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Home › Articles › Essays/Opinion › A Mother's Story of Relactating

A Mother's Story of Relactating

One Woman Never Gave Up on Breastfeeding

By Marilyn Detrio Kirkland

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Begin Again-A Mother's Story of Relactating

When I was expecting my first child, I read book after book on infant care, growth and development, nutrition and emotional needs. My mother always promoted the idea of nursing as being best for both the baby and the mother, so I attended a few La Leche League meetings to be totally up to speed on the subject. At my first meeting, I met a lovely young woman named Candace who was the group leader.

When my beautiful little girl was brought to me in my hospital room, I put her to my breast as if I were a pro. I was told that the discomfort I felt would subside as she continued to nurse. During the two to three days in the hospital, things rocked along. What I didn't know was that Baby was being given supplemental bottles in the nursery.

As soon as we got home, she proceeded to sleep in her cradle for the next four hours. I said to my husband, "This isn't so bad – not bad at all." That was the first and last time I uttered those words for many months to come.

The "discomfort" did not ease up. It progressed to the point that I would rather have gone back to the hospital and had another baby – natural childbirth and all. Every four hours, I nursed her with tears running down my cheeks, my dear husband dutifully at my side. I squeezed his hand so tightly I stopped all the circulation. (I do believe I saw a tear run down his cheek once, but he assured me he was "just fine.")

In the midst of my efforts, I overlooked the fact that my physical tension could be preventing letdown. I was not, however, unaware for one minute that the baby was hungry and cried often to be fed. As a committed nursing mother, I would not hear of supplementing her feedings with a bottle, but I needed to get over this rather quickly.


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