Client Stories

My name is Rosy, and my journey started last year on February 9th, 2018, when I had my little girl Renata. As a first time mom, I was nervous, but I wanted to educated myself as much as possible about breastfeeding my baby as it was my goal. I took online classes with my husband and my mom with a great lactation consultant from Venezuela, as wanted for us to be ready for our baby. I delivered her without problem, she climbed to my breast and nursed in the first hour. While nursing her, I was trying to put in practice all my acquired knowledge, but it didn’t look it was working, my nipples were in pain and latching wasn’t deep. Lactation consultants at the hospital came 3 times and told me I was doing it correct, and they left me with a manual pump on the desk just in case I needed it (no even explanation). From Friday to Sunday my baby had already lost 8% of weight. During the hospital checkout the pediatrician told me that was normal, just give some formula and she should be fine. I told her I was already settle in my beliefs, and I want to feed my baby, and formula was not an option. When we got home, my baby couldn’t stop crying, I was nursing her, but nothing was calming her much. I felt inside me, something was wrong, and told my husband to look for a lactation consultant to come home next day. God listened to my prayers, and sent me an angel next day at 9am, it was Suzanne Juel. She came to our lives to give me peace, conform to my physical and soul pain, and make me confident about my capabilities to nurse. She identified my daughter had upper lip and tongue tied, that was why my baby was able to latch efficiently to make my milk to come down. Kindly, Suzanne taught me how to use the pump to make my milk come down and how to nurse my little girl with bleeding nipples. It was a long process, tongue and lip massages before every nursing session, pain 24/7, but my little girl started to gain weight, and 6 week later she got her frenotomy, and pain went away. Suzanne was always there for us, her last visit was after my baby turned 2 months, when she released us from her wings. Now, we have 18month of breastfeeding, 18 months of loving every single minute I spend with my daughter during nursing. It has created a bond between us that nothing can’t break. Only with a look, I can tell what she is trying to tell me because I have been looked at those eyes in every nursing session.

I followed my mother instincts and looked for professional help, now I can give the best gift a mother can give to her kid for life, breast milk. Hope every women out there can believe in their power to crate and give life, and promote and support more the natural act of nursing.

My name is Ashley and my 2nd breastfeeding journey started 6 months ago when my daughter Lainey was born.

I knew something was different with her than my first from the get-go. She clicked while nursing, couldn’t seem to stay latched on her own and would fall asleep before finishing a full feeding. When she would nurse for longer periods her jaw would quiver. No one in the hospital seemed to think anything of it only having one other child, I just thought it was the differences in kids.

At 4 weeks I took her to the pediatrician because she was eating every hour to hour and a half around the clock and I was exhausted. With mother instinct and google I thought she might have a tongue and/or lip tie. She was gaining weight and moving up in percentile, so the pediatrician saw no concern. Flash forward to 12 weeks old and she was still showing signs of clicking, not staying latched or finishing a full feeding and now we added not taking a bottle.

I felt trapped and desperately needed a few hours away, relief from major headaches and more than a couple hours of sleep but she would not take a bottle. That’s when my husband called Bayou City Breastfeeding. I’ll admit I was skeptical because my daughter was already 4 months old by this point, but we met with Suzanne the following week and she really heard our concerns and was very willing to help us get our daughter taking a bottle.

Suzanne realized almost immediately my daughter did, in fact, have a tongue tie and all those symptoms I knew from the beginning were confirmed. She gave us referrals for a pediatric dentist as well as an osteopath and gave us exercises to help in the meantime. She was so thorough in explaining everything we began to feel hopeful! I felt like she had my needs as a mom in mind as much as my daughters. She validated what was going on, understood and helped come up with a plan for both of us. She didn’t want to push breastfeeding on me but wanted to help me accomplish whatever it was I needed for a better mental health on my part.

My daughter is now 6 months old. We have been seeing Suzanne every couple of weeks since my daughters frenectomy. My daughters latch has improved so much, and she is finally able to finish a feeding without getting tired or frustrated and I am too! She will take a couple ounces from a bottle and we all celebrated together today! So many things are falling into place now and I don’t know what we would have done if we hadn’t found Bayou City Breastfeeding.

Lia Natalia is our surprise and joy. She was born a healthy 8 pounds 10 ounces. By 1 week old she had lost a lot of weight and I knew something wasn't right. Although the pediatrician was not concerned, I knew I needed help. I called Suzanne and, in her wisdom, she highlighted a few things that really got us going. I had had a breast reduction many years back so I knew I would be supplementing and using an SNS. Suzanne helped me navigate increasing my supply and not over supplementing. She made sure my nutrition and blood levels were monitored properly. There are just so many factors that contribute to being able to breastfeed and having a true professional help navigate them all is priceless! Additionally, the word "success' in breastfeeding is very personal, I encourage all families to remain open to what that means in a breastfeeding relationship and Suzanne can help! I know we would have struggled without her help and am so grateful to report that with her assistance we were able to breastfeed for 14 months! Since Lia is our last child this has meant everything to me!

Being a first time mom is very difficult even if you have a happy, healthy baby!  My first pregnancy was filled with anticipation until the delivery, then I was hopeful everything would go smoothly with breastfeeding because it looked so easy for other women.  It couldn’t have been farther from the truth for me.  

I began breastfeeding in the hospital and went home with a pump as well.  I remember my first doctors visit a week later and learning that my son was losing weight quickly.  I was so frustrated; I thought he was breastfeeding okay. I was a wreck.  Disappointed and hopeless, I wanted to find some answers and fast!  That’s when I went to visit Suzanne for the first time.  

She evaluated my little one and noticed he had a tongue tie and lip tie.  This was the reason for the poor exchange of milk, for his weight loss and for most of the pain I was feeling when he would latch.  My milk supply was extremely low because my son never emptied my breasts when feeding.  After my son had the tongue and lip tie revisions done, she saw him very regularly to make sure it was healing properly and that I was doing the mouth exercises correctly.  He latched much better and the pain was minimal.  We did everything we could to address the milk supply but I still had to supplement some.  The good news was I was still able to produce a little for him every day through pumping and breastfeeding.  Without Suzanne’s help, I would have had no milk supply at all.

With my second son, my baby was admitted to NICU at birth, so I was unable to try breastfeeding at delivery.  But literally 15 minutes after getting moved into the recovery room, my mom had phoned Suzanne and she was able to coach me through this difficult time.  With her encouragement, I began hand expressing and pumping within the hour.  I expressed milk every 2 to 3 hours every day until I got my regular milk supply in.  The amazing thing was that I had plenty of milk this time!! 

