Breastfeeding Round-up: Breastfeeding journeys

Photo credit: Luca Elvira, Shutterstock

Following on from my collection of responses to last month’s breastfeeding media storm, Angie from Homeschool Mum Bum reflected on her eventful to uneventful breastfeeding journey. She charted her experience from her teenage mum days, to now as a busy and resourceful, single homeschooling mum of 5, who is tandem nursing her last 2 children. What a journey she has had, from breastfeeding taboo to the big deal of breastfeeding, to the boring non-event normality of it. I can definitely relate with her take on the normalisation of breastfeeding, though I can’t see myself finding boobing talk boring, anytime soon.

Jodie’s (Wigan Mum) piece about her gratitude for breastfeeding reminded me of my post about the gift of breastfeeding, part of my breastfeeding themed A to Z Blogging Challenge this month. Even then like many mums, she hasn’t found breastfeeding to be smooth sailing … nipple pain, nipple eczema, giving up, combi feeding, back to exclusive feeding, worries about what folks might think about the breastfeeding of her tall toddler etc. I am so glad that breastfeeding support worked for Jodie; what breastfeeding has given her no doubt outweighs the struggles she has had on her journey.

Madeline from This Glorious Life wrote a letter to her daughter on the ending of their breastfeeding journey. What a lovely trip down memory lane of sweetness between mum and daughter. There is a way children need their breastfeeding mums throughout the day, but these milk moments are not forever. Even then, it opens up another exciting chapter of a different way of relating and loving between mother and child, mother and family, and child and family. Wonderful, isn’t it.

Melissa from Beyond Mommying wrote about her breastfeeding pet peeves, likes, and thoughts. I think many breastfeeding mums will relate with the challenge and joys of being the sole possessor of what your baby needs for a significant period of time, day in, day out. It can be both draining and elating, annoying and exciting; never a dull moment on the breastfeeding road, for sure.

Julie from Happy Mama Happy Baby wrote about her month-long combi feeding, on her breastfeeding journey. I am pleased for her that despite not having the support she needed, her nipples healed, her perseverance paid off, and she was able to achieve her goal of exclusively breastfeeding her baby. It’s good to remember that abundant milk supply does not mean lots of expressed milk as needed. I agree with Julie that breastfeeding experiences, no matter its twists and turns, should be shared without shame or feeling like a failure.

Emma at LLM Calling wrote about her breastfeeding grief, 10 years after breastfeeding didn’t work for her. I think we can all relate with the pain of unrealised hopes and plans. ‘Breast is best’ is a slogan that has the ability to stir up the deepest of emotions, especially in mums whose cup of tea includes breastfeeding. I hope Emma finds her way through her grief.

I’m ending this round-up with a post I couldn’t include in my BritMums Breastfeeding Carnival, but one that I think is a ‘must read’. Emma from Loving Baby wrote about the impact of her difficult breastfeeding journey – she supports all mums whatever their infant feeding choice, and mums who struggle to achieve their breastfeeding goals. It’s a shame that someone called her a breastfeeding nazi whilst she was trying to help – an extremely poor and hurtful choice of words to express disagreement.

We do better when we walk in compassion than when we walk in conflict; the infant feeding decision road needs all the kindness and support it can get.

I hope you enjoyed this round-up; I can’t wait to read your comments.

Add your breastfeeding blogs below for some blog love, and consideration for future round-ups; and share these thoughtful stories, if you can, for others to enjoy.

About Mo

Mo @aNoviceMum is a first-time mother, a full-time teacher, a glass-half-full dreamer, and an eager ideas manufacturer. She blogs at Adventures of a Novice Mum to express herself, and record snippets of her life, thoughts, and times for child. She also desires to encourage and inspire others on their life's journey. Blogging is one of the gifts motherhood gave Mo and an eye for photography is one of the many blogging treats she enjoys. Mo is always trying to find enough time to do everything on her non-existent and very long to-do list. She finds all of motherhood very fascinating, and can't get her head around how so many mothers have more than one child. Breastfeeding is one of her mothering past times, one that has taken more hours of her life than she can believe.

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