A mum who has never had success breastfeeding her three children was overjoyed when she had her “first latch” with her fourth child.
Christine McCabe, from the US, shared her story on Facebook page ‘Breastfeeding Mama Talk’ to encourage other new mums who are struggling.
The proud mum snapped a photo of her newborn daughter having her first feed.
“She nurses like a pro ad it’s such an amazing feeling,” McCabe wrote.
McCabe explained that her newborn daughter’s birth was very fast, with just two hours of labour and four pushes.
“I’ve never had any success breastfeeding my other three so when I found out I was pregnant I was determined to nurse her,” the mum wrote.
“We didn’t didn’t get our first latch until she was an hour and a half old as I had a massive panic attack, I believe due to such a quick labour and delivery.
“I was so nervous she wouldn’t nurse, I know how important that golden hour is.”
McCabe’s reference to the “golden hour” relates to feeding the baby immediately after being born.
A study at Vanderbilt University of 3,850 mums and babies, released on 28 November 2016, revealed that women who had skin-to-skin contact with their baby immediately after birth were 50% more likely to breastfeed until six months.
The study found babies who experience this contact are also “less stressed, with more stable heart and breathing rates”.
“After the first hour or two, stress hormones in the baby from being born recede and the baby gets really, really sleepy,” said lead author Elizabeth Moore, from Vanderbilt University, according to TV3.
“You want to catch them in the first hour when they are wide awake, moving around and interested in latching on and sucking, because after that they crash. So that hour is what they call the golden hour.”
McCabe credited breastfeeding support sites as being a “source of strength” to her being successful on her fourth child.
Other mums who have struggled with breastfeeding found comfort in McCabe’s determination to nurse her daughter.
“You guys encourage me to keep trying,” one woman wrote.
“I’m pumping when it hurts because we don’t always successfully latch, although we are having more good latching days this week. I’m going to keep going.”
Another mum wrote: “Out first latch with my third child. I never breastfed the other two and was so determined with her! Four weeks and still going strong.”