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Breastfeeding isn’t hard. It is so much more than that simple word.
Hard.
Simplicity & Convenience
Breastfeeding is actually quite simple. I do not say this to offend any mothers who struggle. We will get to the struggles later.
Breastfeeding at its core is a simple act. You latch your baby to your breast. You do not need anything except your body and your baby.
You do not need gadgets and tools. You do not need pumps and storage.
You just need to be with your baby and feed them.
You do not need to worry about packing anything to take with you. There is no concern over proper temperature storage.
You can nurse on the go wherever you are. Breastfeeding is both simple and convenient.
The simplicity and convenience are the main My Top 5 Reasons for Choosing to Breastfeed Baby #2.
Bonding, Beautiful, and Beneficial
Breastfeeding is all of these words.
Your baby learns your face and your smell. They learn your voice and your tones. Breastfeeding lets your baby know that you care for them. You are their source of comfort and nutrition.
I won’t go into the research of the benefits your baby can receive from breastmilk, but we all know they are there. The antibodies you can pass along are awesome.
Selfless
Breastfeeding is the biggest short and long-term commitment I have made in my life. It is short-term in the grand scheme of life, but at the time felt quite long-term.
I am crazy enough to consider this commitment more strenuous than going to college, working a job, or even marrying my husband.
You see all of those commitments I could turn off in a sense or take a break from. School and work gave me the evening and weekends. My husband is a life-long commitment, but he does not constantly need me. He is a fully capable adult.
Breastfeeding though was a 24-hour commitment. I was a tethered to my baby. In the beginning, I felt that I could only be away for short amounts of time. As our baby got older these breaks lengthened. However, I used breastfeeding to put her down for naps and bedtime. Once again I was tethered to the baby.
One could also argue that this is where a pump can be used. I was not a fan of using the pump. This then created a baby that would not take a bottle. Check out my article on this huge breastfeeding mistake I made.
Even if you use the pump you are still tied to the clock and your breasts. They need to be pumped to keep up your supply.
Your day can feel consumed by breastfeeding.
My commitment to breastfeeding is the most selfless thing I have done thus far in my life. The commitment, the time, and the day-in day-out consistency was my life for nearly 14 months.
There was a point that I told my husband I just want to take like 3 days off. I would just like a break.
A mini vacation from breastfeeding.
This isn’t how it works though.
Exhausting & Draining
Breastfeeding can where you out. The sense of weight and responsibility is ever so heavy. There was always this feeling, no matter how much my husband helped, that it all falls on me. Nutrition was all on me.
Like I said before, sometimes you just want a break.
It is ok to admit when breastfeeding is sucking the life out of you.
What is Hard?
There are plenty of parts to breastfeeding that can be hard.
Pain is hard.
Mastitis is hard.
Engorgement is hard.
Tongue and lip ties are hard.
Pumping is hard.
Weaning is hard.
Teething is hard.
Sometimes your boobs are just hard.
There are so many aspects of breastfeeding that you could consider hard. You will likely not suffer from all of these. I am not here to scare you! Don’t be afraid to breastfeed!
Complicated
One area that many new mommas struggle with is having confidence that you are producing enough milk for your baby. You don’t get to see how many ounces they are drinking. You have to trust your body. This can be very difficult.
Another thing that I feel would be incredibly hard is trying to pump for your baby once you go back to work. I was fortunate enough to take my baby with me to work, but most mommas do not have this luxury. Pumping has got to be hard.
The final thing that I believe makes breastfeeding hard is how over complicated people make it. The amount of information available about breastfeeding is paralyzing. The overload is hard to handle.
My advice here is to keep it simple. Do not try to power pump, test every baby hold, and use every contraption available especially in the beginning.
That first month you should do your absolute best to directly feed your baby for the majority of their feeds. Introducing the bottle is still a good idea, but for the most part, focus on feeding your baby from your body.
Conclusion
I would like to point out that you will not face all of these issues. Some parts of it will not be difficult for you and others will be.
Your journey breastfeeding can take so many turns and go off course. It is ok. Always give yourself grace.
Despite all the HARD moments I face with breastfeeding my first child I still have My Top 5 Reasons I Will Breastfeed Baby #2.
I am not here to shame any mother who quit or chooses not to breastfeed. I am here though to encourage those that want to try.
For me breastfeeding was easy. I didn’t have to deal with tongue or lip ties. I didn’t suffer from mastitis. I got lucky in a lot of ways. I fully realize that.
Breastfeeding was easy for me, yet the journey was one of the hardest things I have ever done.
Check Out My Articles
How to Soothe a Teething Baby: Expert Tips and Tricks
The Haakaa: a Simple, Affordable, and Effective tool for Breastfeeding Moms
Why I Regret Exclusively Breastfeeding! The Huge Mistake I Made!