Kaysha and Alfie
Kaysha and Alfie
What ideas, thoughts or feelings did you have about breastfeeding before pregnancy? Had you decided how to feed?
Before giving birth, I felt sure that she wanted to breastfeed. I felt very positive about it, and thought it was something that just came naturally.
In late pregnancy, I decided to have a go at colostrum harvesting. (This is a way of hand expressing some of the colostrum which is naturally produced later on in pregnancy, ready to give to baby after birth to encourage them to feed if need be. Harvesting colostrum is entirely optional.) I struggled to get any colostrum out, but during labour, a midwife gave me a demonstration on how to express, and seeing the drops of colostrum came out made me feel much more confident that my body was ready to provide milk for my precious baby boy.
Because I have bigger breasts, I was concerned that this would be an obstacle to successful breastfeeding and worried that Alfie would get suffocated! (Don’t worry – babies can feed from breasts of all shapes and sizes!)
How was the very start of your breastfeeding journey – in hospital? First 24 hours? First few days?
As you can see from this beautiful picture, Alfie latched within a few minutes of being born. (Skin to skin is really important for babies in the first hour of life – it promotes closeness, releases oxytocin for mum and baby, and baby will naturally find his or her way to the breast for a first feed).
However, in the first few days, Alfie would only latch occasionally at the breast and got quite frustrated. I found this really hard, particularly when he cried – I remember feeling like I didn’t know how to soothe him. I was even at the point where I asked my partner, Karl, to go out and buy some bottles. Instead, Karl encouraged me to go and take a few minutes to myself upstairs to relax while he cuddled Alfie and this short break made all the difference – I came down and felt refreshed, ready to try again.
A member of the Halton’s Infant Feeding Team came to see me at home soon after I was discharged from hospital and demonstrated a rugby ball hold. (This is when we tuck baby round our side, supporting them with our arm and maybe some cushions, to allow them to latch on that way. It gives mum greater visibility and suits some mums better.) Alfie latched really well, and this change in positioning took a lot of stress away and I felt much better about breastfeeding.
What – if any - issues did you face when breastfeeding?
I was fortunate that I didn’t have any pain when Alfie latched on for a feed. However, I started to struggle in the early days with the constant nature of breastfeeding. (A breastfed baby can feed 12 times or more in 24 hours, so it does take up a lot of your time!). I felt very responsible for being baby Alfie’s food source. As the weeks went on, breastfeeding made it difficult to do things like go for a night out. That said, I wouldn’t change a thing!
Dad’s important role
My partner, Karl, has been super supportive about our breastfeeding journey from the very beginning which has been an enormous help. Because I was doing all of the feeding, Karl felt like he didn’t know how he could help, but taking on a lot of the daily tasks such as cooking made sure I could relax when feeding.
Where are you now with your breastfeeding journey?
Alfie’s a toddler now, but still loves his breastfeeds. He’s social and confident, and is asking for mummy’s milk in the daytime less as he gets older. He still loves to feed to sleep in the evenings which is a really special part of our day.
Have you used any other Halton Infant Feeding services?
When Alfie was four months old, I attended an Introducing Solid Foods workshop run by Halton Infant Feeding Team. Before, I’d felt a bit daunted by the prospect of giving Alfie solids, but the workshop covered things like what foods to start with, why baby led weaning is encouraged, and the signs baby is ready for solid foods. Luckily, Alfie has taken to solid foods really well.
I also come to some of the breastfeeding drop in groups in the Halton Family Hubs, which are a good chance to chat with other breastfeeding mums over a cup of tea while the babies play.
What do you feel has been the main benefit of breastfeeding?
By far the bond we share, it’s on another level. Alfie has generally been really well as a baby, only catching a couple of colds, and I’m sure that’s down to the antibodies in the breastmilk.
Also, the convenience! My milk is always available, on tap, at the right temperature and there’s no need to pack a bag with bottles and things before we go out. As a family, we’re really glad that it’s saved us a lot of money compared to buying baby formula. When Alfie woke overnight as a baby, I could simply pick him up and latch him on, avoiding the need to go downstairs and prepare a bottle.
What advice would they give to a new mum?
Empower yourself with as much information as you can while pregnant, so you can make an informed choice about feeding. Ask as many questions as you need, and attend an antenatal feeding workshop (Halton Infant Feeding team run an antenatal infant feeding workshop once per month which is open to all Halton residents). Don’t feel worried about what’s to come – you will have your own breastfeeding journey but being prepared is so important.
This is our lovely mum Kaysha, with her little boy Alfie who was born in April 2023. We chatted to Kaysha to find out all about her breastfeeding journey – which is still going strong as Alfie approaches two!
More Stories
Read other stories from local parents who the Halton Infant Feeding Team and Family Hubs have supported recently.