I spent 14 months breastfeeding each of my babies and was rewarded by countless hours of listening to their happy slurping noises. None of that would have been possible without my sister-in-law from Lake Stevens who got me through rough patches, especially during the first five weeks.
I’d call my sister-in-law at all hours, blubbering, snuffling and unsure if I could continue. “Help! The books didn’t say it would hurt this much.” Then I’d wipe away my tears with a semi-clean burp cloth while she talked me through pumping, thrush, barracuda latches and the surprising amount of pain nursing involves at the beginning. We joked that she was my personal lactation consultant.
I still remember when she told me: “A strong latch will always be noticeable, but pretty soon you’ll toughen up and it won’t hurt.” That’s exactly what happened. I’m grateful I had her cheering me on so I wouldn’t give up.
There are so many stressors new moms face that choosing a bottle instead of the breast appears convenient, particularly at 2 a.m. on Day 3 when your body feels like it has exploded and you’ll never be normal again. Cracking open a can of formula and letting your porn-boobs deflate seems like the sensible decision. Formula raises healthy babies. That has been proven over and over again. There is no shame in bottle love.
But fast forward to when a new mom’s body has recovered from childbirth and you’ll find that nursing is easier than sleeping, more convenient than instant coffee and as sensible as cork-soled sandals. Breastfeeding is not only cheap, it’s free. Plus, according to BreastfeedingPlace.com, nursing burns 500 calories a day. At what other time in your life can you say goodbye to extra weight by lifting up your shirt?
Speaking of shirts, breastfeeding does test your braveness where modesty is concerned. Sure, there are Udder Covers and receiving blankets to aid with discretion, but not every baby is willing to eat in the dark.
Society doesn’t always make it easy for nursing moms either. You can always count on Nordstrom to have a women’s lounge where you can comfortably nurse, but otherwise you need to scout out friendly locations and swap info with friends. Or you can be bold and just go for it. Feed your child whenever and wherever baby wants, and stare down uncomfortable onlookers. Breasts are made for babies and other people should chill out. It’s not like nobody has seen mammary glands before.
Personally, I was never that brave. Sure, I breastfed in public all the time, but only when I wore nursing shirts that didn’t show one inch of skin. I did however make a point of letting any girl who wanted to see the full procedure watch (with her mom’s permission) because this is how future mothers learn. “It’s really easy,” I’d say. “My sister-in-law helped teach me.”
Breastfeeding moms need more cheerleaders. Let’s help “the girls” out.
Jennifer Bardsley is an Edmonds mom of two. Follow her on Instagram @the_ya_gal, Twitter @jennbardsley, or at teachingmybabytoread.com.
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