08/17/2026
Despite breastfeeding each of my kiddos for 15 months, 25 months, and going on 32 months with my 3rd-I have experienced issues at some point in each nursing relationship.
My first kiddo had a killer tongue tie that was released at 6 days old and my supply had already been significantly affected. I triple fed for 3 weeks, every 2 hrs-24 hrs a day, in determination to regain my supply and put weight on him. Throughout the 15 months of our breastfeeding journey I also experienced milk blisters, oversupply, recurring clogged ducts, thrush, and ni**le vasospasms. A lot of our feedings were painful and after reaching 15 months I couldn’t put my body through it anymore. It’s as if he understood and took to weaning well, probably even better than mama did.
With my 2nd, I was so excited to have a different experience. He kept getting sleepy at the breast though and I could tell he wasn’t gaining as much weight as he should. At 2 weeks old he was finally back to birth weight but obviously needed more. I started pumping and supplementing, feeling the trauma of the first time all over again. He had tongue and lip ties as well that were released at 3 weeks old. We were able to have mostly pain free feedings, but I still experienced the vasospasms and had a fun dose of mastitis. I had to night wean him prior to getting divorced which was very difficult on both of us. I happily nursed that kiddo until a month after his 2nd birthday.
My 3rd was born via c-section for a surprise breech presentation. She wasn’t placed skin to skin until 14 minutes after being born. I was shaking uncontrollably for 3 hours after surgery, using every brain cell to try and keep her on me and latched. Her latches looked great externally but caused some serious pain internally. The vasospasms were back with a vengeance. My poor ni**les had experienced so much trauma in their mama years, combined with unknown autoimmune disease which made the spasms more likely. For 3 months I dreaded each nursing session. I saw chiropractors and IBCLCs without relief. It wasn’t until my daughter was worked on by a physical therapist and I started doing bodywork on her daily that we had pain free feedings. She's happily still nursing at 2.5 years old and will decide when she's over it.
I share these stories bc I want other mothers to know that even a midwife with multiple kiddos and lots of experience helping others breastfeed can still have a hard time sometimes. Every baby and every breastfeeding journey is different.
If you really want to nurse your baby there are people out there that can help. If you decide nursing isn't for you, that's okay too.
