Caroline's Story

Fionn arrived 8 days ahead of schedule, eager to get on with the business of living. Oblivious to his plans, I had a swim and went to bed. 5 hours later I delivered my son.

‘Is he a good sleeper?’ people would enquire good-naturedly. He was. It was waking that presented a challenge, apparently spent from the gargantuan effort of separating his little 6lb body from mine.

Take one overly punctual sleepy small baby, add a touch of jaundice, a first time mother, a society that has lost much of its intergenerational wisdom of breastfeeding and mix thoroughly. The result provides an excellent basis for breastfeeding difficulties. Armed with little more than the knowledge that breast is best, Fionn and I began our journey into the unknown.

Being a natural process, breastfeeding would, hopefully , come somewhat naturally. This fallacy served to heighten my bewilderment at the difficulties that would ensue. A lactation consultant suggested I pump to preserve my supply while Fionn and I learned the acquired skill that is breastfeeding. Thus began the so called triple feeding; a regimen of breastfeeding, pumping, bottle feeding expressed milk and sterilizing the equipment before starting the process again. Every 3 hours. The process itself often took over 2.

Before Fionn was born I blithely commented that I would breastfeed if possible and if not he could have a bottle. I was not prepared for the intense instinctual drive to feed him directly from the body which delivered him. I enlisted the help of midwives, public and private lactation consultants, public health nurses, friends and a doula. Some were wonderfully supportive. Others less so. More still were eager to assist but lacked the knowledge and skills to do so. Several weeks and a few hundred fraught attempts at feeding later, I finally stumbled upon knowledge, skills and support in abundance at my local La Leche League Group.

In its members, I found the intergenerational support system which until then had eluded me. The leaders and members, themselves ordinary yet extraordinary women who had breastfed their own children,  made themselves available for lengthy supportive chats at undoubtedly inopportune times and hands on guidance with latch and positioning. All free of charge. The extent of their knowledge of all issues breastfeeding related was unsurpassed by all the other professionals I had encountered.

When Fionn turned seven weeks old we finally ditched the pump. That’s when the fun began.   At 4 months we breastfed all the way to South Africa with not so much as a single stand-by bottle packed. Now at 8 months we are  happily breastfeeding our way to Áras an Uachtaráin for national breastfeeding week. Thank you to La Leche League for bringing the fun to me and Fionn…for helping me to feed my beautiful son x