Keep That Baby Well

I married at a very young age for these times, 17! So when I became pregnant six weeks later, I sure did need some guidance.

I had known that I wanted to breastfeed my children since I was 5 years old and my brother was born. I asked my Mom why she wasn't breastfeeding the baby, and she replied to 5 year old me, rather haughtily, "Because I don't want MILK in my BREASTS!"

Needless to say, my baby brother was very ill from the beginning and got tried on every type milk under the sun. My Grandmother would say, "I nursed mine 'til they could crawl into my lap and get it, and they were never sick a day." At this, my Mom would cringe.

Well, thankfully, my Grandmother was still alive when my 9lbs, 13oz. Hannah arrived. She was the only person I had ever known to have nursed a baby, and her support meant a great deal to me. To my dismay, she was not able to help me with my painful, cracked, bleeding, torn up nipples. All she said was, "Don't step out of the shower 'til you dry them, cause the cold air will give'em a fit."

I contacted the only lactation consultant in our city and went to see her. She helped me with positioning the baby, but my nipples did not heal for a full six weeks. Every night I would go to bed saying, "We're going to buy some bottles in the morning." And every morning there was my Grandmother, cheering me on.

My Grandma died when Hannah was 13 months old. It was very sudden and crushed me to the core. She had done so much for me in my baby's first year. She knew everything about raising babies, and I only knew about raising one for 13 months.

The last thing she had said to me was, "Keep that baby well Ginny." I knew what she meant. Don't stop nursing now, she's still a baby.

No matter what pressure you receive from others who know nothing about nursing, don't quit. Keep that baby well.