Dear Tired, Anxious or Weary Breastfeeding Mom,
Recently, I was asked what was hardest about breastfeeding. I thought and thought about it. I had half a dozen different answers at least!
Initially I thought it was for sure the tongue tie! Then I thought, it was keeping my milk supply up.
But then it hit me, the hardest thing about breastfeeding was to be kind to myself through the process. Being a Mom is a challenging, joyus, stressful and fulfilling job… especially as a breastfeeding Mother.
So know this! You Momma are awesome!
You’re providing your sweet babe with amazing nutrition and doing the best you can. It can be hard to remember on the difficult days!
You know the ones where you’re just exhausted and questioning if there really is enough milk in there. Is this all worth it? Will it get easier?
Maybe breastfeeding is really a struggle or you’ve had a rough start like my daughter and I did. Maybe you’re going through all the breastfeeding shoulda, coulda, wouldas. Maybe you received some negative feedback while nursing in public. Maybe it wasn’t how you dreamed it would be.
The breastfeeding challenges I struggle with are thoughts like:
It’s in these overwhelming and judging moments I have to tell myself, I am doing a good job. YOU breastfeeding mothers are doing a good job! We our own worst criticizers.
We are the ones that allow those negative thoughts to grow and begin to feel like a failure. Next time you hear that negative voice creeping into your thoughts, fight back with truthful words!
Successful breastfeeding can and often takes a village. This idea can be challenging when breastfeeding can make us feel isolated or we feel embarrassed by our struggles.
There is a lot to breastfeeding successfully and many moms need extra support! So get the breastfeeding help you need and deserve!
Breastfeeding can come with pressure and stress because we are told feeding your baby is such a natural process. That doesn’t mean it’s easy!
When in doubt, reach out. Sometimes you may just need a listening ear, other times you may need some real support to sit down with you and your baby problem solving and making a breastfeeding plan for success. Help is out there if you need it!
Above all, just remember through it all, to be kind to yourself Momma. ❤️
Kim Fahay
Kim is a Mommy to this sweet little nugget, Paisley. She has been on her breastfeeding journey for 29 months now! Is currently working to become a La Leche League leader and works part-time by trade as a pastry chef. After becoming a Mom she has gained an intense passion for helping other Mommas. One way she likes to help is by donating milk through Human Milk for Human Babies. She just hit 11 gallons donated this month!
Her breastfeeding journey started on a pretty rough and rocky road as Paisley was born tongue tied and it was almost 2 painful months before she was diagnosed. Through that struggle she gained a passion for breastfeeding, babywearing and soaking in all the knowledge she could. Kim is a true Pacific Northwesterner at heart. Loves playing in the great outdoors, gardening and hiking! Here’s a snap of them at The Global Big Latch On event this year.
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