"KEMH - Breastfeeding centre/ Lactation consultants"

I can not thank these wonderful women, especially Emiko our Lactation consultant, and the services of the breastfeeding centre enough. 

After a straight forward birth with MGP4, one of my home visiting midwives assessed how my 3 day old Bub was feeding - not very well it turns out. My nipples were in pieces and so incredibly painful. My midwife discussed with me the best way forward, which was to stop feeding and start pumping - rest and express. She organised for us to hire a pump through the breastfeeding centre, on a weekend!, and told us to book an appointment. 

I called the next day and was told there was a three-week wait as the centre was so busy, the thought of waiting that long was scary but fine as I needed the appointment! Later that same afternoon I was so extremely lucky, I received a call saying they had had a cancellation for the next morning and as my milk had come in already would I like it!? Absolutely! 

As soon as we arrived, we felt so comfortable to ask all questions and discuss all our concerns. Our little girl, at 5 days old, was assessed by two lactation consultants and confirmed she had quite a bad tongue tie and high palate. Emiko then discussed with my husband and I all the options we had available to us and helped us to make an informed decision to book our little girl in for a frenotomy. 

Following the frenotomy with a paediatric surgeon, we had two follow up appointments with Emiko over the next few weeks. We noticed a difference in our baby's tongue and movements straight away however feeding was still difficult for her as she then had to re-learn how to suck and use her tongue. Emiko helped us with strategies for both my baby and I to help with learning to latch on properly and we also used a nipple shield for about 7 weeks which helped a lot while she was learning to latch. Emiko also helped us with ways to then wean off from using the shield when my baby was ready.  I also ended up getting mastitis in this time due to a blocked milk duct, I have never felt so sick. Luckily I had got onto it quickly and Emiko provided me with the current policy for treatment of mastitis and everything I needed to do and thankfully it settled quite fast.

I still feel so extremely lucky to have been called for that cancellation appointment which meant our baby was assessed earlier, and therefore allowed us to get the frenotomy procedure done sooner and then start on our journey of learning to breastfeed again. I often wonder, if we had had to wait 3 weeks for that appointment how we would have done it, what emotional state I would have been in and how much longer the journey would have lasted. 

It was so incredibly helpful to have access and the time to have experts assess my baby, watch us and help us breastfeed, answer all of my questions and provide us with the care and support we needed at such an overwhelming and difficult time. 

I knew breastfeeding was going to be hard but I feel nothing can prepare you for it.  I was in so much pain and discomfort and emotionally struggling to understand why my baby and I couldn't breastfeed properly, but in only 3 appointments Emiko helped so much in so many ways but also to reassure me that my baby and I could do this, it would take time and practice but we would get there. 

I could have very easily given up and can now see why so many women do stop breastfeeding. I think that if all women had access to such an incredible service and the wonderful lactation consultants it would help so many women to continue breastfeeding for longer. 

Thank you so much!!!!