Our story this week comes from Courtney! Courtney has nursed four babies and faced some pretty touch complications with each! She was persistent in seeking help and providing the best for her kids! Read on to hear her story!
I’m a momma of 4 precious babies (6, 4, 3, and 7 months) and my breastfeeding journey started back in 2014 with my oldest daughter. I had her in July of 2014 with the full intention to have the most magical breastfeeding journey. Well in the hospital I had a very hard time getting her to latch and when we came home I struggled and cried A LOT wondering what was wrong with me that I couldn’t get her to latch. I ended up nursing her with a shield and worked with a lactation consultant but nothing was getting better. She then refused to nurse without the shield, refused every bottle and sippy cup. She was considered failure to thrive at 6 months old and I felt like the one thing that I should have been able to do I failed at. We were in feeding therapy and it was a very difficult year.
Then came my second daughter....I was so determined to nurse her successfully without a shield. Again she couldn’t latch and by 12 weeks in I had gotten mastitis 3 times and thrush twice. The worst case of thrush my pediatrician and lactation consultant had ever seen! They sent me to another lactation consultant who diagnosed her with a tongue and lip tie. We had her revised and I successfully nursed her for 15 months.
My third daughter was born and I saw my amazing lactation consultant when she was 5 days old and she was diagnosed with tongue, lip, and buccal ties. She successfully nursed and unlike my other two girls who were little string beans she was CHUNKY!! I had never felt so successful and like my persistence paid off.
We had our fourth and final baby in May of this year. Our little boy and again he was also diagnosed with tongue and lip tie where we revised the day after he was born. He is a thriving, chunky, happy baby. I’m hoping to nurse him as long as he allows me but I couldn’t think of a better way to honor my journey then to preserve my milk that I fought so extremely hard for. I also now work for the lactation consultant who helped me with my babies. I absolutely adore her and I'm so thankful for her!
To my new mom friends I tell them breastfeeding is the most unnatural natural thing you’ll ever do in your life! It’s so beautiful but the journey doesn’t go without bumps in the road. I will treasure this ring forever!
What do you think about Courtney’s story? We think she did awesome at finding help and then later on working to help others! Thanks for sharing Courtney!
Would you like to share your breastfeeding story our blog? Submit it here!