My breastfeeding journey started off being more challenging than I expected. I struggled with my baby not latching properly, which made feeding very painful. She was choking during the let-down (milk release) and I didn't know what to do. I wasn't even sure what was happening. My breasts became sore, nipples cracked, and my milk ducts felt clogged, which made me feel discouraged and I wanted to stop breastfeeding.

I would like to share my experience in case it may help another mother. My baby weighed 4.8kg when she was 10 weeks old. She was fond of sucking on her dummy and by 14 weeks she had not picked up much weight; she weighed only 5kg. My La Leche League Leader suggested that I stop giving my daughter the dummy and have her go back in one week’s time to check if she had gained weight.

As both a mother and a medical doctor, I have always known that breastfeeding is the best form of nutrition for a baby. It was not just a preference for me, it was a commitment. I was determined to make it work.

As a grandmother, I was given the privilege of playing an important role in my daughter-in-law's life. Having breastfed my own two sons, who are now fathers themselves, La Leche League was my go-to for encouragement and support 30 years ago. It remains so today, as I care for my breastfed granddaughter while her mommy is at work.

I just wanted to share my experience in case it helps another mom. In the first week after bringing my baby home, she developed jaundice. Besides the blue light therapy, we were told the main way to clear it was for her to feed a lot so that she could pass the bilirubin out through her stools.

Like many mothers, I was incredibly excited to begin my breastfeeding journey after my baby was born. Breastfeeding felt like such a natural and beautiful experience—I never imagined that anything could go wrong.

Gwynneth is a Leader in Cape Town. She is passionate about supporting working moms and has served in various admin roles within LLLSA.

Nan, one of our longest serving leaders, is based in Gqeberha involved with the LLLSA group there as well as active on our Facebook group.