From novice to expert, young mum shares the joys of breastfeeding

by Rachel Heng-Walters 

I was completely neutral to the whole breast vs bottle concept leading up to my son’s birth. I would shrug whenever someone asked me the all-important question. Sure, maybe. Why not? 

I wouldn’t mind giving breastfeeding a go if I could, but I did not have any illusions that it would be easy or if it would work at all. I was formula fed as a baby, and it seemed to work fine for me. My mother said she couldn’t produce sufficient breastmilk (or so she was told) and I was constantly crying and unsettled, so I just assumed that the same would happen to me and my newborn. 

My son was put to my breast about 5 minutes after he was born. He was smacking his lips instinctively, just as the baby books I so studiously read had said. I cradled my hungry newborn and led him to my boob where he latched on quickly, and hence the start of a wonderful and eventful journey that is breastfeeding. 

For me personally, breastfeeding my son went relatively smoothly. It is hard to recall how many times he fed from me during the day or night for the first few months of his life. I started off timing the feeds every 3 hours (as you are supposed to do in hospital), and just went from there when I got home. 

I remember reading an article in a breastfeeding magazine about offering your baby ‘snack feeds’ in between the 3 hour feeding periods, with the logic that even as adults we need to have a glass of water, warm beverage or snack every hour or so for sustenance. With that in mind, I started offering him a breast every hour on cue, and like clockwork, he would indulge in his favourite snack of all time. 

We received a flurry of visitors from both sides of our families after I gave birth, who continuously said that I should be feeding my baby some boiled warm water on top of breastmilk. Someone suggested top-up feeds with a bottle of formula, after all more milk is better than less, they said. 

There were various other well meaning recommendations as well which I was not prepared for. These comments got me worried for the most part, and as a new mother I was very apprehensive and nervous about anything that I was doing wrong. However I had done my research early on during my pregnancy, and jotted down the phone numbers of the breastfeeding helpline and lactation clinics in my area, as well as useful parenting websites.  Luckily I was able to get sound advice and support whenever I had doubts. 

The only unpleasant encounters I had with breastfeeding were nipple blisters (or thrush) and a sore back. The pain from my nipple blisters was mind boggling. Imagine the worst mouth ulcer you’ve ever had, add in another one of the same size next to it, and the kind of agony it would cause to affect simple everyday motions like eating, talking, brushing your teeth etc. Now think about how that would feel on your nipple, and having a hungry baby bite into these blisters every 3 hours or so! Sure it hurt a lot, and I was flustered around feeding time for a while, but applied lashings on the healing balm which my doctor recommended, and made use of nipple shields temporarily. As for the sore back, it was quickly corrected with a good breastfeeding pillow, lots of back pillows, a foot stool and long massages from my husband. 

My husband and I went down the path of breastfeeding discovery together, and shared the whole feeding and bonding experience as a new family of 3. He was there to offer a helping hand at every feed during the day and night especially in first few months, and acted as my ‘breastfeeding assistant’ by telling me when our baby was not latching on properly, or which position to lie our baby so that we were both comfortable. 

We both learnt the art of attachment together, and as an onlooker, he was able to give me a much needed perspective if I was doing something incorrectly. We decided early on that I was going to breastfeed exclusively, thereby eliminating the need for bottles, sterilizers, breast pumps and the normal paraphernalia that goes along with it. 

Some of my friends were not as lucky with breastfeeding. A good friend developed mastitis (blocked milk duct) 3 times in a year. She was sick and in agony for most part of her breastfeeding relationship with her baby. Her doctor advised her to wean, so she went to seek a second opinion.
With the help of medication and perseverance, she continued breastfeeding her baby till he was well over 1. For her, breastfeeding was not an easy task, but she was determined to succeed and that kept her going. Another friend was severely sleep-deprived as she had a colicky baby who did not settle well.
Her tiredness affected her breastfeeding relationship with her baby, and slowly but surely she started to get depressed. She decided to express exclusively for her baby instead, so that her husband could help with night time feeds. That option worked well for her, however not without much hard work. 

The fact is that regardless of a mum’s breastfeeding success, it is a commitment that has to be carried through. Sitting up in the wee hours of the morning to feed your baby might seem like an arduous task. For mums who are returning to work soon after giving birth, expressing may seem like an inconvenient option especially if there are no specially catered breastfeeding facilities in the office. But then you learn to make it work. 

I found that it was always handy to have a pile of books, magazines and the TV remote near me while I breastfed my baby. Later on, I learnt to breastfeed lying down, standing up, and on the go. I also developed a knack for locating parents' rooms at shopping malls when I was out and about with my baby.
In many ways, I am a textbook example of a breastfeeding mother, having exclusively breastfed for 6 months, then combining breastfeeding with solids thereafter. My son continued breastfeeding until he was almost 3 years old, a feat that I am very proud of. 

For me, it’s simply the most effective way of feeding and nourishing my baby because he responds well to it, it suits us both, and it’s on tap 24 hours a day whenever he needs it. Over the months and years, I learnt to use breastfeeding as a technique to sooth my baby to sleep and to calm him down when distressed or unwell. And as with any skill, you get better at it with time. I went from nervous breastfeeding novice, to a calmer and more confident mum because of breastfeeding. 

BREASTFEEDING FACTS Advantages for baby • Reduced risk of asthma, diabetes, childhood obesity, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, chest infections, ear infections, tummy bugs and acute diarrhoea. • Always available, at the right temperature and with just the right ingredients. • Contains antibodies that enhance the immune system and help babies fight common infections. • Contains all the nutrients a baby needs for healthy growth and development. • A natural product with no additives, preservatives and colouring. • Protects your baby from illness and infection. • Provides the correct food for your growing baby. • Promotes a special loving bond between baby and mother. • Enhances intellectual ability in children. • Promotes short-term and long-term psychological and physiological benefits to mother and baby. Advantages for mothers • Saves time and is more convenient as breast milk is ready any time and can be fed to baby anywhere. • More cost effective than formula feeding; breastfeeding for 12 months will save more than $1200 on formula. • A great bonding experience, releasing hormones which help to reduce stress and depression. • Reduced risk of ovarian and breast cancers, type 2 diabetes and improved recovery from childbirth. • Enables a mother to continue nourishing her baby as she did during pregnancy. • Many women may experience problems but nearly every problem can be overcome. Sore nipples, engorgement, attachment problems and perceived low supply are commonly cited problems that can be overcome with the right advice and support. • Help mothers lose the baby weight as it uses on average 500 extra calories per day. • Breast milk can also be expressed for convenience and to allow other carers to feed and bond with the baby.

  

About Rachel Heng-Walters Rachel Heng-Walters, 34, is a Singaporean who has been residing in Australia for the past 14 years. Currently based in Canberra, Rachel is proud mum to 3 year old Rhys. She is the editor of Australian Breastfeeding Association’s national magazine, and an active and keen breastfeeding advocate in her community.

If you have any questions for Rachel, feel free to email us at editor@family.sg

- Family.sg