Before I miss it completely, Happy World Breastfeeding Week! I am so beyond blessed to have nursed 4 precious babies until at least a year old. I know not every mama is able to do this and I am in no way trying to make anyone feel bad with this post. I just want to give all the mamas who breastfeed a virtual high-five! It can be hard to make the choice to breastfeed and I am proud of each and every mom who tries. Happy World Breastfeeding Week to all the warriors out there, to all the moms who are working so hard to normalize it.
I've been breastfeeding for the past 3 years straight and I wouldn't change it for a second. I breastfed my 3 year old until the day her brother was born and I've been nursing him ever since. It's been a crazy ride! Like I said though, I feel blessed. I know not every mom has it so easy. My heart goes out to the ones who have struggled and fought to breastfeed, but weren't able to do it in the end. You are AMAZING for trying and for fighting. You are amazing and you are one of the moms working to normalize nursing. Thank you to all the moms who nurse in public and endure dirty looks or stares or are asked to leave. Thank you for taking a stand and fighting back! No one should ever be made to feel ashamed of FEEDING their child.
I'm grateful for the educators out there working so hard to get the correct information to moms and I wanted to share one of my favorite pieces of information. When I had my first son, I had a c-section and they gave him a bottle of formula prior to bringing him to me to nurse. I was not happy about this! They should have just brought him to me to nurse and this graphic is why it angered me so much:
Babies do not need formula. Their stomachs are so tiny in the beginning that colostrum is enough. So many moms are led to believe that their baby isn't getting enough milk and it's easy to be scared into thinking this way! Of course no mom wants to think their baby is starving.
My biggest piece of advice to breastfeeding moms is to stay calm. Getting stressed out is not going to help your milk let down. Babies can pick up on our panic and they do not like it. That phrase, "Keep Calm Nurse On," always plays through my brain. It's so true though!
Here is a picture of my now 14 month old on the day he was born. This is the first time he got to latch on and it was pure heaven for me. I had lost so much blood that Jon was holding him for what seemed like the longest time. He was screaming to nurse and finally getting him meant everything to me. Getting that skin to skin and getting to nurse right away was my birth reward and I could not think of a better gift! These are precious memories I will cherish forever.
So thank you to all the moms who are out there fighting to normalize nursing! We have come so far and we have so much further to go. There will always be people out there who think nursing is gross, but maybe we can change one person's mind when it comes to breastfeeding. I have seen people change their stance first hand and it is incredible to witness. Nurse on mamas!
Happy World Breastfeeding Week!
Danielle