I was so excited and grateful that I had such an experienced and caring advocate in Suzanne.  Without her encouragement to "Pump Pump Pump" until I can see my baby, then to pump after breastfeeding too, I would have lost my supply.  Once I returned home from the hospital, I visited Suzanne for an evaluation of my second son.  He too had tongue and lip ties and some difficulty with weight gain.  We got those revised quickly and Suzanne helped us with the mouth exercises once again.  She helped to make sure that he was gaining well, and I continued both pumping and breastfeeding and was even able to get a little stored for future use!  

My second son is completely breastmilk fed thanks to Suzanne’s persistence and kindness.  She always made me feel very comfortable talking about any subject and was a huge support for me.  She also helped me work through an extremely painful episode of plugged milk ducts (ouch) and mastitis.  She had the amazing ability of helping me believe in myself with breastfeeding, even though it was extremely difficult!  

If only I had met Suzanne earlier!!  She’s a true angel and one of the best resources a new mom could ever imagine.

My pregnancy was nice, I didn’t have morning sickness or back pain. I worked right up until 8 months, and besides Hurricane Harvey and a minor car accident, everything was easy. My due date was on September 20, but I didn’t start contractions until the night of September 25th. After 18 hours of labor, breaking my water, and all kinds of other stuff you can imagine trying to have a natural birth, we ended up having to do a C-section. It was a bummer for me.

After the C-section, Ale was fine, and I was fine too. But at his 24-hour checkup; they had to put him in NICU because his heart rate was too low. It was SO SCARY; but after 2 nights and 3 days, he was released from NICU and got to come home. The doctors couldn’t figure out what caused the low heart rate, even though they ran a lot of tests. Thankfully, he was fine. Meanwhile I was struggling with milk supply --I couldn’t even produce a drop! So, we had to start giving him formula.

Once I was home, I came up with the idea of giving both formula and breastmilk. But I was really lost about how to do the breastfeeding part and I didn’t have much supply. Then, I remember a few days later, I woke up saying to my husband that it was ungodly hot and I had sweated all over the bed---but it wasn’t sweat! It was the precious milk finally coming in! I remember that day so clearly, as my husband hugged me!

I believe I was suffering from postpartum depression, and the trauma from the birth, the breastfeeding difficulties and my mother-in-law being admitted to intensive care in another country were all contributing to making it worse. Because my mother-in-law was severely ill, I convinced my husband to travel and see her, and before he left, my husband contacted Suzanne Juel with Bayou City Breastfeeding for me.

The day my husband was scheduled to fly home to his country was the day of our first meeting with Suzanne. She explained that Ale was having trouble using his tongue properly, gave me exercises to do help make his latch better, and encouraged me to begin using my breast pump. She also showed me a different position to nurse in.

At the time, I was devastated, because I all heard in my head was “you aren’t doing it right and won’t be able to make enough milk if you don’t do things differently.” Until that day, I really thought Ale had a good latch, but with the positioning changes Suzanne gave me, I saw he could have a much better latch. So, I tried the new position and the suggestions; but I didn’t practice the exercises because I was so overwhelmed.

My husband was still out of the country and my mother-in-law passed away, while I was home with only my mother, who was visiting from my home country. I was so sad, and it didn’t help that at that time Ale was very fussy -- crying all the time and passing a lot of gas. He also started to have some red spots on his face and his stool seemed weird. I was terribly sad and felt like I didn’t have a bound with my baby.

Luckily, I had another appointment with Suzanne; and at this appointment, I was happy to see that my milk supply had improved a lot and thing were turning around. I also told her about how Ale was and showed the picture of his stool (gross I know, but a mom will do whatever is necessary). Suzanne figured out that Ale might be intolerant to lactose, like I was as a baby. I called his pediatrician and they agreed that could be the issue, so we changed the formula and I stopped consuming and milk or dairy.

After 2 weeks, it was like I had a different baby. He was happy, not fussy all the time. We were able to start doing the exercises, I bought the HAAKAA pump (life saver!), and things continued to improve. We were so committed to this --the entire family—but it was not easy. It helped to remember that Suzanne told me that breastfeeding doesn’t have to be all or nothing (Best Advice Ever!)

Unfortunately, over time, we found that Ale was sensitive to even the hypoallergenic formula, so with a lot of struggles, I worked hard to get to exclusively breastfeeding! I dealt with mastitis, and lots of other problems. My journey was rough, but I know there are more stories rougher that mine, and some that are easier.

My advice to all the moms out there is this-- first always look for an IBCLC for help (a lot of people might have the best intentions, but they aren’t prepared to really help you.) Second, as Suzanne told me, breastfeeding doesn’t to be all or nothing. That advice lowered my stress level and made it easier to get to exclusive breastfeeding. In my case, my son was intolerant to other milk, so I didn’t have other options.

My son is 22 months and still breastfeeding. I didn’t plan it like that! Now we are working on respectfully weaning.

Mom you can make it! And don’t be too hard on yourself! Ask for help!

Nothing with my birth went the way I wanted it to go. I ended up having an emergency c-section five weeks early due to preeclampsia.  No semblance at all to my planned water birth at a birthing center with midwives and doula in a softly lit room and essential oils wafting through the air. Breastfeeding was all I had left. I needed it to work, I prayed for it to go well, but I had a month-old baby who cried nonstop and never slept and my heart was breaking more each day. I was not going to give up, but if it had not been for Suzanne Juel with Bayou City Breastfeeding, I don’t think we would have made it. She understood how important it was to me to be successful for my baby. Suzanne was amazing and saw all our issues right away. I learned so much in that first meeting with her. She made changes to our technique and changes to my diet. The mouth exercises she had us do six times a day were not fun, but she knew how much our daughter needed them.  She made a plan and sent us to the chiropractor, pediatric dentist and osteopath to get our daughter the additional help she needed. It wasn’t long before we had a completely different baby. I now have the happiest eight-month-old  with the cutest chubby cheeks and our breastfeeding relationship couldn’t be more perfect! Suzanne was an answered prayer and I am so incredibly thankful. She has the knowledge and skills to identify and correct issues, but more importantly she truly cares and has the heart to help mommas and babies. Thanks to Suzanne’s help, I now have a positive ending to my birth story.

When Madilynn was born, I knew I wanted to breastfeed. I had read every book and article about the benefits of breastfed infants and how to do it. I started off feeding her in the hospital and immediately ran into trouble. Madilynn wouldn’t latch and would cry because she was hungry. I was given a nipple shield and told that it was normal to have a child screaming while I forcefully tried to attach her to my breast. I felt like it was distressing both of us, so I decided to pump and supplement with formula as the hospital staff instructed me.

Once we got home, nothing got better. I tried every trick in the book to get Madilynn to latch but she just wouldn’t... so I pumped and pumped and pumped. Finally, at about a month of age, she started trying to latch. She would nuzzle up to me and try to feed. But when she would latch, I was in thriving pain! It was unlike any pain I had ever experienced! I just chalked it up to being a first-time mom and needing to tough it out while my endurance built up. It wasn’t until I literally had a torn open bleeding nipple and a very angry baby when I decided that I needed help.

