Bethany's Breastfeeding Story.
My name is Rachel Douglass and I live with my partner Kevin Andrew and our
daughter Bethany Elizabeth Andrew who was born at 5.27pm on the 29th May, 1997.
While I was pregnant I wasn't too sure whether I would breastfeed or not. I
didn't really like the idea. My hospital is very pro breastfeeding and they
organize a 'breastfeeding workshop' for pregnant mums where they go over all
the pros and cons and show you positions for feeding etc. I went to the
workshop at 36 weeks pregnant and by the end of the day I really wanted to
breastfeed my baby. They gave me loads of literature and contact numbers if
there were any problems. I made the decision that I would breastfeed but
that, if it didn't work out I wasn't going to get upset about it. I feel
that my relaxed attitude in the first few days really helped to get feeding
established.
Anyhow, after a very short, uncomplicated labour my daughter was born
weighing 9 pounds 5 ounces and very, very hungry! My partner held her while
I was having stitches and she was trying to latch on to his nose, and
sucking all his fingers! A midwife helped me to position her at my breast
and then we were left alone, just the three of us, with the lights dimmed
while Bethany had her first feed.
The help during the two days I spent in hospital was brilliant, there was
always a midwife who was happy to spend some time with me making sure
Bethany was latching on correctly. Bethany seemed to know exactly what to
do, the hospital encouraged bringing the baby into the same bed as you and I
would wake up to find her sucking happily.
I was a bit worried that I wouldn't manage at home, but apart from having
very sore breasts when my milk came in I was fine. A week after she was born
I fed her in public for the first time, at the park, and I've never looked
back since. In my area of London breastfeeding is widely accepted. Partly
because of the local hospitals encouragement and because the large Nigerian
and Afro Caribbean population here are very open about breastfeeding in public.
