Welcoming a new baby can be one of the most exciting—and most challenging—times in a new parent’s life. Bringing home this new little human comes with so many unexpected questions, and one of the biggest is often feeding your baby.
Before my baby was even born, I started researching ways to successfully begin my breastfeeding journey. Around 36 weeks, I asked an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) about harvesting my colostrum. She walked me through everything I needed to know and sent me a video showing how to hand express. By the time my baby arrived, I had a nice stock of colostrum waiting in my freezer.
When my son was born, he didn’t take to breastfeeding right away. The IBCLC at the hospital took the time to help me express my colostrum and showed my husband how to feed our son using a syringe. This made a world of difference during those first few days. When I was exhausted from cluster feeding and my milk was still coming in, my husband could confidently grab the frozen colostrum from the freezer and feed our baby while I got some much-needed rest.
Once my milk came in, I was engorged and uncomfortable. I was able to call the IBCLCs at the hospital, who helped me find relief and reduce my risk of mastitis. I still credit those phone calls with helping me safely pump and express milk while staying comfortable.
As the weeks went on, we found ourselves with a very colicky baby. He cried day and night, and we didn’t really know what to do. I started attending Baby Café at Mothers’ Milk Bank and found so much support there. Baby Café is a free weekly lactation support group led by an IBCLC. I began attending regularly and simply talking through the challenges my husband and I were facing. Kitcia, the IBCLC at MMB, would listen and give advice, as would the other moms in the group. Even just being heard was a huge help.
As time went on, new challenges arose. My baby wasn’t gaining the weight he needed to be. While my pediatrician wasn’t overly concerned, my mama alarm bells were going off. I brought my concerns to Baby Café, where Kitcia listened and reassured me. She suggested we do weighted feeds to better understand what was happening and recommended adding a couple of bottles to his regular feedings. I was still worried, but I finally had a plan I felt confident in.
A couple of weeks later, my baby was diagnosed with a cow’s milk protein allergy, which was incredibly hard for me to process. I felt like I had been poisoning my baby. Kitcia once again reassured me that he was okay and helped me to not feel guilty.
Despite these changes, we continued to face challenges with weight gain and latching. During weighted feeds, we noticed a pattern—he was only transferring about 2 ounces per feed, nursing for long periods, and dribbling a lot of milk from his mouth. Kitcia sat with me, observed a feeding, and offered tips to improve his latch. She also performed an oral assessment and noticed tightness in his tongue and lip. She suggested physical therapy and a visit to a pediatric dentist.
We followed up with a dentist and ultimately had his tongue and lip tie released. Throughout the entire process, I knew I could turn to Kitcia for support. She walked with us through the eight weeks of oral stretches after his revision and celebrated with me when my baby transferred over 3 ounces of milk for the first time during group.
Through all of this, what stuck with me most was knowing I had someone who truly understood what I was going through and genuinely wanted to help me succeed. From the IBCLCs in the hospital to Kitcia at Mothers’ Milk Bank, I had a team supporting my breastfeeding journey. Even when Kitcia suggested giving my baby more bottles, which wasn’t part of my original plan, she acknowledged how hard that was for me while still helping me move forward with a plan I could accept. Feeling truly seen in that moment made a huge difference.
I hope all new parents can find this kind of support. Even for babies who don’t face the challenges mine did, having someone who can simply reassure you that everything is okay can make all the difference. Baby Café at Mothers’ Milk Bank is a wonderful place to start.
