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We have all heard a gazillion times, that breast is best. Although I had been a breastfed baby, it was not really the “norm” of how people were feeding their infants while I was at growing up and so I first learnt about the benefits of breastfeeding while I was studying to become a dietician. I was amazed at all the excellent properties that breast milk had for not only the infant and the mother but was also dumb struck to see that it had benefits that for the entire family. As a result I have promoted and encouraged patients, friends and family to breastfeed.
Years later, I am a mother of two exclusively breastfed children (for the first 6 months)! I have learnt that breastfeeding has 2 sides, it is an amazing roller-coaster. I have felt the bond that it brings, the tingling sensation of the let-down reflex and the enjoyment of knowing your child is so close. However, I have also experienced the difficulties of breastfeeding that are not always spoken about.
Both of my children were premature, which resulted in them staying in ICU for 3 and 6 weeks. This caused a variety of complications with my breastfeeding; I have expressed my breast milk, needed encouragement, suffered from sore nipples, had difficulty with latching, had weak feeders and continued to breastfeed while returning to work. One source that I found very useful was the IBCLC, who provided me with the support and correct information that I needed to continue breastfeeding.
Due to these difficulties, I now understand why a mother would stop breastfeeding and would not dream to judge mothers who do. This page has been created to supply breastfeeding information and encouragement, where needed, to pregnant women who are planning to breastfeed and mothers who are breastfeeding.
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