Since Isra was born petite, people around me questioned if she was getting enough milk. Every time Isra would cry, (as babies do) to communicate hunger/tiredness etc. people would gesture that she was hungry and not getting enough milk. I know that they’re coming from a good place, but a new mum doesn’t need any extra anxieties! Instead of receiving words of encouragement, I was getting the total opposite, it was like I was harming my baby by giving her breastmilk instead of formula. I’m grateful that I stuck to my instinct and was confident that breastfeeding my baby was the best option for her and us.
My son Otto, now two, was my first breastfeeding experience. He was a little dream to feed at first and latched perfectly on the first day. He went on to feed brilliantly in the first few weeks, and I had enough of a supply to pump. This is where it all went a bit wrong.
Am I doing it right? I asked this question to myself so many times when I had my first daughter 8 years ago. I welcomed a beautiful 6lb baby and that was where my breastfeeding journey started; she thrived on breastfeeding and I felt very lucky until I got hit with mastitis and all I could think in my head was breast was best, however, that’s not true, breast or bottle! FED was best.
Where to start... maybe the naivety that before birth where I thought breastfeeding would be easy and come naturally? Simply because it is a topic which isn't discussed about enough in the UK and almost a taboo thing! Which puts a lot of pressure on new mums, that you must be able to breastfeed and if you can't, or need to ask for help, then you are failing. Cue where I came in - with no real thought to what was Plan B if I couldn't feed because why wouldn't I
