I was induced on March 14th of this year at 4 days past due. We started out rough with an irregular heart rate and I was threatened with a c-section if my baby's heart rate didn't fix itself. About 13 hours later I became 10 cm and was left unchecked in excruciating pain for an hour and a half waiting on my midwife. I went on to push 15 hours into labor. Nine times and 11 minutes later my 8lb 5.5oz bundle of joy was here with us. It was so sweet to snuggle him so closely after 9 long months. We breastfed on the way to our recovery room. Breastfeeding went very well the first 2 days. He took better to the right side over the left but was thriving very well. On our second afternoon, they let us know that he was jaundiced but they weren't doing anything about it. They waited until I had discharge papers thrown in my face to tell me, "Oh, by the way, we need to admit your son to the nursery for light therapy but you are going home and there's really not a place for you to stay with him". I cried for hours and my husband brought a wad of cash to the hospital to pay cash for me to stay another night. When I asked the nurse how much it would cost to keep the room for the night, she said "Oh, you cant afford it. You need to make a college fund for your son instead". I was livid. Right then, he didn't need a college fund. He needed his mommy.
In the end, they let me stay free of charge and with medication and meals. They told me I was only allowed to feed my baby every 3 hours and for only 45 min each. And THEN the real heartbreak set in. They forced me to bottle feed my son. He was stuck on the bottle for a week after we came home. I cried every time I tried to get him to latch. My milk had come in as we were being discharged from the hospital (day 3) and by the time I had gotten home (15 min) I had grown 2 cup sizes. I stayed engorged like this until I pumped everything. On the 5th day, I was able to feed him breast milk from a bottle and I just kept pumping every 2 hours until I was empty. On day 7, I tried to latch him again, AND HE DID IT! I cried like a baby I was so happy. He has refused a bottle and pacifier since that day.
Recently, from July 16th through July 27th, he went on a nursing strike. He refused to eat until he was completely famished. It put a really big rift in my relationship with my husband. I wanted to cry all the time and had to leave Aden with his father a few times just to go outside and cry. I wanted to give up so badly but I didn't because I knew I was giving him the best no matter how hard it was for me. Being a mother is about sacrificing yourself for your child and that's exactly what I was doing. On the 27th, it all ended and he hasn't refused since! He is actually a much happier baby now too!
About the Author:
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| The first time he latched back on after the nursing strike |
Kristi is a 23 year old mother of one amazing boy, Aden, who is 4 1/2 months old. They enjoy their babywearing and breastfeeding adventures.
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