Celebrating World Breastfeeding Week

August 4, 2016
Breastfeeding/Nursing, Mommy Wars, Motherhood, Parenting, Pregnancy

As the mother of an exclusively breastfed 5 month old, we are most definitely celebrating World Breastfeeding Week over here at Forever June. In case you didn’t know, WBW (and breastfeeding advocates everywhere) promotes exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a child’s life, which boasts a plethora of health and development benefits. It’s no small feat, but with the backing of large organizations like UNICEF, the World Health Organization, La Leche League International, and the World Alliance for Breastfeeding it is something that is becoming more and more attainable for women from all different walks of life.

As an expectant mother I always knew that I wanted to breastfeed my baby, but with the lack of normalization in today’s society I was really unsure of my ability to succeed, enjoy it, and/or nurse my child in a public setting. Nonetheless, similar to my commitment to an unmedicated labor and delivery, I set out to accomplish this goal: I will nurse my baby when and where I need to, I will enjoy it, and I will do it for at least the first 6 months of her life. Thanks to a wonderful childbirth class, an amazing doula, and an incredibly supportive family I am almost there. So why not up the ante? I am now shooting for 1 year.

Thanks to movements like WBW (among others), the availability of information and resources for breastfeeding has grown exponentially, but there is still so much work to do. There is an abundance of misinformation out there that breastfeeding advocates like myself and lactation professionals alike are looking to disprove. You think you learned everything you need to know about breastfeeding your baby from What to Expect When You’re Expecting? Think again. That book in particular runs rampant with misinformation that preps and primes you for supply issues and unnecessary supplementation if you’re not careful. Make sure you are obtaining your education from a reliable source like La Leche League International’s book The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, among many others.

Or better yet? Seek guidance from an IBCLC, an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Not only have these people made it their own personal goal to encourage and aid in your breastfeeding success, but they have spent thousands (yes, you read that correctly) of hours learning and practicing. These aren’t your token hospital LC’s guys. They’re actual lifesavers when it comes to the daunting and intimidating task of exclusively breastfeeding your baby. You can hire one independently to come to your home and help (like I did) or you can visit them at various hospitals or specialty centers. Some even lead La Leche League groups or partner with other professionals within your local birth community.

Truth is, just like raising a child, exclusively breastfeeding one takes a village. It takes support, solidarity, and encouragement from everyone around you. And believe me, those in your life who don’t fall into any of those categories will sometimes take it upon themselves to question you on all of it. So be sure to find a community of women who support you. I personally leveraged the wisdom and solidarity of the Breastfeed Chicago Facebook Group. Moderated by IBCLCs, the knowledge and advice I’ve received from some 14,000 of its members is absolutely priceless.

I had an IBCLC visit me 3 times in the early months. And still communicate with her periodically to this day. She helped me survive a shallow latch, a tongue tie, a forceful letdown, and then some. She talked me off the ledge a number of times and reminded me what an amazing thing I am doing for my baby. I cried. She laughed. It was wonderful, and so so helpful.

It is not a walk in the park, as any nursing mama would tell you. We’ve had our fair share of challenges and adversity:

The all-encompassing task of feeding on demand is not for the faint of heart, but one of the best things you can do for your breastfed baby. Forget the clock and just follow his/her hunger cues.
Cluster feeding for baby’s comfort and to build your supply? Ouch. But you better believe all 6 seasons of Parenthood got me through that. Was I crying because my nipples hurt or crying because every episode of that show is a tear-jerker? You tell me.
Clogged ducts. Yowza. Those and the prospect of mastitis will put the fear of God in ya. But nothing that some dangle nursing, massage, and the excuse to take really long, hot showers (you didn’t miss those?) can’t fix.
Oversupply. Yes, some of us have this issue. Our boobs commit mutiny and attempt to choke our poor unsuspecting babies while they try to eat. We get engorged, painful boobs that feel like rocks. And no, randomly looking down at your wet shirt to see that tell-tale sign that it’s been too long is not a myth.
Nursing in public? Challenge accepted. Have I accidentally flashed a restaurant of innocent people? Maybe. Have I been tempted to high-five the nursing mama in the corner? You bet. Is it an intimidating and scary thing to try? 100% – but doing it only forces the people who make it awkward to get used to it. So, nurse on Mama.
Bottle feeding. My baby likes it straight from the tap, and thinks bottles are for the birds. So she and I have become quite the inseparable duo. Bottle envy. Is that a thing? Because now when I do see her take one, I get jealous. It’s an emotional rollercoaster!

I’m doing it though. Despite the many (MANY) tears and frustrations, it continues to be worth it.

Keep reading. Keep learning. Keep NORMALIZING.

Although I don’t mean for this to be a ‘persuasive essay’ or an ‘educational pamphlet’ of sorts, I think there is no better time to express my support and advocacy for breastfeeding than right now during WBW. I cannot appropriately or enthusiastically articulate how much my nursing relationship with my daughter means to me. It has bonded us in a way that words cannot accurately describe, but only a mother’s heart and body can feel. I plan to expand on this in the future!

I have included some of my favorite breastfeeding resources at the bottom of this post. Feel free to explore, ask questions, find your community. If you need help, do not hesitate to ask. I am more than happy to support you if you need it!

Happy World Breastfeeding Week!