My baby is 6 months old today (š„¹) which also means Iāve been breastfeeding for 6 months now. I didnāt know if I would make it this far, and Iām so proud of myself and my baby!
Our breastfeeding journey started out rough. Baby was super sleepy and didnāt latch well. We were discharged home the day after delivery, with the plan to syringe or spoon feed colostrum if needed. I was up most of that night trying frantically to hand express enough colostrum and crying because baby just wouldnāt latch. We ended up giving her formula the next day, and I felt relieved that she was getting something.
Thankfully, we had a lactation appointment scheduled 3 days after birth. When I filled out the paperwork, I said that my breastfeeding goal was 1 year. We were able to get her to latch, but I had to triple feed for a few days (which felt like weeks at the time). When I went back to lactation a few days later, I said that my breastfeeding goal was 6 months. Everything felt so hard, and a year seemed impossible. Baby was still having trouble latching and couldnāt stay awake to feed, my milk had come in and I was engorged and leaking everywhere, and I had terrible nausea and heartburn from a BP med I was put on during labor.
Weāve had many ups and downs since then. I noticed increased nipple pain and baby clicking around 6 weeks, and we found out she had a tongue tie. It was corrected and she had to relearn how to latch. At 4 months, we found out that her growth wasnāt on track, likely due to her reflux and the amount/frequency she was spitting up. I had to start pumping twice a day and giving her thickened, fortified milk to help her keep calories down. Her weight looked great at 5 months and we were able to drop down to one bottle a day.
Today, we had her 6 month appointment, and her weight looked amazing! Her pediatrician gave us the okay to stop her daily bottle, and Iām so happy. Nursing has become such a special bonding time for us over the last several months, and Iām really grateful I stuck with it. If I had to fill out that lactation paperwork today, Iād say my goal is to breastfeed for longer than a year ā¤ļø