Even a breastfeeding mom of 5 can have trouble with breastfeeding.

By Julie F.

Our family recently welcomed our fifth baby to the world. At first, everything was classic textbook — normal pregnancy, normal delivery — and I assumed breastfeeding would also go without a hitch. I had exclusively breastfed my other children for six months and had continued with it until they were about a year old. This was the plan for our newest baby. It had worked four times before, and is just what I do.

When we got home from the hospital, I began to notice that our baby seemed extra “cranky” and wanted to feed non-stop. I nursed that little girl around the clock. I knew my milk had come in and I was consuming my favorite milk boosters–oatmeal and brewer’s yeast–to try and keep up with the demand. She would nurse for 30 minutes, but still wasn’t satisfied — within the next 30 minutes to an hour, she would be rooting around again, sucking on her hands and looking to eat. She never went two hours without trying to breastfeed. And it was painful!

She would nurse for 30 minutes, but still wasn’t satisfied — within the next 30 minutes to an hour, she would be rooting around again, sucking on her hands and looking to eat.

I could tell my breasts were never getting super full nor could I feel the strong let-down sensation I had experienced with my other babies. At first, I thought she was just having a longer period of cluster-feedings (when babies bunch many feedings together in their early weeks). But even with her constant feeding, she dropped a bit of weight by her two-week well check.

The pediatrician told me despite all my efforts, I just wasn’t producing enough milk. To make sure my daughter had enough nutrition, I would need to start supplementing her diet with formula after each feed. She also explained that once the bottle is introduced, it often becomes more and more difficult for mothers to continue to breast feed due to breast refusal and breastfeeding confidence issues. Despite the mother’s best efforts, babies usually end up choosing the bottle.

The pediatrician told me despite all my efforts, I just wasn’t producing enough milk.

This was a big blow, and I tried to hold back the tears. I was overwhelmed and exhausted from the past two weeks. I began to understand what so many of my friends have gone through and remembered how heartbreaking it was for them to not nourish their child as they wished. I truly did not know how important breastfeeding was to me until I thought it was going to end.

But I wasn’t going to give up on breastfeeding. I knew that if I was going to be successful, I would need a special bottle for a breastfed baby. Enter mimijumi!

My husband offered the mimijumi bottle of formula to our two-week old baby, and she took to it immediately! We were both shocked at how easy it was — but I knew the real test would be getting her to alternate between bottle and breast. And she did! Two hours later, she was eager to breastfeed again. We were thrilled — after using the mimijumi bottle, she came back to the breast with no problem.

When I went back to the pediatrician a week later, baby’s weight was up and everything was working out. The doctor was happily surprised when I told her that baby-girl was transitioning from breast to bottle to breast seamlessly. When I showed her the mimijumi bottle I had been using, the pediatrician said she believed the bottle helped with this great result. And it came with an added bonus — my husband got to wake up for those 3 am feedings!

The doctor was happily surprised when I told her that baby-girl was transitioning from breast to bottle to breast seamlessly.

Our little girl is now almost 3 months old and things are still going well. She is mostly breastfed, but still needs some supplementation. I am so incredibly grateful for the mimijumi bottle. Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to keep breastfeeding. The bottle has allowed me to make my own feeding decision rather than letting the unfortunate circumstances decide for me.

So even baby number 5 can still teach you some things and throw you through loops. I don’t know where this new feeding journey will take us, and I am learning to be ok with that!