"I feel so blessed that breastfeeding was so easy and natural for us. I had heard stories of how difficult it could be and that you should start with small goals and work your way up. My original goal was to breastfeed for 3 months. It almost makes me laugh to think of that now. I knew it was important and the best thing for my baby, but I never imagined I would love it so much. I love the special time we share every time she nurses. I love how excited she gets when she knows it's time to nurse. It's our special quiet time when in the midst of hectic day, it's just the two of us and nothing else. Shortly after six months I changed my goal to as long as she still wants to breastfeed. It's good for both of us, so why stop before we need to." ~ Debra, mama to 12 month old Ceridwen
"Before the birth of my son I read and researched much about the birth process. I knew I wanted to breastfeed, but it didn’t even occur to me to learn more about it prior to G’s arrival. I thought it would just come naturally.
"I had no idea that in the end, our breastfeeding journey would be so much harder then our birth journey! We had many setbacks in the beginning including tongue tie, thrush, mastitis, and low weight gain. As a new mom who just wanted to see her baby healthy and happy and wanting to start feeling better myself, the low was low.
“'Just make it to six weeks. If you can make it to six weeks- you will make it,' my mother-in-law kept telling me. I know it is different for everyone but somehow those words rang true for me and somewhere around that six weeks things turned. It wasn’t an immediate thing, much more a process, but it got better and easier and soon instead of being a grand production full of all the necessary props, nursing my baby became more of a seamless, natural part of my day.
"When I nurse my baby, I literally feel surges of love flowing through me. It is one of the most powerful emotions I have felt in my life. I savor these times as simply nothing can compare to them. Nursing my baby revitalizes and softens me. It has become integral to my identity as mother at this point in our lives. It fills my cup.
"Seeing my baby’s sweet eyes as he looks up at me, watching his chubby hands as he plays with my necklace, nibbling on and kissing his little fingers as they reach up to my face- these small moments are why I breastfeed. I cherish the quiet time we spend with each other. The highs are abundant, beautiful and oh so-worth-it." ~Jenny, mama to 5-month-old G.
