“The natural power of breastfeeding is one of the greatest wonders of the world. It is about real love” says Anwar Fazal. Breastfeeding is absolute magic. Breastfeeding creates a special bond between a mother and a child. It provides a newborn with nourishment and enriches them.
Apart from food, it comforts the baby. It soothes the baby. The moment the newborn recognizes its mother’s scent, its cry stops. A mother is where a newborn finds peace. It has numerous advantages for both the mother and the child. No one can deny the fact.
My Breastfeeding Experience
In this blog, I would like to share my breastfeeding journey. My breastfeeding experience was a roller coaster. The ride started at the beginning of my feeding days. I am writing about my experience because I believe my experience will help other people like me who are unaware of problems that arise along with feeding.
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My Biggest Mistake
Though I researched and learned a lot about pregnancy, I did not know about breastfeeding. Generally, we do not think much about breastfeeding or feeding a baby. We do not plan about it before delivery. That was my biggest mistake. There was more to it than I thought. I believe that some in countries like India, the awareness and education about lactation and the associated problems are very low. People are not educated enough about feeding and related issues. I was also unaware. I kindly advise all the mommies to invest their time in educating themselves. Please do not make this mistake and end up like me.
Preparing for the Journey
Every expecting mother wants a smooth feeding journey. I dreamt of feeding my baby and creating happy memories. I prepared myself mentally and physically for the beautiful journey. I did not know that feeding a baby is hard. Very soon, I realized breastfeeding is not everyone’s cup of tea.
The feeding journey was not what I expected it to be.
Initial Days of Feeding
My C-section had been scheduled for December 26, 2020. They took me to the Operation theatre, and within a few minutes I heard a cry. I breathed a sigh of relief. It was love at first sight. Fortunately, my baby latched very well within the first hour. The nurses were surprised. My heart was full of happiness. I thought everything was going smoothly. It was better than what I imagined.
Engorgement Issues
I had a good amount of milk supply. So, I exclusively breastfed my child. We went home after a week. My pregnancy was complicated and full of hospital visits. I was relaxed when I came home. I thought the frequent hospital visits had ended happily. But my happiness lasted only for a few days. Within a week, I suffered from Engorgement. I had an oversupply, whereas my baby didn’t latch properly.
Missed Red Flags
Around the second week, when I was beginning to lose my sanity as a new mom, I noticed a white blob on my nipple. It also started to hurt while my baby was feeding. These are the two red flags that I missed. I did not know it was serious. When news spread around, the people in my hometown suggested various methods to cure clogged ducts. Advice started to pour in from all sides. But nothing worked for me. All my efforts were in vain.
I was already pretty disturbed emotionally. Also, the sleepless nights, the lack of rest, and the breast pain all took a toll on me. Depression hit me hard. When I looked at my baby, I forgot my pain.
Dealing With Mastitis
After a month, I noticed a bruised red patch on my breast. It also felt hard to touch. I had severe chills and fever. That is when I realized something was wrong. I went to my doctor. One look, and she diagnosed it as mastitis. After treatment, I thought things were getting back to normal.
Stressful Days
However, after a few days, I realized my breast did not feel right. Hospital visits started again. I was getting frustrated. The post-partum depression hit me so hard. I had to have many intravenous injections, so it became challenging for me to feed my baby and to hold my baby. It was a stressful period for me, very stressful for any new mother, let alone mastitis.
Diagnosis for Abscess
As I discussed earlier, I noticed the hardness did not fade away. In my heart, I knew that something was not right. I consulted my doctor. She immediately advised me of an ultrasound. This time, my heart was full of sorrow. After multiple hospital visits, the diagnosis was a Breast abscess. An abscess is a collection of pus in the body. Half of my breast was affected. I was devastated. I broke down in tears. I was so overwhelmed. It felt like I was the only one suffering in the world, and all others were happy. My emotions were all over the place.
By God’s grace, my family supported me. They stood by me. Later, I slowly brought myself to accept the reality. I was ready for the surgical procedure. I got admitted with a 2.5-month-old infant
Breast Abscess Surgery
I knew it was a simple procedure, but I was scared. Going into another surgery within three months of my delivery was so sudden. I could not digest that I was the reason for all this mess. Had I learned about engorgement previously, I would have been more careful. This surgery would not have happened.
I went into the theatre. My surgery was over. It was more of a surgical procedure. After the anesthesia wore off, I was able to feed my child. A tube was made for draining the excess pus. Finally, after two days, I was discharged. Then I went to get dressed frequently. Almost after a month, it got healed.
Lessons Learned
One should rest and enjoy the newborn days, but I was so stressed. If I had been more cautious this would not have happened. If you feel something is wrong, please take the necessary steps immediately. Always trust your gut instincts. They can help you in many ways.
I hope my experience of feeding and abscess has created awareness for you. I want this to reach more people so new mothers can stay happy.
P.S. I am not a medical professional, the above information is based on my own experience.
However, If you are affected or want to know more about my experience please put it in the comments section. Thank you.