When I hear that more than 85% of new moms said they intended to breastfeed for three months or more but only 32.4% actually met their mark, it begs the question – why?

When I in labour with my first son, I had developed a fever near (the whole thing was a nightmare).  My baby boy was put on antibiotics right after I gave birth.  I was dealing with my afterbirth while he was whisked away to NICU.

Once I was transferred to my hospital room and “came to” after the ordeal (episiotomy and vacuum used for delivery), I asked where my baby was – I wanted to breastfeed him.

The nurse said they had given him a feeding.

“Excuse me?” I replied.  Who the hell authorized you to give him a feeding?!  I wanted his first feeding to me my breast milk!

“Oh, we only fed him a little bit.”

“I don’t care – I want my baby right now, I want to feed him right now,” I said.

I was furious.  Emotionally and physically drained from the labour and delivery, now you’re telling me I can’t breastfeed my baby?!?!  Keep in mind you are also very emotional post-partum – anything can trigger you to burst into tears.

I had planned how the whole labour and delivery was going to be… and although it didn’t go the way I had hoped, I at least wanted to have my baby on my chest and breastfeed him as soon as possible after birth.

That didn’t happen.

Fine, I could live with that – after all, he needed to get his needles done and needed antibiotics.  But I was disappointed that they didn’t think to bring him back to me to nurse him.  Or at least make an attempt.

I was very upset that they had given him formula without asking me. Couldn’t they have considered bringing him to me to nurse?   See if I was able to even try?  I honestly don’t know what the nurses were thinking…

The experience gave me a taste of what can happen when the hospital “takes charge” and makes decisions for you.  Not that formula hurt anybody but it was MY choice to nurse – it was MY choice to refuse formula.

It’s no wonder that 15 percent of moms who intend to breastfeed stop nursing before they even leave the hospital.

I’m not going to even get into the epidural nightmare I had…

After giving birth, did you breastfeed right away? Did you feel the hospital pushed formula?