Being a new mum, I was amazed at this whole breastfeeding thing especially how Eva was able to suckle within minutes after birth! I guess this skin to skin for the 1st hr after birth is good and hospitals should continue to advocate it!
Breastfeeding is an art!! It is one part of parenthood that is exclusive to mummies and well.. makes you spend alot in preparation for it (read: breastpump, nipple cream, nursing cover, nursing bras, supplements).. and makes you fumble at first... and gives you a magical moment of bonding with your baby..
Breastfeeding also test your endurance! Say you would probably be waking up like you never even sleep before? And you might be wrestling away with your baby to get him or her in right position and the nipple in the right way into the mouth... And doing it discreetly if you are not alone in comfort of your own home.. And you probably be annoyed by all the "how much milk are you yielding?? Is baby having enough milk from you?? how long are you going to breastfeed yr baby??"...
And in my opinion.. Pain in breast was the ultimate I had to endure!!!
My milk only came in on 3rd day after Eva was born and hence I started her on formula bottle feed (tried cup feed etc but found it really tough and I decided to just go for bottle - Tommee Tippee was her first). Meanwhile I still latch on and pump hoping to stimulate the milk production.
I continued the practice even after the milk came in where EBM and formula came in useful when family help to bottle feed. This help was important as it gave me some time to rest and to do other preparation for her. It also gave them especially hubby a chance to watch Eva feed and observe her behaviour. They were also useful in some nights. (Will share in other posts later about how I manage the feedings).
This continues and I always needed to either let her latch on or express in time though its not always possible as she might be fussing and I cannot get to pump. Sometimes we are out with her and we bottle feed her. So breast would often feel engorged after some hours and it would generally be okay after I pump it out. sometimes there would even be lumps which would clear out after I pump out the milk couple times.
One fine day I suddenly felt excruciating pain somewhere near nipple and felt deeper in. The pain was unbearable when pumping that I couldnt bear more than 5 pumps and I had to stop. The pain was like as though my skin was burning! Strange but it did felt like that way. And when i latch on. The pain was equally horrendous though I could bear the pain till Eva finiah feeding. I couldnt understand and guess this is probably engorgement?
Then the pain got so horrible when I was pumping and I checked my nipples for wounds!! I thought it must be Eva who might have injured them. Then I spotted blister like looking stuffs in the nipple with yellow stuffs inside. OMG! I almost freaked out! i thought this is bad!! Pus in nipple??!!! Infection????
I quickly google and fortunately it was not what I thought! It was what they call blocked milk duct! And the yellow stuffs is actually built up of milk inside this skin layer.
I tried using hot towel on the affected breast and massage followed by frequent pumping.. *OUCH* really did feel like hittung someone back then!! I was dreading pumping but if the more I put it off.. the worse it is going to get!
After some perseverence and endurance, the blocked milk duct finally cleared and you can see spaghetti like substance i.e strand of milk that was stuck and coagulated!
Only then did the pain start to subside...
I had a few attacks throughout the 1st few months and the worst period was when the pain was bad enough to disrupt my sleep! I totally couldnt sleep due to the twitching high pain!!
Thankfully each ordeal only last a few days and managed to clear before developing into mastitis.
So new mummies.. endure if you are going thru it!! You will survive with:
1. Latch on baby
2. Breast pump
3. Hot/cold pack that can be heated by placing in hot water or cooled by placing on freezer.
4. Nipple cream for massage
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