"Breastfeeding support"

Following the birth of my daughter, I was very keen to breastfeed. However, there were various factors which hindered my ability to  breastfeed in the early days.  My daughter was jaundiced which made her very sleepy and reluctant to latch on.  I was also extremely fatigued and sore, following a prolonged labour before I required an emergency c-section.  Consequently, I found it difficult to hold my baby due to pain I was suffering and my milk did not come in until day 5 which further disrupted feeding. 

However, the midwives in the post labour ward were very sensitive to my needs and how my physical recovery was affecting my emotional well-being.  I was always offered 1:1 support with expressing and latching on prior to every feed and when this was not successful, staff offered to cup feed and later bottle feed my baby in a very supportive and reassuring manner.  I did not feel any undue pressure to persist with breastfeeding or experience judgment regarding bottle feeding. (I am very aware this has been the experience of some mothers in other settings).

However, two months on, I am now successfully combination feeding.  I would like to pay tribute to two members of WHSCT staff who were instrumental in my progress with breastfeeding.

Firstly, Breastfeeding Support Midwife, Pauline, who visited me several times during my hospital stay to offer support with techniques and provided me with electric pump equipment.  This enabled me to maintain my milk supply and bottlefeed my daughter with mainly my own expressed milk .   Pauline also telephoned me post- discharge and offered me a follow up appointment which proved very beneficial in trying to breastfeed again.  Her colleague was also very helpful in this appointment.

Secondly, Student Midwife Gail, who assisted me to have my first successful breastfeeding experience during my last night in hospital when I felt like giving up’. She was very aware of how sore, exhausted and defeated I felt; but sensitively provided the motivation I needed to try a new technique which proved successful and renewed my confidence.

Whilst I still continued to have much difficulty with breastfeeding at home; I was so grateful when Gail later completed two home visits to provide further support, in her Peer Support role.  Again, Gail gently assisted me with various techniques and increased my confidence and motivation to continue breastfeeding.  Her advice and experience was invaluable.

As I do not think I would still be breastfeeding without the specialist support from Pauline and Gail; I would like to highlight the significant roles they played and the value of continuity of care, when required, for mothers and babies post-discharge.