These 21 Illustrations on Breastfeeding Are Spot On

One of the first major hurdles a new mom faces is breastfeeding. Yes, it can be exhausting, which is why you'll need all the support you can get. You will need a break when the demands of motherhood are taking a toll on you. Give yourself a reminder why you're doing this -- and these illustrations might help give you the motivation you need to soldier on. 

Southern California mom, Joy Hwang, has had her share of breastfeeding struggles, from finding the best position to milk supply issues. Often, she can't do anything but cry with her baby. But Joy had an outlet -- drawing -- and her whimsical sketches, which many breastfeeding moms will find relatable, led to a website, Mom is Drawing. 

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"It helped me to connect with my baby through the only way I knew how," Joy told The Huffington Post. "Drawing her and sharing the art online has helped me find my tribe at my fingertips during the stretch of days when I feel isolated from the world I knew before my baby was born. Even on days filled with my amateur mom struggles, I had more inspiration to draw about them."

As a professional artist and graphic designer, Joy uses her real-life experiences (and sometimes her mommy friends' experiences) and bring them to life with hand-drawn pencil sketches. While her drawings cover everything parenting, breastfeeding is a subject close to her heart. Joy says it's one of the hardest things she's had to do. "I’ve always imagined it would come naturally and magically, but it was quite the opposite."

Her drawings depict both the serene, perfect images you often see in the media, as well as the difficulties breastfeeding moms go through, including pumping breast milk. She even manages to make light fun out of some bizarrely familiar scenarios. Look:

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“I want my drawings to reflect every mom’s journey as well as mine,” Joy said. "My highest hope is to empower moms and challenge the taboo of breastfeeding and pumping in public and on social media, through sometimes silly or too-honest drawings. I want to open up these conversations and support one another."

Now, Joy's "favorite person in the whole world" is her daughter, whom she didn't feel an instant connection at birth She knows her toddler could wean from the breast any time now, but she takes pride that their nursing sessions have played a big part in their lives. 

To see more of Joy's drawings about parenting, follow her on Instagram or Facebook. Visit her website to purchase her artwork (she also does custom drawings when she has the time).

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