Joshua Tree Breastfeeding Session

Breastfeeding...

...it's seems to be a hot topic right now! With so many new moms in the world, and so many ways to birth and feed our babies, how are we supposed to know what the right choice is?? The honest truth....there really is no right choice. You heard me, there's no right choice. You can do all the research in the world, scour the internet late into the night, and ask all your mom friends what they did, but at the end of the day, you just have to choose what's best for you and your baby. You can relax and breathe a sigh of relief now...it's all up to you (and let's face it, you know what's best for your baby).

Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to share a little bit of my own experience! My goal in sharing is to support women. The more that I learn about birth and postpartum, the more I realize that women are severely under-educated about it all, let alone what to do when it's all said and done! I honestly feel like more women would choose to breastfeed (and be more successful at it!) if they were just given more helpful information and were fully supported throughout the process. And what a process it is...

Baby Uriah the day he was born!

When Uriah was born, I knew that I wanted to breastfeed, and I was so hopeful that it would come "naturally" to us both...I'm just going to spoil the surprise and tell you that it didn't. I had done some reading, but when the day came, we just seemed to be missing something. We tried in the hospital, and a lactation consultant came in that night to assist us in the latching process. She proceeded to squeeze my boob hard and slam his fresh, little face against it...it wasn't fun for either of us and only made him cry. I kept trying and ended up seeing another LC at his first doctor's appointment. You can probably guess what happened here too. Once the forceful shoving technique didn't work (again), I was offered a nipple shield (within 24 hours of him being born) and was told to pump to relieve engorgement (my milk hadn't come in yet...). Being a clueless, new mom, I did as they suggested, which I later realized wasn't actually setting us up for long-term success.

So, here we are 6 months later...and thriving!! But how?? (I'm shocked too, honestly). It's simple...I got the support I needed, and I'm so glad. Do you want to know the best part? You can be thriving on this crazy, rewarding journey too!

Here are 5 tips to have a successful breastfeeding experience:

1. If baby isn't gaining, or mom is in pain, see an IBCLC asap! (They're International Board Certified Lactation Consultants, and they really know their stuff.)

2. Get yourself a good support system. Find some other breastfeeding mommas in your area, go to a La Leche League meeting, and join Facebook groups.

3. When you think you can't do it anymore, try one more time. Trust me, I had plenty of tearful nights where I just wanted to throw in the towel (boob?) and give that baby a bottle...but I didn't. I gave it one more feeding. And you know what, it got better.

4. Get educated about the benefits. Read everything you can. And then educate those around you.

5. Remember that you were made for this...your body was made to perfectly feed your baby, and you can do this!

*Yes, there are always exceptions and medical reasons some women/babies are unable to breasfeed. If you feel this is you, see your doctor, or talk to an IBCLC!

Also, remember that you don't have to breastfeed if you don't want to. Although I personally believe it's the most beneficial option, it's not the only option. You're the mom, and you get to choose what's right for you! Do your research, do what feels right, and take care of your precious little nugget.

How did you choose to feed your baby? Did you feel fully supported in your decision? Let me know in the comments!