This is where Suzanne comes in! Immediately she saw that Madi had a tongue tie and torticollis ! She instructed us on proper nursing form, getting chiropractic care, starting daily tongue exercises, and that she would need a frenectomy.

I started seeing results within a week. We took Madilynn to Dr. Baker at New Leaf Chiropractic in Kingwood and Madilynn responded amazing to being adjusted. It was like night and day!

We did the tongue exercises to prepare for Madilynn’s procedure which helped a ton with the painful

latch, but it still wasn’t perfect. After about a month, Madilynn had her tongue tie removed and for the first time since she was born, she was finally able to nurse without bringing me to tears in pain!!! We continued to breastfeed, and I pumped while at work until Madilynn was 10 months old. She has never had an ear infection and got over a cold in 2 days all of which I give the benefits from breastfeeding the credit!

Being able to nurse my baby was the best gift I could’ve received as well as given my baby girl! If I had not gone with my gut and sought out help, we would’ve never been given that opportunity!

Lactation consulting changed my life and my baby’s life in such a beautifully positive way and I am so blessed to have had Suzanne, Dr. Baker, and Dr. Luedemann help turn one of the most disappointing trials in my life to one of the most rewarding!

My breastfeeding journey started on April 30, 2018. Hands down it was one of the most humbling and delicate experiences I have ever had. Nixon is my first baby, and as a typical first-time mom I was overly concerned about every little detail, and breastfeeding was one of them. From how to store my breast milk, to when and how to pump. Do I need to dump? I always wondered if he was eating enough, how do I know? What should I be eating! The questions were endless. I would stay up all night researching and asking my lactation coach Tessa for all the help she could give. I found that having a lactation coach was very necessary and I was grateful to have Tessa. She came the second day I was home after giving birth and the timing was perfect. She set me up to be successful at the beginning and throughout my breastfeeding journey. One of the major things she did for me was build my confidence, which as most new moms know, can be very low right after having a newborn.

It was not until about month 3 that I felt like I had a good rhythm going. However, just as soon as I was getting the hang of things it was time to return to work. I was beyond nervous to go back to work because I wasn’t sure how I would pump and continue to give my baby all the milk he needed. I am a teacher and finding personal time is a challenge. Fortunately, I worked with a team of all women and every day we had to have team meetings, so that is when and where I pumped. Yep, right there in the back of the room amongst coworkers! Occasionally we would have random (male) visitors that would pop in unexpected, but I had my nursing blanket over me, and this mama kept on pumping! There were times I spilled milk in the meetings, and I’d have full on meltdowns. One time the pump just stopped working…que another melt down. I am very thankful that the women I worked with were very caring and understanding so I never felt uncomfortable, for the most part. I had a steady schedule planned while at work and then after work would bring its own challenges at times.

It was exactly 11 months when Nixon decided he was over nursing, and I cried like the baby. I continued to pump but I just could not produce enough milk. I took fenugreek and tried various teas and techniques, but it was as if my body just knew it was time to stop. I supplemented with a European brand of formula and Nixon loved it. My goal was always to nurse/pump for 12 months, so I was very disappointed in myself that I came up a month shy. I kept telling myself that it was ok, we had a long run, I did my best, but the time I spent nursing my baby was very precious to me and I longed for it when it was over. Now he is 16 months and healthy and happy. I have learned to trust my body and my baby for we both are in sync with one another.

I was referred to Suzanne Juel by my pediatrician in 2010. My son was 2 weeks old and not gaining weight. Suzanne was able to immediately identify and fix the problem. I was able to successfully nurse my son! I saw Suzanne again in 2012 with my second son. I was in tremendous pain every time he would latch. She identified a tongue and lip tie, gave us exercises to do with him, and I was able to nurse him pain free! I saw Suzanne again in 2016 with my daughter. She identified several issues and we are working through them! Suzanne is very knowledgeable with all things pertaining to lactation. She always makes sure to let you know you're doing a good job. I have recommended more friends than I can count to Suzanne. Her heart is to help breastfeeding mothers succeed.

I wasn't expecting to have so much difficulty breastfeeding with my second child, but I knew we were tongue and lip tied from birth. I sought out to get them revised and that's where I was introduced to Suzanne. She selflessly stepped in on our behalf to help us right away. Suzanne helped to manage my expectations as things were not an easy fix for us- we had a tether berg baby.

Weeks would go by and Suzanne would not only show me different techniques at breastfeeding, but the reasoning and mindsets behind them. I've saved this knowledge for not just my own benefit, but to help other moms as well. When things continued to drag on, she recognized that I was having a hard time and my own well being was also a concern of hers. I felt like she cared about ME as a person and a mother and not just my daughter as her patient.

One day, it finally clicked. Just like she said it would. We have been successfully breastfeeding for over 8 months now and I attribute SO much of that success to Suzanne. She never gave up on us and always had a positive support system for us. I highly recommend anyone who is having difficulty to trust in Suzanne and her wealth of knowledge. You will always be a part of our journey and I am forever grateful for you!

In 2016 I had my first baby, Arya. Everything was so new, and I was fumbling through all of it. We were struggling with jaundice, and poor latch, and slow weight gain after a pound of weight loss. I would feed Arya for an hour and she would fall asleep or cry. I saw two doctors and a lactation specialist, all telling me that the latch was great. I finally found someone who told me about tongue ties, and this is when I met Suzanne. She was so patient and took the time to sit with me, sometimes while I was crying, and offer all the support and information I needed (as well as hugs). She helped me with feedings, and triple feedings, and pumping tips (my baby made me work hard). I was able to pump for a full year for Arya. Along comes baby two, and I just know it’s going to be work again, but this time I was prepared. Within five days Dakota has her tongue clipped, and by her second week I was working with Suzanne. Seven months in and I’m still exclusively breastfeeding baby number two. She has made all the difference for me in my journey with my babies. I only wish I’d had her with me from day one with Arya.

I was introduced to Suzanne shortly after coming home with my first child, Cooper.  He was born 4 weeks premature and had a pretty serious case of jaundice.  Doctors wanted him kept under the UV lights in the nursery 24/7, and we were only allowed to see him every 3 hours for feedings.  Because of the jaundice, doctors all but insisted that we supplement with formula to help flush out his system.  The nurses said that I could try to breastfeed, but none of them had any professional training in lactation counseling, and no one in the hospital could even show me how to use a breast pump. 

By the time Cooper was released from the hospital and my milk came in, I became so engorged I could hardly put my arms down. My bra quickly became two sizes too small, and even the feeling of a t-shirt against my skin was painful.  On top of that, because my son was given formula from a bottle in the hospital, he was not able to latch properly and therefore could not nurse.  I was recovering from childbirth, dealing with fluctuating hormones, going on no sleep for days, had no appetite, no energy, my breasts were up to my chin and could find no one to help. That's when my aunt found Suzanne.

