World Breastfeeding Week: Our Story

August 1 to 7 is a week when breastfeeding is celebrated all over the world. When it comes to breastfeeding or bottle feeding my opinion is that every Mom knows what is best for her and her baby, that every women has the right to chose whether to breastfeed or bottle feed.

In my case it has always been breastfeeding. It never crossed my mind to start of with a bottle, I wanted to try breastfeeding and if possible stick with it as long as needed.

The beginning was shaky. I really didn’t know what I was doing, how it all supposed to be and if the way I was doing it was the right way. First two weeks were painful with lots of tears (both my daughters and mine) very strange. But I decided to ask questions, look for the answers and do my best.

For the first 8 months it was never an issue. There was enough milk, enough time and I loved the fact that I was always around my baby to be there when she is hungry. I did pump, but mostly in the first few months because it seemed I had way too much milk, more than baby really needed or wanted.

Around my daughters 8 months my milk supply took a turn downward. I was doing everything the same still exclusively breastfeeding her. I talked to her doctor on the appointment and she pointed out stress. Stress can be a tricky thing to deal with, and at some point I was really feeling under stress and it backfired on my milk supply.

The doctor suggested taking it easy for a while, relaxing more, and in the meantime till milk supply comes back in (which turned out to be possible) try and add a little formula in. The only problem was my little girl wouldn’t take formula, she wouldn’t take any bottles, she has never wanted a pacifier even. So the only option for us if I wanted her to still get milk was to do my best and try to make more milk. Sounds easy right, well not always.

But we stuck to it and I breastfeed her for a little longer than a year. In the end mostly it was only before bedtime, because she was use to breastfeeding before bed.

She weaned herself and it was a sad and relieving experience at the same time. Sad in a way that made me realize she was growing up and not really needing me so close all the time. Relieving because in my opinion a year was enough for her well being and I felt too that it was the time for me to stop, even though there was milk coming for about a month longer.

Looking back at the whole breastfeeding experience it was great, it was something that I did to benefit my child and would definitely do it again with the next baby.

My feelings about breastfeeding in public I really don’t see anything wrong with it. It’s natural, it’s what those things are intended for after all.

Tell us your opinion on the breastfeeding and share with us your story!

For more stories about breastfeeding visit Cat at 3 Kids And Us

Posted in Baby | 3 Comments »