I support the movement to normalize breastfeeding. When I was
pregnant with my first child, I knew that I would be a breastfeeding mother. My
sisters and I were all breastfed as babies. I observed my mother breastfeeding
my young sister when I was a child. It was normal. It was beautiful.
I can recall the very first time I nursed my baby, it was just
after his delivery. He was placed on my chest, skin to skin, and instinctively he wiggled his way to my breast. I was overwhelmed with emotion, it was
magical! It was a precious moment that I will never forget. Like many moms,
this joyous feeling was quickly replaced by pain. The first two days of nursing
were the most horrific, I had never experienced such anguish. It was almost too
unbearable for me to handle. At one moment, I even contemplated giving up. My
husband, who was by my side even suggested that I formula feed. His lack of
support/encouragement, was disappointing. He had children from a previous
marriage, who were formula fed, so I didn’t expect him to understand. Seeing me
breastfeed and experiencing this with me was a first for him. That was the
first and last time he questioned my choice to breastfeed. On the third day, I was
relieved to feel that my milk had come in. The baby was latching as expected
and the pain was slowly going away. I felt confident and proud that I was able
to overcome this challenge for my baby and myself.
The benefits of mothers’ milk for my baby far outweighed any
thought I had about formula feeding. I didn’t like the thought of manufactured,
processed supplements. It was unnatural. It wasn’t until I went back to work
that I contemplated using formula, I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to
produce enough supply while I we were apart. So I pumped twice a day while at work
and rushed home in between my lunch hour. Even still, I felt that I wasn’t able
to meet his needs. I did this for over 6 months, I was glad that my employer
understood my needs and helped make transitioning back to work easy. However,
it was only because I reentered the workplace that I started to notice the resistance
to breastfeeding. Upon my return the company lactation room was below standard,
I immediately contacted the HR department to file a complaint. It was clear
based on cleanliness and location that it was not a priority. I wondered to
myself, how many women use this area? Are they satisfied with how it’s
maintained? I would often receive joking remarks from co-workers about having
to pump or take ‘breaks’, it didn’t bother me because I knew they didn’t
understand. It was foreign to them and therefore subject to ridicule.
I live in a small community where the practice is encouraged
and often embraced. The support for nursing mothers is overwhelming in a very
positive way. Community outreach, social clubs and gatherings are all available
for added support and encouragement. I feel fortunate to be surrounded by so many
smart, inspirational women. It’s a luxury that not many women have.
I encourage
new and expecting mothers to turn to online support groups; there are many Facebook
pages, twitter accounts and websites that are dedicated to breastfeeding.
Here are some that I found very informative:
Hashtag on twitter and Instagram - #normalizebreastfeeding
