Before Bobbie arrived, Caroline and Mads thought they were prepared. They had read, practiced, even taken a breastfeeding course. They knew the techniques, the positions, the theory. But when birth came, it didn’t follow a plan; it rewrote everything they thought they knew.
What unfolded in the first hours and weeks wasn’t just about becoming parents. It was about navigating uncertainty, trusting their instincts, and slowly, stubbornly, finding their own way.
What was it like when Bobbie was born?
Caroline:
“It was a long, hard birth. 24 hours. And then suddenly everything became really intense. There were so many people in the room, and then… it was just over. Not in that relieving way you imagine. More like, what just happened?”
Mads:
“One moment it was chaos, doctors everywhere. The next, we were completely alone. Caroline had to be operated on, so I was suddenly there with Bobbie by myself. I remember thinking… what do I do now?”
Caroline:
“That part was actually one of the hardest. I had just given birth, and then I had to let go. I didn’t know when I would see them again. You go from being surrounded by professionals to lying there alone under bright lights, completely exhausted, thinking: what the f… is happening?”
What were those first hours like, being alone with Bobbie?
Mads:
“It was overwhelming. I was sitting there with this tiny human, and Caroline wasn’t there. You’re suddenly responsible, but no one really tells you how. He didn’t cry much at first, he just lay there quietly. Almost like he was waiting.”
Caroline:
“And I was just thinking, what if something happens while I’m not there? That feeling of being separated right after birth… it’s hard to explain.”
How did feeding start out for you?
Caroline:
“Honestly, it didn’t go well. It just got more and more painful. I would sit and cry every time I breastfed. And everyone kept saying, ‘that’s normal.’ But I remember thinking, this can’t be normal.”
Mads:
“It was horrible to watch. You feel completely helpless. You can’t take the pain away.”
Caroline:
“There was so much focus on whether Bobbie was gaining weight, whether he was latching correctly. But no one really listened to the fact that it didn’t work for me. That I was in pain. It became something I dreaded.”
What changed things for you?
Caroline:
“We were desperate. I even wrote on Instagram from the hospital asking if anyone could help. That same evening, we had an online session with a lactation consultant. She was the first person who said: ‘It’s not supposed to hurt like that.’”
“We tried nipple shields, and immediately it felt different. Not perfect, but manageable. That was the first turning point.”
Mads:
“It was chaos. My dad was out late at night trying to find nipple shields at a pharmacy. We were all crying. But it worked.”
Caroline:
“It still took months. It was a fight. But slowly, it became something that worked for us.”
When did you start introducing the bottle?
Caroline:
“I just needed a break sometimes. Bobbie wanted to be on me all the time. I love the closeness, but you also need to feel like yourself in your own body again. Even just going for a short walk alone felt important.”
Mads:
“At first, we tried with another bottle, but it didn’t really work. It felt… mechanical. Like feeding, not comforting. He couldn’t settle. What changed with Caramma was that I could hold him in a way that felt like Caroline. It wasn’t just about giving milk, it was about giving the same kind of calm. And then suddenly, he just accepted it.”
What did that change for you as a dad?
Mads:
“It changed everything. The hardest part before was not being able to comfort him when he needed it most. When he was really upset, I couldn’t give him what he needed.
But with the bottle, I could. I could feed him, calm him, put him to sleep. That feeling, being able to take care of your own child fully, it’s huge.”
“We had our first evening where Caroline went out for dinner, and I was alone with Bobbie for six hours. It went… perfectly. We just hung out, watched something, he fell asleep on me. It was honestly amazing.”
And for you, Caroline?
Caroline:
“It gave me freedom. Not just physically, but mentally. Knowing that I can leave for a few hours and everything will be okay, it changes how you show up as a mother. You come back with more energy, more patience. It’s better for everyone.”
What have you learned through it all?
Caroline:
“I think the biggest thing is: don’t be afraid to find your own way. There are so many opinions, about breastfeeding, bottles, everything. You can feel like you’re doing it wrong all the time.”
“But you have to ask yourself: what works for us? What makes me a better mother? Sometimes that’s stepping away for a few hours.”
Mads:
“Every child is different. You can’t compare. What works for someone else might not work for you at all. And that’s okay.”
Caroline:
“You just have to trust that. Your baby, your way.”
At Caramma, we support feeding as the individual and sometimes unforeseen journey it can be. It’s about creating space, supporting recovery, connection, and shared involvement between parents.
Caroline and Mads’ story is a reminder that there is no one right way. Only the way that works for your family.
Caroline, Mads & Bobbie are using the small support bottle.