Our breastfeeding journey has not been plain sailing, it has been the story of every second mother you may have met who made the intention to breastfeed.
I will not go into great detail about our breastfeeding story as I have extensively spoken about it here but to keep things short, we faced great difficulties in the beginning due to weight issues but mainly due to lack of support.
I was immobile for quite a while after A’s birth and was not signposted to the right areas for support.
But here I am, nearly 30 months on, still breastfeeding my 2 and a half year old toddler.
If you had told me 2 years ago that I’d still be breastfeeding A in 2019, I would have laughed but back then I didn’t know how strong my determination actually was. Although, I still feel quite bitter about how our journey began and still ever so angry, I can’t hide the fact that it has shaped me into the person I am today.
Finding my own feet again, I was motivated to do something to make a difference and coincidentally jumped into a career that would help me to make a difference.
Despite working as an Admin in the Child Health department, I put myself forward for extra work that involves shaping things like breastfeeding education, I’ve also ended up training as a infant feeding peer supporter and volunteer in clinics to support other mothers. This is the support that I needed, that I wish somebody had guided me towards.
I have learnt so much in the past months especially during my training. Some things that caught me in awe wondering why aren’t pregnant mothers who intend to breastfeed given this education?
I’ve learnt how bitter this society actually is towards breastfeeding mothers, we’re always seeing formula feeding mothers being shamed and highlighted but equally mothers who chose to breastfeed are ignored and are also frowned upon.
And some feel so isolated that they don’t say anything at all in fear of offending another mother.
When a breastfeeding mother is struggling, fellow family and friends are quick to advise to give a bottle – sorry, but that’s not what she needs right now, why don’t you try and help her to find a solution or encourage her to go out and find the right support instead?
Not being able to breastfeed when wanting too can really effect a mother’s mental health and sometimes only a little support is actually needed to help things progress. I know how I felt in the first few months I combined fed, it was my choice to breastfeed and I wanted to make it happen and when things weren’t going in the right direction, I felt like a complete failure.
But I’m glad I took things into my own hands and am still breastfeeding my daughter, which might actually seem weird for some but I don’t care, this is my achievement, we’ve overcome such big hurdles to get this far and I will proudly talk about it because this is something I am proud of and why shouldn’t I be?
If you breastfed for 2 years, 1 year, 6 or 3 months or even a week or a day, give yourselves a pat on the back and be proud of yourself and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Thank you for sharing your story and journey with breastfeeding. I was so gutted when I couldn’t as my little one would just not latch at all, it left me feeling deflated but I soon realised that as long as he’s getting fed, that’s the main thing so I done a mix of expressing the milk and formula. You’re so right when you say it can affect our mental health, it can be a real struggle.
Jordanne | Thelifeofaglasgowgirl.co.uk/a>