My Breastfeeding Journey

When both my kids were born, it was one of my commitments to really breastfeed for as long as I possibly could. Because I was basically a stay-at-home mom from the time my eldest was born, I was lucky to have had the privilege to not only give them the best food I could provide, but to also be able to enjoy cuddle time and bonding time that was uniquely mine and theirs as I breastfed.

With my eldest, life was so different. Everything was centered on him and his needs. I was able to stay home most days and enjoy breastfeeding him in private. There was no need to pump and store because I was always around to provide him with breast milk whenever he wanted. I also enjoyed the freedom of not having to do so many other things that come with pumping and storing milk and feeding him from the bottle. As a back-up, I would just pump a few ounces to keep in the fridge for the rare occasions when I would have to leave for a few hours.

Yes, being all cooped up at home most of the time because I had to breastfeed and tend to my son would get me down sometimes, but my friends and my family were great in the sense that they would frequently visit and keep me company. If not, I would spend some days visiting at my parents’ house to have a change of scenery but still have the privacy to breastfeed my son.

On the rare occasions where we would really need to go out, I would be a bit self-conscious about breastfeeding in public. What I would do then was time my breastfeeding so that I could breastfeed in the car where I had some privacy and not have to do it in public. Breastfeeding rooms and centers in malls and public places were non-existent then or few and far between so there really was no other private place to breastfeed other than in the car. Also, at that time, there wasn’t really much awareness about it so breastfeeding in public was more difficult - you could really feel the discomfort of the people around you if you breastfed in public.  

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Fast forward to four and a half years and I have been blessed with a daughter. Just like her older brother, I was determined to breastfeed her for as long as I possibly could. I realized though that this time around, things were just a bit different. One big change for me was that since I had a preschooler to tend to also, I found myself not having enough private time to breastfeed at home. My daughter, to top it all off, did not take well to sucking pumped breast milk from the bottle so there was really no choice but to go out and do errands with my infant daughter in tow. I found out though that because of the rise in breastfeeding awareness, there was not much of a stigma anymore to breastfeeding in public.  I have done it in the mall, in restaurants, in houses of family and friends…I have had to breastfeed my daughter in the oddest places and I learned to be comfortable and proud while doing so. Of course having breastfeeding centers and lounges available now is a definite plus as well.

It was also with my daughter that I had to deal with various breastfeeding issues like plugged ducts, engorgement and other medical concerns.  Of course they were unpleasant and uncomfortable at the time, but I find that in hindsight, I am glad to have experienced them - I have more knowledge now that I can pass on to other moms.

My breastfeeding journey has been such a wonderful one. My bond with my children is so much stronger and so much richer because of breastfeeding, and I have no regrets whatsoever. Though it has come to an end for now because of medical reasons, I am happy that I was able to give my kids the best that I could for as long as I could. I am proud to be a mother that chose to breastfeed. I see the difference in my kids and I love how the experience has changed me and made me a better mom and a better person.

Photo from flickr.com