![]() ![]() I’m not opposed to formula by any means, but I recognize now that introducing formula so early wasn’t helpful in establishing a strong nursing relationship. He was worried about Ollie’s sugar dropping, and didn’t want him to lose much weight. In addition, because of Ollie’s size, the pediatrician insisted we supplement with formula while in the hospital. I found myself feeling overwhelmed with the abundance of conflicting information I was given. ![]() The nurses would attempt to help, but each had different personal experiences and different techniques. The hospital where I delivered didn’t have any lactation consultants readily available. That was discouraging, to say the least, and planted a tiny seed of doubt in my mind. She explained that flat nipples coupled with a small baby would make breastfeeding difficult. After all, they were the only nipples I had, and I’d never had a problem with them before. I didn’t really understand the implications behind that phrase. The first nurse who evaluated us surprised me by saying “Oh! Your nipples are flat!”. Ollie would attempt to latch on, but he had a shallow latch (which I now understand was partially due to the tongue tie), and would get frustrated easily. The first three days in the hospital were difficult. I borrowed a pump from a friend, read up on different techniques for feeding, and hoped I was ready. I hadn’t given much thought to how long I would breastfeed, but knew I wanted to give it my best shot. I was a first time mom, and breastfeeding had always been a goal of mine. The attending pediatrician brushed it off, but the MD encouraged me to get it evaluated by a dental surgeon upon discharge from the hospital. In fact, his tongue wouldn’t extend past his gums at all. Immediately, the MD who delivered him noticed that he had a significant tongue tie. There was some fetal distress during delivery and he was born dusky, but crying. He was small, weighing only 5lbs 8oz, which the medical staff attributed to the placental tear and pre-eclampsia I had developed. Oliver was born full-term, at 37+3 weeks gestation. Written by: Jamie Images and text by Jessica Casey. ![]()
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