Breastfeeding Your Baby

Nursing your baby for the first time is no easy endeavor. But don’t fear, with proper guides and advice, you’ll either love it or hate it. Here we share some breastfeeding stories from mothers ...

When I woke from the local anaethesia drugs after the delivery of my baby, I barely had time to comprehend the trauma my body had endured before immediately having to face the bewildering reality of having my newborn thrust into my arms by the hospital nurse. “Try and feed the baby” she said. Barely lucid and silently terrified, I raised myself up into a sitting position- wincing from the pain in my body. My body felt battered and bruised - with every twitch and movement humming in pain.  Perhaps I have a low pain tolerance, so my description may seen a little exaggerated, but for my personal experience of a failed natural delivery and consequent emergency C-section, the entire ordeal was long and mentally draining. From the pinching dull ache from my surgical incision and  nether regions, you also had to deal with with an insecure feeling of nakedness from the unpleasant barely-there hospital gown.  I felt my nether regions were pooling with gushing fluid from attempting to sit upright, (TMI, sorry), so I had to lift my blanket to be assured that I was "protected" from the shame of wetting my bed.  Upon realising that my only protection was a bulky maternity pad tied to my fanny with some cotton string, the feelings of discomfort was so overwhelming that I burst into tears!

This is an accounting of my own personal experience, but it might not be yours so don't be alarmed!

The kind nurse gently patted my shoulders in understanding and tried to hush my crying. "You just had a baby!  Your gift!"

Her words woke me up from feeling sorry for myself - yes, I have endured an arduous ordeal, but i made it through and have been given a Gift from God!  So I looked into the eyes of my baby boy -who throughout my pity-party was just quietly looking at the wondrous world with curious eyes.  Utterly enchanted and mesmerised that this little human was inside my body for what seemed a lifetime - was finally here and in my arms.  His little eyes curiously stared at me, but for the most he looked just as "bewildered" to be here as I was!