Finally!

By Allison Phillips

I had my first child in 1995, and had decided to "try" to breastfeed. Emily was a healthy baby at 8 lbs 2 oz, and had an enormous appetite. I suffered through cracked and bleeding nipples, engorgement, and lack of support so at 2 weeks I stopped nursing and began her on formula. I had my son Alexander in 1997, and went through the exact same experience, this time with a breast infection thrown in the mix. When Zachary was born in 1998, I gave it a try again but once I was home from the hospital it was the same story and back to formula. All my children latched beautifully in the hospital, but once I got home it was always a different story.

I would get so depressed after my failures to successfully nurse my children. I remember crying as my milk dried up. I attempted to pump, but by that time I was so sore that it was too painful.

I had my son Jacob in 2000, and was DETERMINED to successfully breastfeed this child if it killed me. I was stumped as to why it never worked. The hospital staff was very helpful this time, and I soon learned it was all in the latching. My other children were never latching on properly, causing the painful nipples and engorgement. I am happy and proud to say that Jake is 13 months old and still breastfeeding. And I am going to continue to breastfeed him until he doesn't want to anymore. He has been the healthiest of all my children, hardly ever sick, whereas the others all suffered from chronic ear infections, colds, stomach bugs, Jake has only been sick once in his whole life. He is also very mellow, and easily consoled.

Words cant describe the feeling when he looks up at me while nursing, or when he falls asleep at the breast. I work in a hospital on the OB floor and I am happy to say that about 90% of new moms breastfeed.

I am so happy to be able to finally give my child the best gift I can in life and that is the healthiest physical and emotional start possible. It was a long hard frustrating road but we made it!!