A Challenging Beginning
Jessica T.
NE USA
From NEW BEGINNINGS, Vol. 19 No. 3, May-June 2002, p. 94
I've always known that I
wanted to be a mother. I also always knew I would breastfeed my children.
My husband and I were thrilled to find out I was pregnant about nine
months after we were married. I had a pretty easy pregnancy, except
for a few stomach problems and migraines. Our son, Austin James, was
born on January 21, 2001. The labor and delivery went well. I lost a
lot of blood but luckily did not need a transfusion. I had read many
books before Austin was born, so I knew the first few weeks would be
challenging, but I was not prepared for how I was feeling. I hardly
slept in the hospital. I was weak and pale. I thought it was from giving
birth and losing so much blood. I kept telling myself it would get better.
Breastfeeding got off to
a rocky start. When Austin did latch on he took in only the end of my
nipple, which made breastfeeding very painful. Then came our first night
home. It did not go well. I could not nurse lying down, I was exhausted,
and Austin was a very needy newborn. I cried all night, sure that I
didn't know how to be a mother or how to nurse.
If it had not been for my
mother, a former La Leche League Leader, I would have given up after
that first night. She encouraged me to continue. I kept wondering when
I would feel some more energy or happiness. I was weak, tired, pale,
and beginning to have severe diarrhea. I would eat, but nothing would
stay with me very long. The doctors thought I had the flu.
About a week and a half after
Austin was born I was lying down to take a nap. I felt an intense, sudden
pain from my waist up to my shoulders. I thought I was having a heart
attack. The pain was worse than labor. I was taken by ambulance to the
hospital for tests. Austin was brought to me and I nursed him as we
waited for the results. Hours later the doctor decided it was a stomach
virus. I knew there was something wrong, but no one could find anything.
After a few more days of
dehydration, exhaustion, and inability to keep food down, I was ready
to give Austin a bottle and go to bed forever. After seeing three different
doctors in three days, I was told once again that it was a stomach bug,
that I might have postpartum depression, and that I should go out on
a date with my husband to relax!
My mother suggested I mention
that gall bladder problems run in our family. Someone finally decided
to do an ultrasound to rule that out. The technician looked at my gall
bladder and immediately said, "Oh, honey, no wonder you're so sick.
You have gall stones." I immediately began to cry as my husband
held my hand. I was so relieved that I was not crazy. Something was
wrong. I found out later that gall bladder problems are common in pregnant
women. That was why I had stomach problems during pregnancy and pain
below my right rib. My doctor thought it was Austin kicking me, but
it had been my gall bladder all along.
When plans were being made
for surgery later that week I asked about breastfeeding Austin. I was
told he couldn't stay with me and that I should pump or supplement with
formula. I attempted to pump milk for him but I only had two days and
could not pump enough. I tried for twenty minutes and got one ounce.
I did not want to supplement with formula; he was only three weeks old.
During all of this time my
mother had been in contact with my LLL Leader as well as her former
LLL Leader. Together, they made many calls, sent me information, and
talked with the hospital about the effects of anesthesia on nursing
babies. The anesthesia does not affect the baby enough to stop nursing.
In the end, Austin was allowed to stay with me. I breastfed him right
before surgery. I also nursed him when the anesthesia wore off. He was
happy and cared for by my husband, parents, and mother-in-law. During
recovery Austin and I finally learned how to nurse lying down. We also
had to use some funny-looking, creative nursing positions because of
my incision.
After about a week I was
feeling strong, healthy, and happy to be a mother. I would not have
made it without the wonderful support of my family and La Leche League.
Thanks to LLL, Austin is a healthy, happy, breastfeeding six-month-old.
Last updated Friday, October 27, 2006 by njb.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:30:07 UTC 2007.
