When I was pregnant, I knew I wanted to try my best to breastfeed my baby.
I’d heard about other people’s experiences and was aware it may be challenging, but nothing prepared me for what was to come with our feeding journey.
As soon as our little boy arrived, I was so in love. The first night in hospital I couldn’t get him to latch properly but after having some help on the ward, we managed to have our first real feed together. It was a beautiful moment, and I knew instantly how much this would be a huge bond between us. We spent the first 2 weeks navigating the feeding together and I felt so lucky that it seemed to be going well.
However, unbeknownst to me, our journey was about to become very difficult.
I had never anticipated my baby having severe reflux, which started at 3 weeks. He began being sick after every feed and developed a rash. We ended up having multiple trips to the doctors and hospital where we were prescribed medication. My little boy also had colic and seemed generally unsettled in himself. His weight gain was also very slow, and I was referred to the infant feeding team where I met Sue.
At this point I was concerned and disheartened. I knew that something wasn’t right but didn’t know what it was. It was heartbreaking to see him so unhappy and not knowing how I could help. He was in a lot of discomfort during and after feeding alongside being congested and having eczema.
By this point I began to feel that my milk supply wasn’t enough for him. Sue was amazing and reassured me that I was doing a wonderful job. I continued to breastfeed but was later advised by the doctor to add some formula to help my little ones weight gain. Once doing so, his symptoms quickly became a lot worse.
I had never heard of Cows Milk Protein Allergy (CMPA) before, but after doing some research, it became apparent that all the symptoms he was experiencing matched. After another appointment, the doctor agreed that his rash was an allergic reaction and that she also suspected CMPA. It had taken months to get an answer, but we were finally referred to a paediatrician and then onto a dietitian. I’m so glad that I didn’t give up and pushed to find out what was going on. I was given a prescription milk but decided to exclusively breastfeed and eliminate both dairy and soya from my diet. It took some time for all his symptoms to clear, but the difference in him since has been remarkable.
Recently he ended up in hospital with an infection and I felt so glad that I was able to breastfeed him throughout.
It hasn’t been an easy journey at all for us, but it’s been so worth it to see the change in our little boy. It’s the worst feeling in the world to watch your baby suffer and be completely helpless.
I am so proud of us both for finding our way through it together and overcoming all the hurdles that were sent our way.