Breastfeeding freaking hurts but it’s the most beautiful thing you can do with your baby. You will not recognize your nipples but they will be the source of greatness. Bonus, you will have great looking boobs while you do it!
Breastfeeding is great for you and your baby. I knew early on that I was going to breastfeed my son because of the amount of research I’ve done about the benefits. But damnit I wish I knew what the feeling of breastfeeding would be like. You know, just for mental prep lol.
Yes, breastfeeding is beneficial for a number of reasons:
- It gives your baby nutrition and immunization on another level compared to powdered milk. Think about it, it’s so natural. God created this great milk to come from women’s body to be able to feed our children. This means it has everything they need.
- Breastfeeding reduced the size of your uterus after giving birth to your child. Now ladies, this is legit. My stomach decreased dramatically when I breastfed my son. I could literally feel my stomach contracting during or after feedings. I was amazed when I looked in the mirror and saw my stomach.
- Keeps your cost on food the same/low until your child is ready for real foods. I literally don’t have to pay for food for my son till he is at least 4 or 6 months old. (Babies cost money)
- Breast milk is ALWAYS the right temperature for your child. You don’t have to worry about warming up a bottle or going to far for those nightly feedings. This is really helpful in the beginning as babies really do get up to eat every 2 hours.
- Let me repeat the importance of the immunization factor as babies don’t get their first shot until they are one month and they don’t get shots like the influenza shot till their 6 months. You don’t realize how much the world is filled with germs until your first child. Why not help your baby fight these things off with something so natural and easy to provide.
Other mom’s have told me their experiences of breastfeeding. They told me the process is painful, the dangers it does to your nipples, the bleeding, blah blah blah horror stories. They were absolutely right. I have definitely been bit by his gums and baby hungry gums hurt. But! all these horror stories don’t happen to everyone. Yes, my nipples usually hurt and they are normally a soft red color after feedings. I do have to be careful of spicy foods as it can make him spit up. And yes you can drink alcohol, just not as much. But what my son is getting is worth more than the pain.
In the hospital,
I wasn’t sure if I was doing it right. Nurses ask you things like “Is he latching on.” Although I didn’t want to admit it, I didn’t exactly know what they meant at first. In my head I was thinking latching? In person, I just nodded and said yes. I said yes because I thought he was or at least considered his grabbing onto my breast as latching. Either the pediatrician or the lactation consultant asked me if he is pooping, which he sure was. She said then he’s latching. I was relieved. Some old moms told me babies don’t always latch on properly so they don’t feed or even some women’s breast don’t producing milk. That’s freaking scary for a mom that wants to breastfeed. I can only imagine the feeling.
When we first came home from the hospital,
My breasts were giant nonpopable balloons. I was in so my pain. I could barely sleep. My Mom tells me everything from old wives tales to, her Jamaican remedies, so of course in her many list of things she had one for this (I’ll tell you more about the tips she tells me in later post). My mom told me to go in the shower with a comb and comb my breast down to give me some relief. Did it help, yes! But only for a moment. My mom kept telling me its a good thing to have this much milk, some women pray for this much milk. I prayed for relief.
The breast pump my insurance was supposed to provide never came in, so I made Pop run to the store and get a breast pump. I needed to get this milk out of me. I filled up maybe like 3-4 bottles and still had more to feed my son. My breasts were on fire. It was so much milk I couldn’t handle it. After a while my breast milk started to regulate to my son’s feedings. Thank God because I couldn’t do it.
The Real Reasons Why I Breastfeed
- It gives me and my son, mommy and me time. Breastfeeding is so inmate. When my son is feeding, he looks up at me with those big beautiful brown eyes. I just melt. My son’s eyes demand “Look at me mom, I’m eating”. So we stare at each other, mostly me smiling. I sing and dance around with him sometimes too. Tell him my dreams, and hopes for him. I also pray with him.
- I get to hold his hand. One hand is usual clutched to my side and the other is locked on to my finger. I feel like were having a moment.
- A moment of stillness. There is peace in a quiet room while I breastfeed and we’re staring at each other. It is something beautiful. I just get to admire him, his facial features, his hair, everything.
- Damnit it gives him nutrition and immunization lol
- It gives my breast some relief. Although they don’t get huge all the time like in the beginning. But sometimes it does get large and hurt.
For the Win (Conclusion)
I understand, breastfeeding is a mother’s choice. I completely understand when some women can’t do it too. There are many factors when it comes to a women’s decision to breastfeed or not. But I do encourage moms to try it for at least the first few months, 3 tops if you can. There is so much richness in this experience for you and your new baby.
Tell me your thoughts on breastfeeding. How’s your breastfeeding going? Is this something you would like to do with your kid? Did you decide on powder milk instead?
