Rough Start

I remember walking in my house and telling my husband I was going to breastfeed.  His reply, "I didn't know you were pregnant."  I wasn't.  I had just returned from visiting my cousin, Veronica, who had just had her daughter.  (You can red her story here as well.)  She was in so much pain from her c-section and from breastfeeding, yet she sat there and explained to me the importance of breastfeeding.  I knew then and there that if a woman could be in so much pain and still stand behind breastfeeding, it was something that shouled be important to me as well.

When I had my son, Jadyen, I immediately started nursing him. I was so relieved when he latched on and it didn’t hurt one bit. Then things took a turn. The day I was discharged the nurse explained to me that he hadn’t urinated yet so that must mean that he is not getting “enough” breast milk. She suggested I try alternating with formula. I started to cry, had I been starving him the first two days of his life? I went home and waited for him to pee. Nothing. I gave in I didn’t want to starve my baby. My husband fed him formula and I cried on the bathroom floor. 

I woke up the next morning so discouraged. My husband fed him formula again as I cried. My wonderful and encouraging husband knew how important breast milk was for our son so he told me that would be the last bottle he would give him. He encouraged me to call someone for advice, so I did. I called a La Leche consultant and she explained to me that my milk hadn’t come in yet and that my son was getting “enough.” She told me the most important action I could take was to continue nursing. She also explained my body would produce as much as Jayden needed. Two days later I awoke to a completely soaked t-shirt, MILK!

My son is now six months and I am still breastfeeding. I love looking down and seeing his eyes stare at me. I love when his tiny hand caresses my breast as if to say, “thank you mommy.”   My eyes water when I look down and see how healthy he looks and see the little rolls on his legs and thinking I did that. And then, just when a tear starts rolling down my face he bites down on my nipple with his strong gums and smiles. Holding my breathe in pain all I can do is smile back.

My boobs are for my son who is my whole life. I only want the best for him and because of that I choose to breastfeed. I love every minute of it and I am grateful that I have such strong women by my side to encourage me, thanks cuz, thanks tia (I bought myself “one cheapy watchcloth” and scrubbed my tetas.”) And even though my mommy didn’t breast feed me (at that time formula was big and they didn’t know all the benefits of breastfeeding – or so she says lol I'm only kidding mom I swear) thanks for supporting me now.

Martiza lives in Browns Mills, NJ with her son Jayden, her Rottweiler Brooklyn (her first baby) and wonderful husband Edward. She is a legal assistant in a law firm in NY.  She says, "I didn’t think I would love being a mom so much but I do and breastfeeding is just icing on the cake!'