This week, our story comes from Lyndsay. She experienced many difficult obstacles during her pregnancy which had her worried about breastfeeding and what it would look like. In the end, she overcame a difficult road that lead to a beautiful breastfeeding journey!
Valentine's Day morning we had three positive tests- answered prayers from the beginning! Just recently I had surgery to remove a polyp and had always struggled with my Endo. I remember spending the entire morning waiting for my doctor to call back and find an OB to schedule an initial appointment. Our first ultrasound was great and later that day we told my nephew on his birthday and let him share the news with my family – they didn’t believe us!
Fast forward to our “20-week visit” that our doctor had pushed it forward a week since she’d be gone on spring break – thankfully! We didn’t want to know the gender, we wanted it to be a great surprise so during the ultrasound I was always nervous they’d let it slip, it was quiet, and I was just staring at that screen. Being the typical me, engram type 2, I always ask if everything is ok (I mean if it’s not, I need to fix it). We got a, “Lets let the Dr. come in and talk to you.” She came in the room and said the baby was fine but she’s sending me on to the hospital to be admitted over the weekend, start a mag drip in hopes to have a cerclage Monday. Wait, what! As tears fell without control, I kept asking what she meant, what was a cerclage. She wrote it down and told me not to google it- yeah, ok! We left her office, followed her instructions on eating light, don’t rush but get there quickly and send someone after our bags. We spent the weekend at the hospital with our parents and I started the 48-hour mag drip- it’s awful; your insides burn from within and your vision is blurred beyond belief. Some call it a flu in a bag. I was diagnosed with Incompetent Cervix. My cervix had funneled and was dilated to .3cm, while a normal cervix measures 3-4 cm. We were so close to losing this sweet babe.
Surgery was Monday morning, my dad’s birthday, and we were released home Wednesday. It started off as an 8-week bed rest, Doctors orders were to “stay pregnant” and work against gravity with my feet up – easy, right. They gave us a survival percentile and our end goal was to make it to 32 weeks, viability! Those 8 weeks were spent in bed or on good days, the couch. I was only allowed up to use the bathroom and if I needed to go anywhere, we had to stay for a 24-hour period. Our parents came over, watched me while David worked, cooked, cleaned, ran errands, did house renovations to pass the time. At the next checkup with MFM, another 8-week bed rest. Our percentiles were growing, we were getting closer to the viability goal, and I still had to stay feet up!
We spent a total of 20 weeks on bed rest. I say we because it was truly a group effort! They were spent praying and praising. Praying to meet viability, to beat those survival % rates they kept giving us and for a healthy baby. Praising our family and friends for the sacrifices, helpfulness and understanding. After week 34 I was allowed a little more movement, perfect timing for a quick mini-maternity photo shoot and a family shower that everyone got to see me propped up on the couch!
One of my added worries during all this was if I’d be able to nurse. What if this baby won't latch, what if I didn’t produce? Stress is not healthy during any pregnancy but the amount my body was already on I decided to just feed my baby any way it turned out.
Walker made a safe arrival at 39 weeks! That was dramatic in its own way, but honestly nothing surprised me after the pregnancy I had! He latched like a champ from the beginning and all his well visits have been nothing but positive remarks on his growth. We have really “fattened” this boy up and he’s been in the 95+ percentiles across the board.
We have joked that I was a terrible cow during pregnancy, but I’ve made up for it with my baby calf – farmer family jokes. After the pregnancy and delivery we experienced, I can truthfully say breastfeeding, this far, has been smooth sailing for us. I have even been able to donate some milk to other babies!
Walker does have a sensitive belly, on medicine for acid reflux and cannot tolerate dairy or caffeine so we’ve been without for going on 9 months now – PTL! Other than that, BF has been more than I could have ever asked for to promote a healthy growing boy!
I wanted to wait until we got to a year of nursing to gift myself this jewelry, but I’m pleased with how well Walker, and myself, have done so why not celebrate 6 months! I’ll forever cherish this time with Walker; the time we’ve bonded and all the alone hours we were gifted throughout this baby phase. Thanks Milk+Honey for my ring.
What do you think about Lyndsay’s story? We think she faced some difficult circumstances, but she pressed on and has had a beautful journey in the end! Thanks for sharing Lyndsay!
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