She scheduled me for an appointment right away.  By the time I made it in for the appointment I was so engorged I was near mastitis. I could barely stand, had fever, chills, and could hardly keep my eyes open.  Suzanne was a life saver! She got started right away.  She took time and explained to me what was happening, called and spoke with my doctor, and started me on a schedule for pumping and nursing.  I was shown how to move the engorgement away from the nipple area so that Cooper could latch on. We worked on positioning both the baby and myself to help ease any discomfort.  Suzanne also educated me on how and when to use the breast pump, and even fitted me for an appropriate nursing bra.  

But perhaps the most amazing thing about my experience was Suzanne's sincere warmth and concern.  I could tell that she is truly passionate about what she does.  She gave me constant encouragement and endless knowledge. She held my hand and even let me cry on her shoulder.  I never could have made it through without her support and guidance.  I'm happy to report that after a little time and a few follow up sessions, Cooper and I established a beautiful nursing relationship.  I feel like it helped us bond as mother and son.  Some nights I would even look forward to those late-night feedings - just the two of us snuggled together in the rocking chair, as if we were the only two people in the world. Something I'll remember forever. 

Cooper, who's now 2 has a new baby sister Mia, and she's already been in to see Suzanne.  Although it's proven to be much easier the second time around, I feel like a lot of my confidence comes from knowing that Suzanne is just a phone call away any time I need support, have a question, or just need a hug.  I'll be forever grateful to her for all that she's done for me and my family.  And once again I find myself looking forward to those late-night feedings... This time just me and my daughter.  

From the very beginning I knew I wanted to breastfeed! I would often think about what it would feel like, if it would hurt or not, if I would even be able to produce enough milk.

I had my son at 39 weeks via C-section. I was so heavily medicated; I don’t even remember the first few hours of his life outside my womb. I do not remember his first initial latch, but the nurse told me it was not a deep latch. So, once I was coherent, I remember working with my nurse in order to get him to latch on. We were not successful. I was given a nipple shield and was told to use it to help him latch. I felt a little defeated but overall, I was glad he was taking in what he needed, even if it was through the shield.

Once we got home and settled in, I decided I was going to do whatever I could to latch him without the shield. It took a lot of work and repetition but within 3 days, we had done it!

Fast forward to 6 month well check; we met with a new pediatrician and immediately she noticed he had a severe tongue tie, as well as, both cheeks and upper lip. I always thought his latch was not very deep, but I didn’t worry much about it due to his constant weight gain. From there we were introduced to Bayou City Breastfeeding. We met with Karen, in order to prepare for the procedure to release the ties. The stretch exercises and support she gave us was amazing! Once his procedure was completed and we had our first nursing session, I could tell immediately what a perfect latch felt like! My son is now 8 months old, exclusively breastfed, continuing to hit every milestone and gaining weight like a champ! I’m so glad I was able to have the strength to continue to breastfeed my son through all the trails we faced

I’m also so thankful that I was able to find the support I needed by reaching out to Bayou City Breastfeeding! 😊

Breastfeeding is something I always knew I wanted to do for my baby. No one in my family breastfed, and I wanted to break that cycle. But that also posed an interesting challenge from the start because I had no family to turn to for guidance and support during the tough times.

From the beginning, our breastfeeding journey was a struggle. By day 2, my nipples were cracked and bleeding. After doing some research on my own, I decided to start using a nipple shield to help let my nipples heal. I intermittently tried to nurse without the nipple shield, and the same thing happened every time. My baby girl was also clicking when she nursed, leaked milk all over, and was extremely fussy from not being able to get her gas out.

After more research on my own, I discovered her symptoms aligned exactly with having a lip/tongue tongue tie, and I made an appointment with a preferred provider to have her evaluated. As it turned out, she had both. We went ahead and got her ties released, but I knew that with her revisions, I would need extra help and guidance teaching her how to use her new lip and tongue. This is where Suzanne Juel came into our lives.

Without the support, patience, and knowledge of Suzanne, our breastfeeding journey would have been over. Her expertise and education of ties is beyond the normal IBCLC. Our post-revision struggles were more than I would have imagined, and she was there for us every step of the way to encourage and educate me on what was happening and how to work through it.

I am one week away from making it 1 year nursing my baby girl, and I owe the majority of the credit to Suzanne. I couldn’t be more thankful for the support I received from her during the hardest times of my postpartum journey, and the support I continue to receive from her, even after the visits stopped. Thank you, Bayou City Breastfeeding, for allowing me to continue building the exceptional bond I have with my baby girl now, thanks to nursing.

I knew before I had my daughter that breastfeeding was going to be the route, I wanted to take in providing milk for my child. Although I had done some research and read a few books, meeting Suzanne Juel and having her help and support was vital to my breastfeeding success. She went above and beyond for me while I was still pregnant and made a hospital visit the day my daughter was born. She was instrumental in helping my daughter and I get adjusted to our new life together as we began the breastfeeding journey. I also had a major oversupply and Suzanne was helpful in getting that under control so that I wouldn’t be constantly in discomfort. As we continued to see Suzanne, she helped in other ways beyond feeding such as tummy time and head shaping. She recommended a doctor for tongue and lip tie, she helped me to locate a pediatric chiropractor, etc. Overall, we had such a positive experience with Suzanne, and we will be using her again in the future!

Suzanne Juel is a standalone in the field of lactation consulting. She is so well versed on the diverse issues that come with feeding new little babes and the complexities that surround the relationships between mother and child. I maintained a close relationship with Suzanne, and she helped me with the bevy of issues that came with my 2 breastfed children. From tongue ties, to genetic issues, to diminished supply and oversupply, Suzanne was able to solve every problem we encountered, and quickly. She is always willing to answer any question I have or provide me with research or places to locate articles regarding my questions. Suzanne is passionate about true health and wellness and values relationships with her clients. We are still nursing strong at 2 years old (in November 21st). Suzanne is the most supportive and positive person I know in this industry. She will help you with any solution you desire for your relationship with your child. No question or issue is too big for her. In my opinion, Suzanne Juel is a superhero for babies and mommas [❤️]

Breastfeeding was one of the most rewarding and hardest jobs I’ve ever had. Before I was pregnant, I had zero knowledge of nursing, and it wasn’t as natural as I thought it would be. Thankfully, Tessa was my IBCLC, and helped me overcome all the obstacles in our three year journey. From nursing every hour, two revisions (and possibly a third, in the future) to almost losing my supply, I feel like I’ve experienced all the hardest parts that come along with nursing. Though there was times I wanted to throw in the towel and quit, I didn’t. Breastfeeding was not only benefiting my baby, it was benefiting me as well. Choosing to nurture my son by breastfeeding, I have found my passion. I can’t wait to become a Lactation Consultant and be the support system to the next mom without any knowledge of breastfeeding

June 24th 2019 at 11:43am my first baby was born, Adelai Rose Ford. So far, everything leading up to this point I would say I had a pretty darn easy. From pregnancy and even birth at my birth center with my midwife. Adelai latched for the first time at the birth center perfectly and stayed on for like 45 minutes! My husband and I were so excited.

