Support from my pediatrician

by Moria
(Columbia, MD)

I had a c-section in March and wanted to breastfeed my baby boy. We spent 4 days in the hospital with the nurses and the lactation specialists stopping by every 3 hours to check on me and my baby.

On the 3rd day he'd lost 10% of his birth weight and they brought me formula to supplement the feeding. I felt like such a failure. The lactation consultants did not help with that at all.

I was close to tears every time they talked with me because his latch was great, but I was not producing. They even brought in a pump to try and help. I never got much out of either breast. Before pregnancy I was in between a B and C cup. My nipples got bigger, but the breasts never really did.

Then a week after the birth we went to my son's pediatrician. While getting dressed I put on my normal bra and was dismayed to see that that not only did not fit, it did not fit because my breasts were maybe an A cup! I burst into tears.

Barely holding it together, my husband went with me to the appointment. Our son still getting supplements, he and I talked about going to formula exclusively - to make sure our son got enough to eat! When the pediatrician walked into the room - he took one look at me and said "There is a reason that they make formula to be the best it can be, and as close to breast milk as they can.

Feeding your child formula is not a problem, and I've seen it many times in my 30 years of being a doctor. You are doing great with the formula and he is doing fine." It was the best thing I could hear, especially coming from a doctor. We stopped and got bottles and formula on the way home and have not looked back.

Other people are surprised when they hear my breasts shrank - I am not sure if it is because I am overweight or if the diabetes played a role, but I am GLAD they make such great formula out there. My son is almost 5 months old and he is 15 lbs and 1 ounce. Without formula, I don't think he would have made it...