#vrikshambreastfeedingjourney

How do I start?! By thanking Anu Akka?? Yes!! Anu Akka your name stands tall in my gratitude journal. Thank you so much for guiding all new moms throughout a beautiful journey named PREGNANCY 🤰🏽and MOTHERHOOD👩‍👧!

I, Harinee Meda Joshi, practicing Advocate from Bengaluru have been a silent follower of your page on Instagram, and now your student too! Having attended all your sessions including the latest- starting solids, I have gained more and more knowledge about the subjects! My favorite session was “BREASTFEEDING”.

After attending anu akka’s session on breastfeeding, I personally felt it was a very easy journey as Anu akka made the session so easy, understanding and liking. I delivered my beautiful baby girl at 40weeks and 2 days via emergency c-section. Immediately after the birth, there was skin-to-skin, and colostrum (the first milk) was breastfed to my baby! 😍

After which, the breastfeeding journey started. My baby didn’t latch properly or I dint feel what the correct latch was, my baby started to lose weight. My supply was very low or I can even say it was zero. Due to improper latching, I had deep Nipple cracks. I have cried out for pain and help. I have felt guilty for not being able to feed my baby as she wanted and her hunger cues were increasing. Those days made me feel that I am not doing proper justice to her.

Not knowing what to do, suddenly I remembered one mantra “DEMAND=SUPPLY”. It was only when I was supplying less I understood the true value of the breastmilk. It’s truly a GOLDEN LIQUID. 😇 I started having a lot of skin-to-skin with my baby and mostly I would keep my baby towards my breast for a lot of time. It’s only after 15 days of birth the supply gradually started to increase but the crack became worst and worst as the latch was still not corrected. Improper latching resulted in deep nipple crack but it would never bleed.

I continued to breastfeed my baby with the pain in the nipple because I dint want to feel the mother’s guilt anytime. To be frank, most of the time I wanted to give up breastfeeding because of the pain but whenever I would look at my daughter’s face, she always gave me hope saying momma you will be fine. That’s when I knew that my baby would help me heal. As days passed, the latch was corrected and the nipple crack was healed resulting in an increase in the supply to a great level. I started having a fast flow or overflow. I couldn’t believe that I was actually breastfeeding my baby. I started loving my breastfeeding journey. It’s the best thing that I can ever do for my baby girl. She is now 6.5m and we both love this journey and hope to feed her till she decides to wean.

It was when my baby was 2 months, I decided to donate the milk. I never knew that one can donate breastmilk. It’s only after attending Anu Akka’s session, I learned that we can do it. Thus, in March 2022 I started pumping the milk. Initially, I started pumping late in the evening. I would collect around 70-90ml. I would store the same in the breastmilk storage bags and deep freeze them.

It was one night when I was feeling my breast very heavy and it urged me to pump. It was 2:00 am midnight, I started pumping and was surprised to know I could collect 200ml on one side. Ever since then, for a period of one month I started collecting the breastmilk and storing them accordingly. I followed all safety measures while I would pump, store, and also while washing the pump parts. After collection of 3.2L, I contacted a breastmilk collecting organization and donated them the same.

I feel proud of my baby girl for supporting me in this journey. I hope the little donation that we have done has helped the babies in need. 🙂 Lastly, I would like to thank my family for encouraging me in doing this act.