The Most Rewarding Experience
By Lauri Houpy
Dallas TX USA
From: NEW BEGINNINGS, Vol. 22 No. 6, November-December 2005, p. 255
If someone were to ask, "Would you do it over again?" I would reply, "In a heartbeat!" I
think that becoming a mother is the most rewarding experience a woman can have. When I became pregnant, I had one
very important goal: to breastfeed. I was not going to let anyone pressure me into doing anything different. But I
never dreamed that there could be problems. Breastfeeding can be hard work for both baby and mother, but the
rewards far outweigh the trials.
Our daughter, Deanna, was born six weeks early in January of 2003. I gave birth in a hospital and chose natural
childbirth for the delivery. For that I am thankful because it is a time that I can fully remember and I did it on
my own. Because of complications, I was not able to breastfeed right away. Deanna was whisked away to the NICU and
placed on a ventilator to assist her breathing. Fortunately, I was able to start breastfeeding when she was 12
hours old. It was then that our problems began.
Because of her prematurity, Deanna could not stay at the breast for long without tiring. I was told by the staff
that I had to pump and feed her my milk in a bottle. That was so disheartening, but I stuck with it. On day four,
Deanna developed jaundice and was placed in an incubator with special lights. I was only able to hold her while
feeding a bottle of my milk. During her extended hospital stay I worked very closely with the lactation nurses. I
became very close to one nurse, Nuala Murphy. She answered my many questions and helped me to see the advantages of
breastfeeding. She also became my greatest encourager, second only to my husband. At two weeks, Deanna was
discharged and we took her home.
I encountered many problems, which included insufficient milk supply, mastitis, a case of shingles, and just
being overtired. I had long days and nights, sometimes pumping every two hours for several weeks in a row. Some
well-meaning people were telling me to quit, and, because of that, I wondered, "Can I really do this
breastfeeding thing?" Nuala worked with me on a weekly basis for several months. I still had issues, but
things were getting better. Nuala became my breastfeeding shield of support. She encouraged me, cried with me, and
encouraged me some more. She referred me to my local La Leche League Group for additional support. That was the
beginning of a relationship with a great group of friends.
Deanna is now two-and-a-half years old and is a healthy, breastfeeding toddler. As a family we will continue to
support her until she weans by herself. I continue to enjoy the rewards of breastfeeding.
I know that I gave Deanna the very best start and nursing into toddlerhood is shaping her into who she will
become. I am so thankful to have met a dedicated lactation specialist like Nuala, who really does care about her
job and the families she works with. Without her support my efforts to continue breastfeeding would have ended. I
am also grateful for my LLL Leaders and friends for their support, too. I look forward to reading NEW BEGINNINGS
magazine, another type of support from mothers I've never met.
Sunday, February 19, 2006 1:40 PM
by jlm.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:30:47 UTC 2007.