Everything else had gone so smoothly. So the good luck was continuing on, right? So, so wrong hahaha. Once we got home and she wasn't latching AT All! Just sitting there screaming at my breast every time I went to go feed her. So called my midwife she told me to start to pump and feed her however much colostrum I can get. By day 2, I knew something had to be done. 

As most first-time moms do. We research, and research about everything! So thankfully a week before she was born, I had found Bayou City Breastfeeding.  I wanted to have them in my pocket just in case things didn't go smoothly. Plus, I was in a breastfeeding group on Facebook and knew the horror stories of babies who have lip and tongue ties. So, I was somewhat familiar with symptoms and knew that the sooner you took care of them the better!

Melissa came to my house on day 4 and my milk had just came in that morning. I was still was having to pump and bottle feed her. Which I HATED! Took SO much time. 20 minutes to pump, 20 minutes to bottle feed her, and then 30-45 minutes to burp and get her settled again. She had bad colic from sucking in all the air from the bottle so after a feeding she would just scream and scream. By the time we finished with the feeding session it was time to start the vicious cycle all over again.

Melissa identified that Adelai had a lip, and tongue tie. She recommended body work first. So, I made an appointment with the chiropractor the following week. He then recommended she get adjusted 2 times for 2 weeks then once a week after that. When I tell you this worked miracles, It freaking WORKED MIRACLES! I wanted to kiss that man I was so happy.

By the second adjustment she started latching and refusing the bottle. But her latch wasn't perfect due to the ties. So, I started to have some nipple damage. Not bad but still annoying. But I didn't care too much because my baby was finally latching! However, after a week of having to pump before I could see the chiropractor. I began over producing milk and had a battle with mastitis 3 times in one week and ended up having to take antibiotics. The breast that had it became so, so sore to where I couldn't latch her AT ALL because it hurt so bad. My pain tolerance is pretty high (showed up to my birth center already to 10cm and had no clue) so for me to scream and cry when she latched, I knew it was bad. So, I strictly fed off the other breast while I pumped the painful breast and my nipple and mastitis healed. Meanwhile with all these things going on, poor Adelai was still having colic, and reflux issues.

So, yes we had huge progress from her not latching to exclusively breastfeeding now, buts he still isn't a happy baby because she still has a bad latch.   After another appointment with Melissa she recommended that Adelai was ready to get the ties taken care of.

We are currently 11 days post OP from having the revision done. Her latch has made a huge improvement and is perfect! She isn't near as colicky. Going from 30-45 min to burp/console her was now down to 5-15 minutes. She's still having her reflux issues, but I know after the revision results take some time.  I'm looking forward to more progress in the future.

We've been through a lot in her first 6 weeks of life. It does get better with the right steps and we still have a long way to go, but we've also came a long way too!

My husband and I were blessed with our healthy 8-pound baby boy, Travis. Soon after delivery we worked on getting him to latch to start nursing. Right from the start he didn’t eat very well and would want to sleep instead of eating. He began losing weight and we were having to go to the pediatrician every 3 days for a weight check. They were telling me to supplement with formula every other feeding to try and get his weight back up. He had lost a pound and I was about to just give up breastfeeding. I was so stressed and upset that I was failing my baby. I wanted to give him the best nutrition and benefits and longed for that baby/mommy bond from breastfeeding. My mom found Bayou City breastfeeding online and we got in touch with a Lactation consultant right away. They talked to me that day on the phone for about 45 min trying to help me and my son. I booked an appointment and that’s when things started getting better. We met with Suzanne, our consultant, and within 5 minutes of looking at Travis she knew why we were having problems. She found he had a posterior tongue tie and lip tie. She advised us to the best specialist to take him and get them released. She helped me build a pumping routine and a feeding schedule that helped my milk come in (that I followed diligently). Since that first appointment with our consultant he’s been thriving and I’m able to successfully breastfeed my baby. I’m forever grateful for Suzanne and Bayou City Breastfeeding.

Our little rosebud was ready to meet the world and arrived just about a month early, tiny and fierce! She had one night in the NICU to stabilize her blood sugar where they gave her formula along with my breastmilk. Upon discharge, my pedi told me that the only way he would feel comfortable with me cutting the formula from our baby’s diet is to work with a lactation consultant: In came Suzanne!

As a first time mom I had no clue what I was doing, but as a dietitian I knew breastfeeding was the ideal option for me and my baby and that I’d do whatever it took to make it work. Suzanne helped us navigate, overcome, and truly thrive through our baby’s low birth weight, a tongue tie, a poor latch, food allergies, and everything in between. I looked forward to our weekly visits and all of the knowledge and insight i’d gain. I would have been lost without her and would have never been able to sustain breastfeeding on my own. Suzanne really was and is our lactation superstar!

Through this experience we not only have a super healthy and thriving little lady, but it has also opened new doors for me professionally as I help other mothers struggling with food allergies and baby’s first foods. I honestly can’t say enough amazing things about Suzanne and about Bayou City Breastfeeding. With a second baby on the way I feel much more confident and ready to take on any and all bumps along the way knowing I have such an amazing team of lactation consultants behind me to support!

I met Tessa through a medical practice that treated my third child for lip and tongue tie. My first two children were champion breastfeeders and so it was a difficult adjustment for me to struggle with the physical, emotional and logistical complications of breastfeeding that came with lip and tongue tie. 

I nursed my first two kids for about a year and wanted to give my third child the same -- particularly because we have a lot of asthma, allergies and eczema in the family and I know how beneficial nursing was for my first two kids in combatting these immune and allergy challenges.

But it was difficult to go from being an independent, experienced breastfeeder to someone who needed a lot of coaching and support. It seemed that no matter how much I tried, baby Jett just struggled with latch and when we solved the latch issue, he struggled with muscle tone and when we solved muscle tone, he struggled with endurance, and as a result supply and demand and on and on. 

Tessa provided advice on all these issues as well as recommendations for other bodywork consultants who were brought in to the fold -- chiropractor, cranial sacral therapist, and speech therapist.

I was fortunate to be able to try all these resources, but at the end of the day, nothing could substitute for the grit required to both nurse and pump 8-12 times a day for months to make the complicated mix of supply and demand work as well as to help Jett make slow progress. Tessa was our cheerleader and partner during those months. I was surprised that beyond her clinic hours and despite having kids of her own to care for, she was available to me 24/7 by messaging to help me muster the patience and grit to get through it (and sort out the confusion and doubt of what to do next at 2am!). Her professionalism and dedication is unmatched. She doesn't get paid for all that extra help - she just believes in it and cares.

