Back to Breast: My Journey Back to Breastfeeding #worldbreastfeedingweek

Ahhh! Where have I been?

Oh. You know. Around.

I know I've been very absent the past few weeks and I could work up a million (totally legit) excuses, but let's just move on, shall we? And let's get to celebrating World Breastfeeding Week, August 1-7 2014.

I mentioned in the past that I was exclusively pumping for my daughter, as I did for my first child. This was something I was doing by choice, rather than something I was forced to do, as some moms are.

However, after some self-reflection, experiencing the desire to return to nursing my daughter, and stumbling across some great breastfeeding bloggers (ahem, The Badass Breastfeeder)...

Well, I came to some conclusions. I was pretty ashamed of what I came to realize.

My Self-Imposed Breastfeeding Obstacles

1. I was scared.
   
2. I thought exclusively pumping was what I wanted, but really it was more about the following realizations...
   
3. I was trying to convenience everyone else, and I thought breastfeeding was going to somehow inconvenience others.
   
4. I didn't want to offend anyone by breastfeeding my daughter in front of them and/or in public.
   
5. I had my own insecurities about my body.

I was pissed at myself for letting the fact that breastfeeding, and especially breastfeeding in public, is still so taboo. I was afraid of being judged or, heaven forbid, that someone would be downright nasty with me. I decided, right then and there, that everyone else could screw off. For some reason, I missed the breastfeeding relationship I had with my daughter.

Working Through It

After two months of exclusively pumping for Luna, we returned to nursing. Like the beautiful, amazing baby that she is, we returned like bottles had never been a thing and breastfeeding was all she'd ever known. Obviously, I'm more than blessed because many, many women struggle to get that first latch or struggle with nipple confusion and bottle preference later in breastfeeding.

This isn't me bragging that I didn't have to suffer through that. This is me joyously celebrating that I did not have to experience the disappointment that surely would have ensued had I made the decision to return Luna to the breast and she refused. I'm sure I would have been crushed.

Am I still adjusting? Yes. Do I still feel insecure at times? Of course. However, I'm not about to be bullied into denying myself or my daughter this experience.

Happy World Breastfeeding Week everyone!

What struggles have you experienced breastfeeding? Can you relate to any of my self-imposed struggles?

Never miss a thing! Subscribe via email today!