Moms on Breastfeeding: Part I

Zodwa with baby Siphiwe

In honour of Breastfeeding Week, we bring you breastfeeding experiences from two of our followers. In the first post, Zodwa Nzima, an executive service specialist at Discovery, tells about her breastfeeding experience with baby Siphiwe.

Breastfeeding for me was a complete nightmare in the beginning. I had a C-Section as my son was 3.76kg and breastfeeding is the best option to heal faster. I didn’t partake in the old wives tales, pulling my nipples whilst I was pregnant and struggled a lot getting my son to latch onto my nipple on my first day. 

I hated breastfeeding because it was the most painful part of my pregnancy! I was running a tap of milk, changing my breast pads every 5 hours but my son would cry a lot. I went back to the hospital to query if I was breastfeeding correctly, alternative options  to breastfeed only to be told I have perfect nipples and just a new technique to hold my son whilst breastfeeding. The nurse advised me to relax, have a snack, read a book, get comfortable basically when breastfeeding. The pain whilst breastfeeding and my operation that was very difficult to relax and be comfortable. 

I slowly though got the hang of things, became a “whip it out in public”, LOL!!! (I was always against woman pulling out their boobs in public referred to them as the “whip it out in public” and told myself I would never breastfeed in public) Guess what I claimed the title too, in the parking bays, restaurants, malls, pulling on the side of the highway to breastfeed. It’s the best bonding session ever, the feeling…..priceless!

Wow I miss that! It got so enjoyable adjusting to breastfeeding and giving him the bottle as well (my son loves food!) that it became my favourite part of the day. Just when I had mastered breastfeeding, my son stopped and wanted the bottle more. I think it was because of the way my milk came out. I had lots of milk but he struggled pulling or getting full from my breasts and the bottle was easier. I started breastfeeding only at night after work till he refused that process as well. He is now 8months tomorrow and has 2 bottom teeth, is starting to walk and driving me insane moving around the furniture as he holds on to everything trying to walk!

Thanks for your story Zodwa! Your perseverence to breastfeed despite the difficulties is a lesson for all mom's starting out breastfeeding.