All the feels! I’ve been there. Thank you for sharing, @artmomproject ! Original art & words by @amarvelousspark ⚡️ * “This artwork visually represents some of my emotions and sensations through recent experiences in breastfeeding. I visualized aspects of this piece several weeks ago, and I felt compelled to create a final artwork. It all began in the hospital, just hours after I had given birth to my son. Like many new mothers, I anticipated a seamless transition into feeding my child. I thought, “It’s a natural process, how hard could it be?” However, I had some challenges including shallow nipples, and my son had a slight tongue-tie that made it a little difficult for him to latch properly. I was sore, sleep deprived, and anxious with every hunger cry that came from my new baby. I also cried. With some guidance from lactation consultants and my own persistence, I left the hospital with more confidence to breastfeed successfully. Fast-forward to the first days at home with a newborn. I was a bit in shock when my milk had come in and I woke up thinking, “Whoa. My boobs are huge!” I practiced the different tips and techniques that the lactation nurses explained to me, and things were going well. Little did I know that my hormones would cause me to cry over small things or seemingly nothing at all... happy tears, sad tears, and tears of frustration. I recall the first time using a breast pump: fumbling around with the pieces and cursing at the idea of pumping both sides at once. (How the f*#! did people keep the flanges from falling down while trying to turn the thing on?) I was so frustrated by the time I figured things out, and then the mechanical sound just set me off. Cue the tears again. I felt like a cow... or a milk machine. Regardless, I didn’t feel like myself, or that I had much control over what was happening to my body.” 〰️ “The Letdown” by @amarvelousspark. #feedingwithlove #exclusivelypumping #postpartumlove https://www.instagram.com/p/B6SAqNLng5G/?igshid=v8sidx5t681g
