Breastfeeding Success

Welcome to The Breastfeeding Cafe Carnival!

This post was written as part of the Breastfeeding Cafe’s Carnival. For more info on the Breastfeeding Cafe, go to www.breastfeedingcafe.wordpress.com. For more info on the Carnival or if you want to participate, contact Claire at clindstrom2 {at} gmail {dot} com. Today’s post is about breastfeeding success stories. Please read the other blogs in today’s carnival listed below and check back for more posts July 22nd through August 4th!

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I am currently breastfeeding my second child. I breastfed my first but not exclusively and she weaned at 9 months old. With my daughter I was very young (only 20 years old) and a single mom. I worked very hard to breastfeed and did so exclusively until she was about 4 ½ months. At the time I didn’t really have much support but I knew the benefits so I knew it was what I wanted to do. I returned to work full time when she was 3 months old and did my best to pump enough milk to leave for her during the day. I had a job which made it very hard to pump as often as I should have and didn’t feel very comfortable pumping at work to begin with and was never able to pump very much milk. Due to these things I ended up supplementing with formula a few times a day while I was working but breastfed when I was with her. I often think that if I had known what I know now, and had been as passionate about breastfeeding, I would have worked harder so I didn’t have to supplement. When my daughter weaned at 9 months I was very depressed over it for about a month and have carried much guilt with me since that time.

Fast forward about 5 years and I am now nursing my second baby and have done so exclusively for 10 months now. My situation is very different from when I was nursing my daughter as I am now married and a stay at home mom. Both of these things make my breastfeeding experience very different this time around. While I was pregnant with my son I knew that I was going to do every last thing in my power to make it to a year only providing him with breast milk. I knew that if I had to work I would make it known to my employer that I was going to pump every two to three hours in order to provide enough milk for my son while I was away from him. I ended up a SAHM and am grateful I did.

My passion for breastfeeding, and the normalizing of it in our society, has grown tremendously since I breastfed my first baby. Having mentioned before I had a goal of reaching the year mark without supplementing at all. I am the kind of person who cannot be with their baby 24/7 for the first year. I need me time tremendously, and love going on dates with my husband and having mommy daughter dates with my 5 year old. I needed to be able to pump milk for those occasions. I have worked so hard over these past 10 months pumping in order to have milk for these times away. I really hate pumping but wanted to reach my goal and still be able to leave my nursling at times; so away I pumped.

I feel my success as a breastfeeding mom did not come only from making it this far without any form of supplementation, but has been in the transformation and the journey in womanhood that my nursing experiences have brought into my life. Breastfeeding has given me a voice in society through my passion for it and being an advocate of it. It has shown me the unique and incredible bond that we as women and mothers can share with each other in a way that could never have been achieved without my breastfeeding experiences. I have gained confidence in myself as a mother and provider for my children. I have learned to trust my body and my baby in return. Even my goal has changed over time and I no longer plan on ending my breastfeeding relationship at the year mark and instead plan on trusting myself and my son to know when the right time for him to wean will be.

Danielle is a wife and mother of two. She has become very passionate about natural birth and breastfeeding in recent years. Her interest in doing what is healthy and best for her children has now turned to a lifestyle that she lives daily. When she isn’t playing mother, she enjoys reading, learning, arts and crafts and snuggling up with a purring cat. She loves her husband and children and has dedicated her life to her family, her beliefs and bettering the world around her.

 

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Here are more post by the Breastfeeding Cafe Carnival participants! Check back because more will be added throughout the day.

• Amy @ Wildflower Ramblings-My sweet nursling {breastfeeding through bleeding and a tongue tie}
• Sara @ Momzelle-My breastfeeding success
• Claire @ The Adventures of Lactating Girl-Three Years and Two Months
• Krystyna @ Sweet Pea Families-Breastfeeding Success from Start to Here
• Hailey @ Birth Utah-Re-lactation Breastfeeding Success
• Timbra @ Bosoms and Babes-Story of Our Success
• Mercedes @ Project Procrastinot-Bfing
• Angelina @ dizzyrat-Breastfeeding Success
• And of course the guest poster on the Breastfeeding Cafe’s blog today is Danielle-Breastfeeding Success