One of the harder moments and, in hindsight, one of the most helpful moments for me, was when Tessa explain tether-berg to me. In a nutshell, it's the concept that I had done all this work and yet we were only seeing the tip of the iceberg. I had this sinking feeling that I wasn't going to be able to give Jett that perfect breastfeeding year or years, because even after everything we were doing, there was a mountain underneath us. Now - this is not my first child - so it wasn't so much about my dealing with personal feelings of failure that I couldn't give Jett that year, but it was about learning the technical aspects of his issues so that we could adjust expectations. Jett and I bumbled our way through it for 5 months with a combination of pumping and nursing. Those 5 months were a thousand times harder than the year I gave my first two kids and I could not have done it without Tessa. She has the knowledge, experience, empathy and devotion parents and babies need to take on breastfeeding challenges. My husband and I are so grateful for her!

I had planned to breastfeed prior to pregnancy.  I had researched and read, talked and debated, finally determining that there was no better way to feed an infant.  The benefits were more than I could list in a short conversation.  The drawbacks were, at the worst, minor inconveniences. 

I went to a breastfeeding class.  I continued to read books.  I went online and read message boards.  I registered for a breast pump.  Friends and family members gave me supplies at my showers.  Some offered books and advice.  They shared their stories; unfortunately, most shared how it didn’t work for them and how they ended up using formula long before their goal of one year.   Some were undermined by family, friends, or colleagues.  Others encountered problems for which they knew no remedy.  Few of our mothers breastfed us, so they couldn’t pass down knowledge that they didn’t have.   Some were at peace with the early ending; others mourned it.  It was discouraging, but I wanted to do everything I could to give my child the best I had to offer.

Hannah Faith arrived by unscheduled C-section after 12 hours of induced, yet unproductive, labor.   I had originally planned a natural birth; my primary reason was to create the best birthing environment for the establishment of breastfeeding.  But nothing went according to plan to start us off right.  She was separated from me immediately at birth.  I heard her crying.  Groggy from drugs, I had to ask my husband if that was her.  I caught glimpses of her as she was cleaned up on a warming bassinet while I was stitched up.  Paul, my husband, went with her to the nursery, under strict orders that there would be no bottles.

I ached for her after birth, more than I ever could have imagined I would.  She occupied a part of my body for nine months.  Now, she was in a nursery with only the sound of her Daddy’s voice to reassure her.  I was too far away to even hear her cry.

A nurse brought her to me in the recovery room, where I had been transferred.  We had been separated for well over an hour, maybe longer.  I enveloped her in my arms.  She was swollen from the hours of labor and the rigors of birth, albeit surgical, but was quiet in my arms.

 I offered her my breast.  She latched perfectly.  I was elated.  Nothing had gone as expected prior to this.  I had planned a natural birth.  I ended up with a Pitocin-induced labor and, ultimately, a C-section.  I had planned to bond with her immediately after birth.  She was whisked away.  I had planned on being alert and savoring every moment.  I was drugged and not always aware.  I had planned on being in control of everything.  I couldn’t even coordinate my body parts to function properly during labor.  But this.  This!  This was working.  And this was what mattered most to me.  

I had minor problems breastfeeding during my three-day stay, but we had worked through it all by the time we left.  Upon discharge, I could casually hold her with one arm as she nursed.  This would be easy.

We were discharged on a Friday afternoon.  After three days in the hospital, I was glad to be home.  By late Friday night, she was pulling off the breast after less than five minutes and drawing up her legs.  I assumed it was gas.  I called the pediatrician’s after-hours line (already?).   I was assured that it was fine to give her Mylicon.  I called the 24-hour breastfeeding help line at the hospital, and was asked to leave a message. 

She wasn’t eating at all by the early hours of Saturday.  I called the pediatrician’s office again.  The doctor on call recommended formula.  Really?  I had read that giving formula was a sure way to undermine breastfeeding, and that the baby would eat if the breast was offered.  However, I didn’t want her to get dehydrated.  I asked if I could give her pedialyte instead.  He agreed. 

She still wasn’t nursing by the early afternoon on Saturday.  My mother finally gave her a bottle of formula.  I had the hardest time reaching anyone for help.  The on-call lactation support person from the hospital finally returned my call.  She agreed to meet with me, but also recommended Suzanne Juel.  I was hesitant to go since Suzanne did not work in a medical facility.  Still, she was highly recommended by the hospital’s lactation educator, so I decided to call her.   After I explained what was going on, Suzanne rearranged her schedule to see me on Sunday. 

Suzanne put Hannah on the scale and compared her birth weight to her current weight.  She had already lost 13% of her birth weight!  (Newborns aren’t supposed to lose any more than 10%.)  By this time, Paul and I couldn’t even think clearly.  Suzanne agreed to talk to the doctor on call for us.  This time, a different doctor was on call, and Suzanne explained everything in detail. 

It was agreed that we would feed Hannah formula to rehydrate her and help her gain.   The pediatrician agreed to call us back that evening; if Hannah hadn’t had a wet diaper by 7:00 p.m., we would take her to Texas Children’s Hospital.  Suzanne determined that my breasts hadn’t started to produce milk, and I rented a hospital grade pump from her to stimulate my breasts to produce.  Suzanne asked that I call her and let her know how Hannah was doing.

By that evening, Hannah had produced a diaper, but was starting to act lethargic.  The pediatrician recommended we take her to Texas Children’s considering this. 

Hannah was four-days-old when she was admitted to Texas Children’s Hospital.  They had to try three times to catheterize her while she screamed from the pain.  They performed a spinal tap and put in an IV.  It tore my heart out to know she was hurting so badly.  I understood at this point that my body had failed to produce milk, and I had failed to notice.  As a result, my daughter was suffering.

She responded quickly to the IV fluids.  I worked with a lactation consultant there as well and continued to pump.  Hannah stayed in the hospital until all tests results came in and more serious problems were ruled out. 

When we were discharged, I continued to give her expressed breast milk and would follow up with formula.  We did this for two weeks under Suzanne’s guidance.  She remained available by phone; I was always able to reach her. 

At the end of two weeks, my supply had finally reached a steady point and was adequate for feeding Hannah.  She latched back onto the breast.  At this point, my nipples were inflamed and red.  It hurt to nurse.  We had thrush, a yeast (fungal) infection that can be passed between mother and baby.  I went back to pumping and feeding her expressed breast milk from a bottle.  Hannah and I had a resistant strain of thrush, and it took nearly three weeks to cure. 

When a culture of my nipples finally came back negative for fungal and bacterial infections, Suzanne recommended I put Hannah back to the breast.  My milk supply had become ample by this point after taking the herbal supplement recommended by Suzanne.  Hannah, however, had taken to the bottle and didn’t care for change.  A few days with mastitis served both to wear me down further and reduce my milk supply.

