Breastfeeding Stories - Emma

This is Emma, she is Mum to three children and is photographed here with her youngest two Luisne and William. These are her words.

When I had my first daughter, aged 26, I had thought I would breast feed her. I tried and tried and it wasn’t working in the hospital. She was jaundiced. On discharge they told me to keep feeding her and if she continued to be jaundice to return to the hospital. I was afraid, I didn’t know what I was doing and gave her formula and never returned to breast feeding.

At age 35, having my second daughter I wanted to breast feed. I had developed Crohn’s disease at age 28. The health benefits of breast feeding were immense for baby and me in relation to this disease and many other health benefits.

I must of come up against what felt like every challenge possible for my last two children's breastfeeding journeys: tongue tie, supply which required pumping between feeds to stimulate milk production , difficulty’s with latching, severe damage to the breast, five bouts of mastitis in total.

I sought help from so many resources: lactation consultants, doctors, osteopaths, friends of breast feeding and Cuidiu. The response from all of these passionate people supported me through it one feed at a time as they said . They were on the phone morning noon and night to me. The difficulty’s passed in a few months and I had a beautiful breast feeding relationship with both my children. My daughter I fed for 20 months (and while pregnant on my son) and my son until he was 17 months.

It was one of the most challenging parts of being a mum. But I am very determined . It was one I am very proud of. Seeing your baby grow and knowing you have created them and fed them is quite amazing.

I made 3 very close life long mum friends during this time that also struggled with feeding. These are my Mum crew.

From a practical point of view it was always so handy. Food was always there when it was needed easy peasy. One less thing to think about as a busy mum.

Always remember no one is ever as tired as a breast feeding mother.