Like most birth stories, Rosalía Lupita Valentina Neubaue’s parents did not have their ideal birth story. When things became serious, physicians burst her water to induce delivery because her mother, April Neubauer, had been diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and her blood pressure was dangerously high.
However, April and her husband, Maxamillian, were aware that nursing and skin-to-skin contact were two elements of their birth plan that they absolutely did not want to sacrifice. Fortunately, a resourceful nurse and an equally enthusiastic father saved them from having to.
After having two seizures, April was rushed in for an emergency C-section.
Max had to wait outside until after Rosalía was born since April suffered her second seizure during the procedure. It was up to dad to decide if they wanted to achieve their early skin-to-skin and nursing goals because mom was still being stabilized when he was finally able to meet her.
‘The nurse asked if maybe I would like to throw a nipple on and do some ‘real breastfeeding,” he tells CafeMom.
A nurse made Max an offer he couldn’t refuse as he was doing skin-to-skin with his baby girl: the opportunity to be the first one to “breastfeed” her. “Me being a big joker and the ability to try just about anything once, I said sure why not,” he says. “The nursing staff were giggling and jumping for joy.”
They planned to feed Rosalía with a bit of formula until mom was well enough to nurse and instead of finger feeding it, they got creative. April didn’t find out that her husband was the first to “breastfeed” their baby until after, and appreciates how Max and her nurse stepped in.
“I was unconscious for hours following my operation. Breastfeeding her was crucial, and my doctors and nurses understood how vital it was to us,” she adds. Therefore, our nurse devised a plan for my husband to nurse her for the first time until I was awake and conscious. Although it was unanticipated, he would never do anything that made him feel uncomfortable around me. I am happy my spouse was able to fill in because I was unable to do so immediately owing to certain health concerns.”
Max got a nipple shield, syringe, tube, and ‘hit the ground running’ like a breastfeeding champ.
The syringe filled with formula was attached to a nipple shield placed on Max’s chest. This simulated breastfeeding for his newborn. “Our nurse helped a lot — I mean I’ve never breastfed or even thought in a thousand years I would,” he says.
Just then, Max’s mother-in-law walked in with her father.
April’s grandfather and mother were unaware of what they were getting into when they entered. The response from Max’s mother-in-law was invaluable: “Only you, Maxie … He remembers her shaking her head and exclaiming, “My God, only you, I did not believe the nurses.” The Great Grandfather had nothing to say. Very traditional person, he just gave me a strange look. In the end, he changed his mind.
‘I think she prefers mom — I’d do it again in a heartbeat though,’ he says.
Max has only “breastfed” his child once so far, but he is willing to try again if necessary. “As soon as I saw my little girl, I connected. I got to hold her and perhaps help her adjust to nursing,” he says. “The only reason I did it was to be a good father and to show the nursing staff that I admire them because they are superheroes. There is no one better you could ask for.”