Journey into breastfeeding.

Many mothers have it easy with breastfeeding. But how about when it’s not the piece of cake you thought it would be? My first days breastfeeding were the hardest I ever had. Being a csection mom, I was under a lot of pain medication during the surgery that I could not breastfeed immediately.Who am I kidding? I didn’t even have my milk coming in yet. Breastfeeding was one of the experiences i looked forward to because it is a special mother and baby bonding moment.

I remember asking my older sister who is already a mom of two what it felt like breastfeeding and she told me it felt nice. “What could be so hard about a little harmless baby sucking on my nipples?” I thought to myself.
Twenty four hours after I had my baby, I could finally start to breastfeed.But, I didn’t have enough milk for my baby, so I had to stimulate my milk production with a breast pump. This was the beginning of my so painful breastfeeding. The next few weeks were filled with a lot of try and error feeds,braving through the pain because deep down I knew I had to to this for my little boy.I remember crying to my husband how painful it was and he would try to make fun of the situation to uplift my spirit and keep me going.

On one special night, while I was doing one of my usual painful night feeds, I looked at my precious little boy trying to get the most of what he could get out of my breasts. He had been in between feeding on formula provided by the hospital and my little bits of milk. I felt like I was failing him. I wanted to be able to give him enough.This broke my heart and brought me to tears.Luckily I was able to talk to a nurse who encouraged me that it takes time and it would get better.

It is so much easier now. I look back and feel proud of myself for not giving up. But my luck is not the luck of many moms out there. You need to know that you do your best. It’s not your fault that your body has not been able to make enough milk, or because of a certain medical condition, you cannot breastfeed your baby. It’s the thought that counts. In the end, We are all just getting by and doing our best. Happy breastfeeding to all the moms out there.

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article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard