"Thank You, Aislinn".

 I am a mother of 3 children, ages 7, 5 and 1. When I became pregnant with our 3rd child, all I wanted to do was get the chance to nurse her.

 

 

   See, I didn't nurse our first 2 children. With our 7 year old, the hospital was understaffed and there were other mothers in labor. When they gave me our daughter I put her to my breast and she screamed and screamed every single time. So, the nurses just gave me a bottle to give her. I was only 23 and had no support from anyone. No one in my family had nursed a baby and my husband had no clue what to do, so we just accepted it and continued with formula.

   

 

 When I gave birth to our 2nd child, I was so happy to be able to try to nurse again! Again, he wouldn't latch, he wouldn't take a bottle anything. We put sugar water on my breast, nothing same with the bottle. Then they gave me a pump and I was able to pump enough for him for 3 weeks. Then my supply started to drop and I couldn't provide for him anymore, so we went to formula again.

  

 

  When I saw the double pink lines on my pregnancy test, I prayed to God to be able to nurse this baby, to not feel like I failed again. 9 months later, I met my beautiful baby girl. I was so nervous (and excited!) to try breastfeeding. I put her to me and she didn't scream like her sister, she didn't refuse me like her brother, she looked at me and just latched on! I cried with so much happiness! I think I cried every time she nursed for the first month. I began pumping after 3 weeks so my husband could assist with her feedings, at 4 months she refused her bottles, but I continued to pump. I had so much extra breast milk, that I was able to donate over 600 ounces to Mother Milk Bank of Austin.

  

 

  My baby just finished nursing, the day after she turned 1. She was nursing 5 times a day still, morning, nap and bedtime and twice on the overnight. So when she stopped, I was so shocked! I felt all postpartum again and man, did my breast hurt! But now, I can be in a room with a breastfeeding Mommy and not cry, just reminisce about how I was able to give her the best possible thing for a year and a day. Don't get me wrong, I totally miss that bond, but I know that GOD answered my prayers with her and helped me provide for premature and critically ill babies by giving my an amazing surplus of milk! I Love that I was able to nurse her, it was truly an amazing year of my life!

 

Thank you for letting me share my breastfeeding story with you!

 

 

 Brooke, 30 Mommy to Aislinn, 12.5 months