(Breastfeeding pic made with PicArt app)
Ok ok … does anyone else notice how breastfeeding is shoved as far down your throat as it is down your baby’s ? Before the Mothers of nature attack me , I COMPLETELY support breastfeeding and do believe breast is best for your baby. BUT! I wish there was more information on the topic emotionally then just people telling you it’s best for your baby. I personally did a lot of research on breastfeeding throughout my pregnancy…By research I mean Pinterest *rolls eyes* What they don’t tell you is how hard it’s actually going to be. They do mention however , that your going to need a support system.
Now let me share my experience with you. As soon as you push your bundle of joy out your bundle of joy (😸) the doctors/nurses/midwife will encourage you to latch your baby to your breast. Thankfully my 6lb 10oz beauty was prepared for the task and chomped on that nipple like it was her job….and yes it was her job, her full time with included overtime and no vacation job. In the first few hours of life, your little one is exhausted just as you are after labor. She will sleep so much that first day that you’ll panic. First and foremost, let me be the first to tell you to enjoy that day! Sleep with your baby! You just gave birth, give yourself a pat on the back and a break because once night hits and dad is snoring, curled up on that uncomfortable hospital couch in the corner of the room you’ll wish you had listened to me.
(P.s that’s IF the nurses let you. They will be checking up on you and baby every 2 hours or so and once you think your in for a nap your balls deep with nurses checking your private parts to make sure all is well. FYI if I wasn’t okay I wouldn’t be sleeping but thanks.)
One thing I wasn’t prepared for was cluster feeding. I had no idea what it was until it hit me dead smack on the tit. For those that don’t know. Cluster feeding is when babies bunch feed close together. Meaning they eat, ALOT in one period of time. Luna started at 11pm and latched on ever 15-20mins for a minimum of 30-40mins until 6 in the morning. For the next month & a half I will have became a milking machine pumping close to 20oz a sitting 8xs a day.
Fast forwarding to today I no longer am breastfeeding. I also will not encourage nor discourage any mother too. Every experience is different for every mother. I just want to share that no matter what choice you make, you are a great mother and you know what is right. THIS is what people fail to tell you. Everyone is so keen on pushing you to breastfeed that nobody ever tells you it’s also okay to not. The pressure of breastfeeding depressed me and put me down. It put me down so much that I wasn't bonding with my baby. Instead the thought of breast feeding her overwhelmed me. It is VERY exhausting and from talking to other breastfeeding mothers I think it’s safe for me to say you feel like a milk factory. I did not sleep nor eat for weeks. All I did was nurse and pump with the fear that if I didn’t breastfeed, my baby will not nourish. Until one day I broke down and stopped nursing cold turkey. My Ta Ta’s swelled up like basketballs and I couldn’t hold my baby for 3 days because of the pain. Weening off the pump and baby is a different blog topic.
To date baby girl is growing great. Currently a healthy 9lb 15oz and hitting her milestones. Again, I will never encourage nor discourage breast or bottle feeding. There are many benefits to both and it is at the mothers discretion. I shared my opinion in hopes that others will have a personal opinion rather then a medical one and not make a decision based of an emotional breakdown like I did. With the right support team and knowledge, as a mother you will get through whatever you choose.
Below I will provide trusted links to websites and support groups that can help get through breastfeeding and making good choices .
http://www.llli.org/
http://kellymom.com/
http://breastfeeding.support/