I continued with expressing breast milk, still using the Medela Symphony pump.  I made peace with pumping; I set a short-term goal of six months.  Pumping is very involved, and few people can keep it going for long periods of time. (Suzanne actually pumped longer than anyone I’ve known, but I’ll let her share her own story.)  A goal was my way to keep Hannah on breast milk for as long as possible.  After all she had to go through in the hospital, I wanted to make sure she got breast milk’s benefits, even if the delivery system wasn’t what I had originally envisioned. 

Suzanne sponsored a support group at her store with a focus on breastfeeding mothers, so I joined.  I was so overwhelmed.  These other mothers were so encouraging, but seemed to have it all together.  They nursed with ease and were so knowledgeable.  Some shared their experiences with thrush, supply problems, infections, and even problems I hadn’t experienced, but I was still so overwhelmed. 

I wanted desperately to get Hannah back on the breast, but it was a long shot.  I felt in my heart that it couldn’t happen.  Candi Smith, one of the lactation educators who worked with Suzanne, even came by the house to help me on it one day.  Hannah would only scream for the bottle. 

I had almost given up hope, but I prayed for a miracle.  I really wanted to nurse this baby, but I would accept pumping if that was the best I could do.

When Hannah was exactly nine weeks old, I went to talk to Suzanne about buying breast pump.  When I asked her which pump would be best, she guided me into the lactation room, pulled out another nipple shield, and recommended I try just one more time to get her to latch.  I thought yeah, this is going to happen as I braced myself for the inevitable screaming.  Only I didn’t hear screaming.  I didn’t hear anything.  My daughter latched onto my breast and nursed.  She nursed for at least fifteen minutes.  I got my miracle.  I was absolutely elated.

Suzanne could have sold a pump that day, but she sold a nipple shield instead.  I thought a lot of her for that.  And I appreciated it more than I could possibly convey.

I’m still breastfeeding Hannah.  We reached the original six months goal for pumping, but we’re not pumping unless it’s to get a little extra in the freezer or for cereal.  I’m still breastfeeding Hannah.  Sometimes, we even ditch the nipple shield.  I’m still breastfeeding Hannah.  We still attend the Mom’s group, and I try to give back, hoping I can help someone else like we were helped.  I’m still breastfeeding Hannah, if for no other reason than to show God that I’m grateful. 

Hi! My names Lacy and my breastfeeding journey started 6 years ago. As soon as I got pregnant with our oldest I knew I wanted to breastfeed. After she was born, unfortunately I had little to no support, including from the hospital. Actually only my husband and one friend really tried to help me. Before we even left the hospital she was on formula for too much weight loss. I was devastated to say the least. I did a ton of research to try to understand where I went wrong. A few months before she turned two we found out we were pregnant with twins! Again I knew I wanted to breastfeed and this time the experience was much different. The nurses were so much more supportive, even with the weight loss. They both had tongue and lip tie along with low tone and high tone which made things difficult. I called one my little piranha and the other slow poke, lol. We found a preferred provider and meet our amazing Lactation consultant! We also did chiropractic care with them. Things were okay until I went back to work. I managed to pump for them until about 6 months. I was proud of this, considering the circumstances. When the twins were 23 months old we welcomed our 4th baby. He too had lip and tongue tie. He was in the nicu for 24 hours where he wasn’t allowed any formula, yet I wasn’t allowed to try to nurse him either. At the 24 hour mark I was allowed to hold him and he immediately tried to nurse. The nurse in the room was fine with this and helped. She did try to offer him a bottle after and he refused it. That’s when I knew this journey would be different. We had our ups and downs for sure with him as well, but he is now 21 months old and still nursing! We are so blessed for all we have learned and to have four beautiful and healthy children!

From the start of my pregnancy to that first latch just moments after my son was born, I daydreamed about our breastfeeding journey. I was so excited. I held my newly born baby for the first time and literally could not wait to feed him. It really was the beautiful experience I had imagined but at the same time, an extremely painful one. 24 hours later, I was in tears with my hands clenched in fists every time he needed to nurse. The hospital noticed he had a pretty severe tongue-tie and they suggested we have it snipped that day. After that, feedings became a little more bearable and we went on our way.

After being home for a few days, feedings not only became painful again but he was wanting to nurse all day long. A beautiful image I had in my mind of sitting in my rocking chair, with my feet up, nursing and singing to my baby was long gone. I was in pain and he was hungry and not able to get what he needed from me. Something just wasn’t working.

My pediatrician recommended Bayou City Breastfeeding and I called immediately! After my first meeting with Suzanne Juel, I felt hope. For the first time, I felt like it was going to work out and I didn’t have to think about giving up! My son needed a second clip under his tongue as well as both cheeks and his upper lip. Dr, Amy Leudermann did an amazing job and Suzanne gave me so much information, tips and exercises to do with him before and after his procedure.

My little man is 7 months old today, still exclusively breastfed, hitting all of this milestone, his weight is going up perfectly with his growth chart and he has the cutest, chunky thighs you’ve ever seen. ☺️ It wasn’t easy getting here but I can say, as I sit here feeding him in my rocking chair with my feet up, like it’s no big deal- I am so happy I reached out, for help and didn’t give up!"

My name is Niki P., and from the moment my husband and I started trying to get pregnant, I knew that I wanted to breastfeed. I was adopted as a baby, and so to me, breastfeeding would be my bond with the first blood-related family member I've ever known.

We went through many ups and downs on the road to get pregnant, but almost exactly a year ago, we found out we would finally get to be parents! The pregnancy seemed to go extremely well, until about four weeks before Lily's due date. That weekend, I started to feel ill, and by Tuesday, we found ourselves in the hospital. That was also the day we were supposed to go to our breastfeeding class. The doctor told us we had to have an emergency C-section because I had HELLP syndrome and I would have to be put completely under in case of complications. Instead of learning how to feed my baby, I was being sedated. Everything went well, but I missed out on that moment of initial skin-to-skin, and having her feed for the first time right after birth - I didn't get to see her or hold her for almost three hours after she was delivered.

We didn't try breastfeeding until the next day when a nurse showed me how, and I only had about 5-10 minutes with the lactation consultant in the hospital later that day. There were other mothers who were exclusive breastfeeders, and since Lily was born early, they had started her on formula to get her weight and sugar in the right place. She seemed to latch well enough, though it didn't seem like she was really getting anything. I was told my milk should come in around days 5-10 after birth, and to pump more than anything. After three days, we were released from the hospital - I had seen the two different consultants maybe a total of 30 minutes the whole stay.

