Keep on boobing (.) (.)

Ok so I’m nearly 6 weeks in exclusively breastfeeding my third babe, Winnie. I exclusively pumped for Charlie (babe no.1)for his whole life (12 days). And I fed Dolly (babe no.2) until she was 17 months. 

Baby no.1 Charlie 22/10/2010

Charlie was born at 32 weeks by emergency c-section, I 

hadn’t put much thought into feeding I just thought I would formula feed, I was 18 and hadn’t had much experience with baby’s. Charlie also had a condition called gastroschisis, it’s a birth defect which affects the abdominal wall, his intestines were on the outside of his body. He would need surgery to correct this. When Charlie landed on the unit at Liverpool’s Women’s Hospital doctor’s advised me that he would need either my milk or donor milk.

I decided my milk would be best and started the pumping journey, every two hours I would religiously pump sometimes next to the incubator ( I find that helps with milk supply as you can see your babe). If I could not pump next to the incubator due to procedures going on with Charlie, I would use a breastfeeding square & a photograph, (breastfeeding squares: they come in packs of two usually woollen & knitted small squares one goes in your bra an the other in the baby’s incubator so the baby can smell you and you can smell the baby when expressing I found this really helps).

I expressed for the 12 days unfortunately Charlie became more an more poorly and did not get his surgery but died 

peacefully in my arms. He never got to taste any milk at all

due to him being so ill. When we went home I had forgot all 

about the frozen breast milk in the freezer at the hospital. A couple of months later I got a phone call from one of the nurses from the neonatal unit asking if they could use my milk for the other babies as donor milk (obviously it would be sent to the nearest milk bank to be pasteurised). I was over the moon Charlie’s milk would be used to help other poorly babies and wouldn’t go to waste.

Baby no.2 Dolly 08/06/2016

Our rainbow baby was born I could not wait to feed her, when she was born at 37weeks 2 days she only weighed a small 5lb. Born by planned section for IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction a condition where the baby is measuring smaller than what it should be because it’s not growing at a normal rate inside the womb). 

When she arrived she was very cold an needed to be in a incubator, she wouldn’t wake for feeds. She eventually ended up round on the neonatal unit as they thought she may of had an infection, she didn’t but something still did not seem right.

We ended up on transitional care (a bay of mums & babies an Neonatal nurse’s) Doll was still not right she had be fed via a tube up her nose had no interest in feeding from me or taking a bottle of EBM (expressed breast milk).

After 11 days in hospital she finally latched on (with the help of the transitional care girls) had never experienced this feeling before as I had only ever pumped .... I’m not going to lie it felt different at first it didn’t feel like a pump but you get used to that. 

Day 12 they said we could finally go home Lee & I were absolutely ecstatic however just before we went home we were informed that the doctor though Doll had congenital hypothyroidism and we had to go straight to Alder Hey to see a consultant.

In the next coming weeks it was confirmed that Dolly had congenital hypothyroidism but this affected her feeding she didn’t wake for feeds (we had to wake her every 2 hours an give EBM top ups) her weight gain was non existent she was not back to birth weight until just over 6 weeks.

We were told numerous time she needs to go to Alder Hey or she needs formula by both the professionals and family members. I feel I know my baby & my body best and eventually we were able to stop the EBM top up an waking in the night and got into a great routine.

Dolly self weaned at 17 months as i was a few few weeks pregnant with Winnie, it may of been the change in the milk as I believe the taste can change or maybe she was just ready. I was really sad when our breastfeeding journey came to an end (I did shed a little tear but also very proud of us both overcoming the hard times and loved our special bond that breastfeeding brings).

Baby no. 3 Winnie 19/05/2018

Winnie was welcomed into the world by semi elective c-section at 36 weeks after a difficult pregnancy with placenta prieva,she had been trying to come from 24 weeks but the fab Doctors & Midwives in LWH had managed to stop her.

I had a sneaky feeling she would come early so started expressing early (do not do this unless told you can by medical professionals) I had 30mls of EBM ready. To be fair my boobs had been leaking loads anyway. I would advised expressing after 37 weeks for just in case milk (if baby doesn’t latch or if you are poorly), also nipple stimulation - hand expressing is one of the best ways to kick start labour too!!

I was so glad I had them Winn didn’t latch on straight away an we used all of the 30ml in 2 days in the hospital.

Winn was born at 5lb 8oz so small but not tiny her weight gain has been slow but not majorly so we have had to do EBM top ups  (by the way I cannot recommend the Ardo double pump enough they are hospital grade this is the website https://www.ardobreastpumps.co.uk/breastpumps?gclid=CjwKCAjwyMfZBRAXEiwA-R3gM80Q0g_LZpSqew4tqapLW-Il8cuSDDMCGyaOhThISv2eGGhnSvXVehoCRfEQAvD_BwE   You can also single pump, there so easy to clean and use they also use them in LWH.

I have wrote this while sat in bed today, as I’ve had mastitis over the past few days which was absolutely awful but the whole reason for me deciding to write a blog.

No matter what challenges you come across feeding trust yourself an your body your doing well Mama keep up the good work if you feel you need support always contact your local breastfeeding support:

Liverpool -Bambis

Sefton - Sefton Breastfeeding support service 

Knowsley - Bosom Buddies

Wirral - Wirral infant feeding team

If your not in Liverpool & surrounding areas there are loads of Facebook support groups or contact the NCT (national child birth trust) they are a great help

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