Breastfeeding is an Educational Journey
August is World Breastfeeding Month, so what better time to celebrate breastfeeding journeys? Breastfeeding is truly one of the hardest and most rewarding things a mother could ever experience. One huge piece of advice for new and expecting moms? Get educated on breastfeeding as early as you can.
Breastfeeding Myths
You won’t be able to workout and still make enough milk to breastfeed - MYTH!
Breastfeeding is easy - MYTH!
Small chested women can’t produce enough milk for their baby - MYTH!
You have to eat a bland diet in order to breastfeed - MYTH!
If you don’t nurse, then you’re a bad mom - MYTH!
The goal here is to help moms make informed choices about their breastfeeding journey. You’re no less of a mom if you choose not to breastfeed, but you should always take the time to separate the truths from the myths. Unfortunately with breastfeeding, there are a lot of myths circulating around. If you give breastfeeding a try, you just might find that it is a beautiful experience for you and your baby to bond.
Inherently Mothering
Some mothers choose to exclusively breastfeed. Others give it a try and decide that they would rather exclusively pump. A few moms combine pumping with their breastfeeding routine. No two breastfeeding journeys are the same. You won’t be given a 5-star rating for making it a certain amount of time even though it is often treated by society as being so. My journey as a Pediatric RN has taught me that providing the resources to help moms make informed decisions about their personal breastfeeding journey is the most important part.
Barriers to Breastfeeding
For some women, like myself, breastfeeding can be a painful journey. I didn’t realize that my daughter had a grade 4 lip tie, which was affecting her latch. This led to sore and cracked nipples, multiple plugged ducts and lots of tears. I have heard from other moms who say they too experienced pain in their nipples, had an immense amount of trouble getting their little one to latch, and fought a low supply. As a breastfeeding mother myself, it breaks my heart to hear moms have a hard time with breastfeeding. Hindered breastfeeding can only be helped if you know what you’re experiencing. A few common barriers to breastfeeding are pain while nursing and diminished milk supply. Long-term pain while nursing is not normal. I have had many mothers contact me to schedule a session regarding these factors. I am happy to answer questions and help guide you in the right direction to make your breastfeeding journey a well-supported and nurturing experience.
Breastfeeding is important, and having support to help you be successful is vital. When you’re not in pain you’ll find that breastfeeding is a beautiful journey that should absolutely be celebrated. Whether your journey was 2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months, or 2 years, know that you provided your sweet babe with liquid gold.