Breastfeeding

I have three children and wanted to provide them with the best.  I attempted yo breastfeed all of them but only succeeded with one.  With my first child I began breastfeeding in the hospital but by the time we were discharged from the hospital he was on formula.  My second child was breastfed for approximately 2 weeks.  The saying "third time is a charm" was clearly meant for my youngest child.  I breastfed her for approximately six months.  She is now three and sometimes I feel like we are attached at the hip or more like she is on my hip.

I had always known the benefits of breastfeeding such as better nutrition, less illnesses, etc. which were the reasons I chose to breastfeed my children.  Research says that "breast is best."  Berger also suggests that women who continue to breastfeed for six months often receive some sort of support and encouragement.  I think support and encouragement also contribute to the success of breastfeeding.  I received encouragement from my family and the nurses at the hospital.  After leaving the hospital I met with a lactation consultant.  I also received services from the Women, Infant, & Children's Program (WIC).  When it was time for me to return to work I was provided with an electric breast pump so that I could continue to provide milk for my child while she was being cared for by others.

I was surprised to learn that in some African countries women who are HIV positive are encouraged to breastfeed their children.


Berger, K.S. (2009). The Developing Person Through Childhood (5th ed.). New York, NY:Worth Publishers.

A Personal Birthing Experience

When thinking about my own personal birthing experince I kept thinking which child do I talk about, I've ad three. They all seen to be pretty normal nothing out of the ordinary happened. But my last pregnancy was a doozey! I think that little girl was giving me a taste of my own medicine before she entered the world! I was four months pregnant and got up to go to the bathroom and somehow tripped and fell on stomach! In the process I hit my chin on the door and needed 8 stitches! OUCH! Baby girl though was still intact in the womb. Fast forwarding to day of delivery...it was a Friday and I was scheduled for a normal check up. I was up like any normal morning getting my older two ready for daycare. I remember calling the director of the daycare and asking if she could meet the kids at the door because I was having pains and didn't feel like walking. I had never went into labor by having just contractions so I was clueless. And it didn't help that every time I would go to the doctor he would say "not yet". So I continued on with my morning ritual preparing to leave for my check up. After a while the pains kept coming every five minutes or so and I kept thinking surely I'm not in labor. So I called the doctor's office and was told to go directly to labor & delivery! REALLY??? As much as I was ready to have my daughter I was not ready. The plan was for me to be induced the next day but clearly she saw otherwise. I called a friend around the corner to take me to the hospital and once we got there it was confirmed, I was in labor. About five hours later my healthy 9.9 pounds baby girl came into the world on March 14, 2008. That was a Friday and we were both released from the hospital on Sunday. However on Tuesday I was back in the hospital! I had a fever which meant go directly to the emergency room especially since I had just given birth. There is nothing like going thru a birthing experience and then being in the emergency room being poked and prodded. I was admitted into the hospital because I had a fever, high blood pressure, and pneumonia. I missed the comfort of being on the maternity floor. I was now apart of regular society. I had a roomate who snored! I was in the hospital for a week and missed my daughter's first doctor's appointment. I had also chosen to breastfeed my daughter but due to all the medicines I had to dump all the milk my body produced. After a week I was finally cleared to go home and be with my family.