Why National Breastfeeding Month Is So Important To Me

With National Breastfeeding Month having just come to an end, I wanted to share my own breastfeeding journey as a mother. I say “journey” because it is definitely a journey to say the least! As I’m writing this, I am breastfeeding my youngest.

Oh the irony.

I’ve breastfed all three of my girls and each one has been different. This is not a post to shame mothers or parents who choose to formula feed or have no other choice but to. As long as baby is well fed is what truly matters.

This is about my own tears and personal triumphs of breastfeeding.

When I think back to the very start, that was over 8 years ago! I started with my first little babe over 8 years ago. The moment I found out I was pregnant, I knew I wanted to breastfeed. Even at 17 and still in high school! Everyone I knew at my age thought that was weird. Or that I’d continue to ruin my body.

I’m so glad I never cared about those negative comments.

Even growing up, no one breastfed! My mom said she breastfed me, but I was obviously a baby so I had no recollection. Plus I remember helping make bottles of formula for my younger sisters. Nothing wrong with that!

 

What I’m saying is at 17 I just knew from the start this is want I wanted to do with no idea or guidance. Starting with my first little babe, no one or class can prepare you for breastfeeding.

Those first few weeks are HARD and painful!

Actually, in my case, the first couple months were. Her latch was fine, but I got such bad cracked – sorry if this is TMI! – nipples. I would cry every time she latched. I even bled! Thankfully she took to bottles and pacifiers so there was a little relief when she didn’t directly eat from me. Plus I had to continue with my schooling.

Like I mentioned before, not one class tells you how painful it can be!

I think I remember I read or heard, “oh there can be discomfort.” Thankfully, it definitely got better! I had to nurse her for the first year of her life because she didn’t do well with pureed foods and took to table food slowly. I continued to breastfeed her until 20 months.

There are benefits of continuing to nurse your toddlers!

With my second baby I thought it would be similar to my first. Maybe it wouldn’t be as painful since I was used to it.

NOPE!! I got to the point where I was ready to stop.

My husband ran to the store to grab anything he could find to help. He even told me I didn’t have to continue if I didn’t want to. Of course I couldn’t give up, the pain is only temporary! I eventually got mastitis, which was absolutely terrible!! I ended up pumping more this time, thinking my little one would take to the bottle like my oldest.

Again…I WAS WRONG.

She refused to take any and every bottle we bought. She refused to take any pacifier to help give me a break and some relief. So all that precious breastmilk that I pumped for over 8 months, I ended up donating while strictly nursing my little one AGAIN the first year of her life. She just simply refused solids and any food we gave her.

I honestly thought I would never have got her off the boob! Surprisingly she has been my easiest to wean. I nursed her until 20 months as well. 

So with my third little babe I prepared myself for the worse.

I was gifted some amazing silver cups for your nipples that truly help. I can not recommend these enough, because as soon as I felt the discomfort start, I immediately put them on and within 24 hours they felt so much better. I continued wearing them for a while and every now and then when I start feeling discomfort I put them on.

Helps every time! No cracked nipples. No bleeding. I’m so thankful for this accessory because I had to nurse my littlest every hour due to her having such bad jaundice. She almost had to stay in the hospital an extra day. Because they saw how well she was nursing and gaining weight, she came home with that bilirubin light blanket aka “biliblanket.”

That was a nightmare (and another story for another post)! Now with teething in full force, I’m her favorite. Well…boobies are! At least she will take to her pacifier. 

I hope this post brings awareness to National Breastfeeding Month and can connect with any mother out there in the breastfeeding journey!

I also hope this doesn’t scare anyone from trying. No breastfeeding is ever the same and with support you can definitely succeed. I should have mentioned more about how amazing and thankful I am to have a supportive husband. He supports breastfeeding and public breastfeeding.

What made me want to write about my nursing journey, besides National Breastfeeding Month, I saw the sweetest post that brought me happy tears!

This post from La Leche League was about a worried female gorilla who lost her first baby due to not knowing how to breastfeed, since she was born and raised in captivity. So when she was ready to have her second she started worrying. The Zoo where this gorilla lives invited nursing mothers to show her. And she learned how!

Support is definitely a major factor in successfully breastfeeding. Do you have any tips or insight into nursing for a new mom? Please let us know in the comments below!