Why I Breastfeed: My Breastfeeding Story

Hey mamas!

So first off I have to say that during my pregnancy with Lily, I never saw myself as the breastfeeding type. To be honest I didn’t even know much about it! I was just a new mom who wanted to do what worked best for me and my baby.

My First Time Breastfeeding

I started breastfeeding the day Lily was born. I knew that I at least wanted to attempt to breastfeed for the first few weeks of her life. It was so much harder than I had ever imagined! Within one day I had cracked nipples and it was SO painful. I remember crying every time I had to feed her and my poor husband freaking out because I was in so much pain! I began using a nipple shield because it was the only way to cope with the discomfort. I was warned that the nipple shield was a “crutch” that would make it harder to teach Lily how to latch correctly, but I kept using it anyways. Finally, when Lily was about four weeks old I decided I was ready to get rid of the shield! It probably took me all the way until she was three months old before I got really comfortable with feeding her (I also had an oversupply of milk so that was another challenge I had to overcome). Once I got past those first couple of months though, the rest was amazing. I loved the bonding we had through breastfeeding! I also loved that it fit so well with our lifestyle. We like to travel a lot so it made it easier that I could just feed her whenever and not have to worry about a bottle.

…Fast forward 2 1/2 years and I was still breastfeeding Lily! I couldn’t believe that we had lasted that long and I couldn’t believe how hard it was to stop. I had so many people commenting their opinions on when to wean her and how she was too old to breastfeed…but I waited until we were both ready and I don’t regret it one bit. I think it’s sad that women get shamed for formula feeding but I also hate when women get shamed for breastfeeding past a certain age. I completely feel like each child and family is unique in their own way and whatever way is best for them is truly the best choice!

My Second Time Breastfeeding

When I got pregnant with Luke, I knew that I wanted to breastfeed again. As crazy as it sounds, I actually missed it! I thought that this time around I would be a pro at it. Well… I. Was. Wrong. I struggled again in the first few weeks and had to bring back my old friend the nipple shield. I used the shield for the first month. I dealt with cracked nipples again because Luke had a very weak/shallow latch. I felt so discouraged after weeks of trying to teach him how to stay on that I was ready to give up! I again dealt with an oversupply which added to the frustration. It may seem like someone who has “too much” milk is better than someone who doesn’t have enough but this just isn’t the case. My milk flow was so fast that it would make a mess everywhere and Luke would choke at every feeding. I also never felt like my milk was completely drained because I was producing too much. The oversupply lasted until Luke was around five months old! But I prayed about it and stayed strong and in no time he was eating so well!

Nowadays, Luke could literally latch on in the dark if he had to! We have been breastfeeding for the past eight months and it is just as amazing as it was the first time I did it. I’m not sure how long I’ll breastfeed Luke for but I’m definitely not going to rush it.

If you are on a breastfeeding journey and you’re having issues, know that you are not alone! There were plenty of moments when Lily was already older than 12 months and I was thinking, “When the heck is this going to end??” I never felt like my body was completely mine because both babies were getting all of their nutrients from it. But it is such a short period of time in their lives and it passes by so quickly! I know that a few years from now I’ll be missing it! So I am just sitting back and enjoying the bonding and taking mental pictures so that I don’t forget this beautiful stage in our lives!

Why I Breastfeed

Even though I have exclusively breastfed both of my babies, I still wouldn’t necessarily call myself a breastfeeding advocate. I agree that breastfeeding should be normalized and women should feel free to feed their babies however and whenever! …but I never jumped on the “breast is best” train or joined the “free the nipple” group. I am 100% for the “fed is best” motto. I also believe that every mother should do what works best for her and her family. I was a stay-at-home mom most of the time and we co-slept, so breastfeeding was very convenient for me, that is why I did it. Of course I am in love with the fact that it comforts my baby so much and the special bond that I have been able to find through it. But for mothers who have milk supply issues or who work outside of the home, breastfeeding may not even be an option and that’s totally okay! As long as babies are loved and fed, who cares how it’s done!