My breastfeeding journey was a mix of emotions. From the start I was determined to breastfeed all my children. I had a few reasons, one being that I wanted to give them the best possible chance at a healthy life, two, so that I could be close to my children and always be with them and third, so that we could save money.
I’ve always been a breastfeeding advocate and have encouraged expectant friends to travel that road. I’m happy that I was able to educate some of my friends on breastfeeding because there are many misconceptions.
The one I’ve often heard is that after giving birth they just don’t have any milk. This is not true. All expectant mothers have bodies and breasts that are preparing for the arrival of their bundle of joy. Unless you have a rare disease that inhibits you to produce milk your breasts are ready for lactating.
It took almost a week before I could get any kind of milk out of my breasts. I was concerned and full of worry but my doctor told me that my baby had stored food and as long as I offered up my breast and gave him water he would be alright. Going on determination and support from my husband and mom I continued to wait for my first born, Sebastian to breastfeed from me.
Amazingly, he did. I had planned on breastfeeding him for 2 years as recommended but I became pregnant with my second child and was only able to feed him for 8 months. Of the 3 he was the one who I didn’t get to breastfeed for long. He’s also the one that gets sick as compared to the other 2 but is still very healthy by society standards where most are only breastfed up to about 3 months.
My daughter, Kianna I was able to breastfeed for 1 year and 9 months. It would’ve been 2 years as planned but I had a tooth that needed to be fixed. In truth it had been hurting for a few months before I had it fixed.
I tolerated the pain so that I could breastfeed for as long as I could. When I had gone to the dentist I was told that I would need to stop breastfeeding (sad to say today I would have been able to temporarily stop and then continue once the meds had been flushed from my body) because I would be undergoing a procedure that would require use of medicines not allowed when breastfeeding. Kianna hardly gets sick and when the three children got the chicken pox she was the one to have the least marks.
With my youngest, Jael, I breastfed for 1 year and 6 months. This is due to my own stupidity. As with the other 2 I had alot of supply but going onto about 1 year I mistakenly bought the wrong contraceptive pills. Since I was breastfeeding I was taking Exluton.
One tired afternoon I went to the drugstore and bought the pills that I had been previously taking for the past 9 years. I guess it was automatic on my part and about 2 rows into the pills I was wondering why my milk was lessening. I researched and couldn’t find an answer other than stress and the usual. When I realized I was taking the wrong pills I immediately did research and found out that this was the reason why my milk supply was dwindling. I immediately stopped the pills but it was too late. It had affected my feeding Jael so much that he could barely get any milk from me. I was devastated. I felt I had let not only my child down but myself as well.
I’m happy to say because of breastfeeding I have 3 healthy children. Breastfeeding may have changed my body and took up a few years of sacrifice on my part but it’s one of the things I’m most proud of.
I hope that in sharing my experiences I encourage other moms to breastfeed and make it an informed choice that’ll give them the determination they’ll need to fulfill this once in a lifetime chance (or how many ever times you have children!) to care and love for their children.
I have met women who did not want to breastfeed for their own personal reasons and I have nothing against women who choose not to but as an avid advocate for breastfeeding I always encourage friends, family and sometimes even strangers I get to meet and chat with to breastfeed.
The benefits aside from health is also a closeness you can’t experience any other way. As I gazed into the eyes of my 3 children, I knew they knew I would always be there for them to love and protect them no matter what.
As my heart beats with theirs I take in their scent, their features and the emotions that breastfeeding brings. Don’t get me wrong, not all moments of breastfeeding will be joyous and filled with sentimentality. I also have stories of breastfeeding that will bring you to tears of laughter, some that will show my impatience and some that will make you think twice. However, breastfeeding was a conscious choice and I would never trade the experience for anything in the world.
This post is part of the “Breastfeeding is Love” blog link up party.
Please feel free to visit other posts from fellow mommy bloggers on the joys of breastfeeding!
Hosted by Chic Mompreneur
Chic Mompreneur: Breastfeeding is Love
My Finance MD: Breastfeeding is Love
Art of Being A Mom: Breastfeeding Love
Mommy Bares All: Breastfeeding is Love Poured Out
Wear and Nurse Baby: Breastfeeding is Love! Why I Breastfeed.
Pinions and Plumage of Love: B-R-E-A-S-T-F-E-E-D-I-N-G is the Longest Spelling of Love
The Binondo Mommy: Breastfeeding is Love
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Your children are adorable! Thanks for sharing your breastfeeding story! 🙂 Just curious, what medicine did you take for your dental procedure? I also need one and my dentist is saying she needs to apply local anesthesia. A doctor has said that it’s okay to breastfeed after 2 hours, but I’m still wary. What’s your experience?
Hi Mitz, I can’t recall the medicine but its supposed to be a strong anesthetic and no the usual Novocaine. I was in too much pain and held out as long as I could. If you’re doctor has advised you that it’s okay but you’re not sure about after 2 hours the procedure maybe give it a day or 2. That’s a better option than stopping altogether.
Hello! It’s great that you’re encouraging others with your breastfeeding journey. I breastfed all my 5 children, too, and it is worth the pain, the exhaustion, and the milk-smell clothes. 🙂
Hi Michelle, Thank you so much for reading my post! Am glad to belong to a group of proud breastfeeding moms. 🙂
I totally support moms like you when it comes to breastfeeding. For me, breastfeeding is one original responsibility of being a mom, and women are created to prolong it as much as possible. 🙂
Thanks TweenselMom! I wholeheartedly agree! 🙂
Breastfeeding is indeed LOVE. 🙂
I agree with you that “not all moments of breastfeeding will be joyous and filled with sentimentality.” That’s where sacrifice comes in. But it’s all worth it! 🙂
Hi Mommy Louisa,
Congrats for having 3 lovely breastfed kids. I am happy to have taken this road on breastfeeding and I can’t wait to experience the unique bond and closeness we would have when my toddler grows up. Breastfeeding my child is the best decision I’ve made in my entire life. 🙂
My doctor wasn’t a breastfeeding advocate so I ended up doing mixed feeding with my eldest, I also thought that I didn’t have enough milk. But when I tried full breastfeeding with my middle child, I realized that I was a COW! I only stopped breastfeeding him because I got pregnant with our third son and it wasn’t an easy pregnancy. I’m glad I was able to breastfed them all. I love most the moments when my babies would look at me in the eye and communicate with me while feeding. I miss those days! Kudos to you for advocating breastfeeding!