 months old. He did not feed for the first 24 hours and also had a tongue tie with made latching troublesome and painful for me so he had the tie cut after which his latch improved and I felt a little happier about keeping going. But I didn't get alot of support from my health visitor, who was promoting the use of formula to get him through the night.
With my daughter health visitors and doctors have all be very supportive of mothers breastfeeding babies. She was 10lb 1oz at birth (home delivery) and she fed almost immediately. Since she was 17 weeks old, and after having chicken pox, her weight gain has plateaued to the point that she has crossed several percentile lines on the growth chart. Never once was it suggested that she should be given formula to boost her weight. She has recently seen the hospital consultant to see if there is an underlying reason for the lack of weight gain, and whilst carrying out screening tests he feels that as a breastfed baby she is going to find her own growth line and, like the other health professionals, didn't once suggest that she needed any formula or other calorie enhancing medication. She also has a very varied diet. Again, I was able to get to a local breastfeeding support group and still go from time to time. I have been much encouraged to continue to breast feed as long as I can and am really encouraged seeing babies older than my daughter still being breast fed. At this time I am still awaiting results from the blood tests but as I have heard nothing I am assuming that she is ok.
Created: November 19, 2009
