Back to breastfeeding after surgery - Rubeena

September 2025

I wanted to share my story in the hope that it brings encouragement to another mama who might be feeling the way I did just a few months ago. 

I gave birth in February and the first two months postpartum were incredibly hard for me. My baby didn’t latch deeply enough, and my nipples were constantly cracked and broken.  I pushed through the pain and tears because I really wanted to breastfeed — and just when we finally got to a point where she was feeding beautifully, I faced another huge challenge.

I had to go in for emergency gallbladder removal surgery in June. While I was in hospital, my baby was on formula for three days. I tried to pump whenever I could, but because of the pain and recovery, I wasn’t able to express nearly as often as I should have.

When I was discharged, I immediately went back to breastfeeding — but my supply had taken a major dip. My baby would latch, but after a few seconds, she’d pull away, cry, and scream. I assumed the flow was too slow because I didn’t even hear the usual suck-and-swallow sounds anymore.

Over a 48 hour period, she only had 4 wet nappies, and my heart sank — I knew she wasn’t getting enough milk. I tried expressing in the middle of the night and barely got 5mls. At that point, I felt completely despondent and anxious.

The thought of our breastfeeding journey ending at just 4 months postpartum broke me. After struggling so hard in the beginning, I wasn’t ready to give up, even though so many people around me were saying, “Just put her on formula. You're starving her.” Deep down, I wanted to fight for this journey. 

I followed the advice given by the La Leche League Leader:

- lots of skin to skin and cuddles

- stop the bottle completely

- feed with a syringe if necessary 

It worked like a bomb! We stopped the bottle completely, I latched her onto me every 30 mins for 24 hours while in skin to skin contact. 

My baby is happily drinking again, my supply has picked up, and we are back on track with our breastfeeding journey.

To any mama going through something similar: please know there is hope. Even after a rough start, surgery, and a temporary switch to formula, it’s absolutely possible to rebuild your supply and reconnect with your baby. With the right guidance and a lot of determination, you can come back from what feels like the end of breastfeeding. ♥