When She Still Wasn’t Latching

By mid-morning of my daughter’s second day of life, I was miserable. I didn’t cry or shout or even yell at anything. But I sat there in my bed, staring at this little piece of perfection and felt like a total failure. Why couldn’t I get her to nurse? Two nurses had come by in the last twenty-four hours. Both tried to help me with her, both just kept assuring me to give her time and to keep trying. I was miserable enough that their suggestions felt critical – not exactly something you want to hear when you’re as frustrated … Continue reading

What if My Baby Can’t Latch?

There’s nothing more frustrating when you’ve chosen to breastfeed than a baby who cannot or will not latch. There are many reasons why a baby can’t latch, some can be corrected and some cannot. Or at least, in my experience they cannot. When my daughter was born, we’d already decided to breastfeed. Our reasoning was as follows: Breastfeeding would be healthier for her. Breastfeeding would be cheaper for us. Breastfeeding would promote the bond between my daughter and I. Breastfeeding meant I wouldn’t have to warm up bottles. Yes, I know – two of those reasons were pretty selfish, but … Continue reading