Breastfeeding is a wonderful way to support your baby but it is not a straightforward process for everyone. While some mums find it works well for them, for others, it is draining, difficult and sometimes impossible.
At least one in five mums will not produce enough breastmilk for their little one to drink and some babies will have difficulty breastfeeding and may never develop a sufficient latch.
This mum reveals her heartache and anxiety at being unable to breastfeed her son and how she managed to come to terms with it.
She explains: "Every single year I would see the GORGEOUS images of ladies nursing their babies and they were always in pretty gowns and they looked amazing and I was always envious.
“My son wouldn't latch. He was born 9lb 2oz and came out HUNGRY! I couldn't produce enough fast enough for him and he would grow impatient and just wouldn't latch. We saw specialists and everything with no success".
Sadly, she was treated cruelly by other women whom she considered to be friends when she revealed she was struggling to breastfeed.
“I was actually told by ladies who I thought were my friends that I was harming my child by not nursing him.
"I cried myself to sleep for the first six weeks of his life. I had failed as a mom in my mind because of what these ‘friends’ were saying. It took me until I had my daughter to realise that was a bunch of garbage".
She decided she had to do something to help other mums who faced the same issues and launched the Fed is Best Foundation to raise awareness about the difficulties surrounding breastfeeding and the risks for babies who do not receive sufficient nourishment through breastfeeding.
“We aren't lazy, or just don't want to try, some of our bodies will not nurse,” she said, responding to her former critics.
“While there is a need for the entire world to recognise breastfeeding is something you should be able to do outside of your home and wherever you want, there was also a need to remind moms to support one another no matter what choices we make for our kids as long as they are taken care of and healthy.
“That is what started the Fed is Best idea. I wanted other moms who were bottle feeding to feel just as beautiful feeding their child as the moms who were nursing”.
She organised a photo shoot for both bottle-feeding and breastfeeding mums to take part and the results are just stunning.
We love this idea – it’s so important for mums to support each other. Can you relate to this mum’s story? Let us know.