Once we were home, she didn't really latch. We were triple feeding, and it was exhausting. I would cry on my husband's shoulder and to my mom, feeling like I had failed. I researched online whatever I could about breastfeeding, but nothing seemed to provide any help. My supply hit about two to three ounces a day, pumping around the clock. I went through many blood panels, all showing that nothing seemed to be wrong. There didn't seem to be an answer. We relied more and more on formula, and I pumped as often as I could. I started to feel like I was closer to my pump than to my newborn. After about a month and a half of this, I was about ready to give up and move to formula only. I finally called the hospital, and the consultant put me in touch with Bayou City Breastfeeding. My husband and I talked, and we both agreed that a visit couldn't hurt - we would see if there's anything that could help. I spoke with Suzanne, and she set me up with a home visit from Melissa.

Melissa saved our breastfeeding journey, and in some ways, she saved me. She taught us how to get a proper latch, and helped me find supplements that increased my supply so that we only had to supplement about 1/3 of my daughter's daily intake. Without her, we never would have found out that Lily had both tongue & lip ties - we were able to get them both revised, which helped with her latch significantly. With her assistance, we've discovered that the cause of Lily's gas is linked to cow's milk, and now I've cut dairy completely from my diet. I was encouraged to do what I can for my little girl, and reminded that I had worked so hard to be where we are now, and that no one can or should make me feel like I'm not doing enough because I can't exclusively breastfeed. Sometimes, it's just not that easy.

Lily is now four months old, and feeding her has become so much more of the love and bond that I had hoped for in the beginning, rather than the stress and heartbreak I had for the first few weeks. While it isn't necessarily the "cheaper" or the easiest option thus far, I wouldn't trade any of the time I have with her when she feeds. Holding her to me and knowing that I can give her whatever I can makes every sacrifice, every tear, every moment worth it. I only wish I would have reached out sooner.

I had always envisioned that a woman's breastfeeding journey started once the baby was born, but now I am a firm believer that it starts the minute you decide you want to give breastfeeding a shot.

Unlike many women, I didn’t have my heart set on breastfeeding or anything for that matter. We had a rocky pregnancy so I was of the mindset that I would just go with the flow and see how things played out. I didn’t want to put any added pressure on myself or feel guilty/disappointed when things didn’t go the way I wanted. I was trying to keep my control every detail tendencies under control since my pregnancy had shown me that I had control of NOTHING!

I knew I wanted to at least give breastfeeding a try and tried to prepare as much as possible beforehand. I took a breastfeeding class, and ordered a breast pump through my insurance, back up pump parts, and all the other things my friends told me I would need. I was set, or so I thought.

Then our delivery day came. I ended up having a C-section (no big deal...remember I was okay with whatever happened) and I attempted to latch for the first time in the recovery room. There was a nurse for me and a nurse for MaKenna so there was no shortage of support/guidance on how to get her to latch. She seemed to latch fine and I was given praise for my efforts. During the three days we were in the hospital, each nurse and lactation consultant had their own tidbits of advice to give regarding how she was latching and what hold to use. Every feeding I worked hard to get a good latch. I was using the football hold and doing the pancake method in order to get a deep latch. I even had the lactation consultant from the hospital come visit and was given positive praise, “you guys are doing great”, “her latch looks really good”. So, on day three, I left the hospital feeling very confident...we had a hold we liked and a good latch. This breastfeeding thing was going well.

I am convinced that we drove through a time warp on the way home or something because we walked into our house with our three-day old and EVERYTHING changed! She was fussy all the time, but it was bad after every feeding. Each time she ate I battled to get her latched and fought through some pain but carried on like we had been showed at the hospital. I chalked up the issues we were having to babies stomachs not being developed completely.

Several days in I called to add my little angel to my insurance and asked if there were any other services, I should be aware of as a new mom. I learned that my insurance covered several visits with a lactation consultant. My initial thought was, great they can help me figure this whole pumping situation for when I go back to work! So, I set up an appointment and filled out the survey which I thought was a waste of my time because we were “good” on the breastfeeding front. I just needed help building up a stash and being prepared to go back to work.

Our first visit was EYE-OPENING! We learned that MaKenna had a lip tie, tongue tie and cheek ties that had not been identified at the hospital. The ties were causing her to not latch well, take in air while feeding, and was the reason for all her gas and my latch pain. After our first visit, we did exercises prior to every feeding, went to an ENT for a revision and went to see a chiropractor. Suzanne showed me how to let MaKenna self-latch...it was a GAME CHANGER! She went to our revision appointment with us and was a wealth of information throughout the whole process.

I would love to say that after the revision our breastfeeding journey was a breeze but that would be a lie. It is never easy when you are the sole nutrition provider for your infant. Breastfeeding can be very lonesome, especially at the beginning when you are not comfortable attempting to breastfeed in front of other people. I spent a lot of time in my bedroom struggling through the feeding by myself. Night feedings were the hardest. You are sleep deprived and getting up every couple of hours to feed. Each time I got up in the middle of the night I contemplated giving up and going to formula. I would tell myself that formula would be easier because my husband could get up and feed her while I got a little sleep. As these thoughts filled my mind, I would take a deep breath and power through. My husband and best friend were a huge support. They were understanding, supported any decision I made and cheered me on through the process. A support system is a MUST!

With each passing week, I got more comfortable and breastfeeding got easier. As MaKenna’s latch improved and was taking in less air, she was less fussy. I can’t put my finger on exactly when it happened but at some point, I started to enjoy our breastfeeding journey. We are 9 months in now and I am so thankful that I didn’t toss in the towel. The bond that I have with her is indescribable and I wouldn’t change our journey for the world.

“This is my second experience with breastfeeding! With my first daughter everything was easy, but with my second daughter it was quite the opposite. The first month was very difficult, I couldn’t keep my baby awake while feeding and she would nurse for less than 5 minutes and would fall back asleep, she had a lot of colic, would cry a lot and at one point she would not even want to feed, as soon as I would put her in feeding position she would cry... I was about to give up and ended requesting a Lactation consultant to try and figure out what was happening ... after the first consult they determined I needed to go have her evaluated for lip and tongue tie ... most of her feeding issues were related to this ...

We took her to the dentist; they confirmed the lip and tongue tie (which was very pronounced) and had them revised and after this we followed up with the very best IBCLC Suzanne Juel!  We had to work on stretches and exercises for the following months to make sure the ties didn’t reattach, and even though we were doing everything by the book ... Our baby’s situation was a bit more complex than normal, but with a lot of determination and hard work from our baby, mommy and Suzanne we were able to continue our breastfeeding journey!

Baby girl is now 1 year and 9 months old and we are still happily breastfeeding 🤱!

I was only planning on breastfeeding this second time around for 6 months, but after all the hard work it took, I decided to prolong it and make the best of this experience !

It was a lot of hard work and commitment this time, but I’m happy we pushed through the difficulty and are now enjoying the benefits of this beautiful journey!