This breastfeeding week our co-founder shares her breastfeeding journey
When my son was born, I was always sure I would bottle feed him. Don’t get me wrong but those bottles and formula always enticed me, in fact, I had brought the bottles, formula dispenser, the works even before he was born. However, the first breast feeding session proved he could latch like a pro and thus started our journey. This is our journey of breastfeeding, acid reflux, over production of breast milk and weaning.
A session with an LC (Lactation Counselor) later I understood I was producing enough milk for my little one. I still wanted the bottle but at 10 days my son developed minor eczema and the doctor told me formula was out of the question as he was reacting to it. Thus started feeds, and rounds of feeds whenever he wanted, wherever he wanted. I have fed him in the car, hotels, restaurants, airports, parks and I okay with it. It was food for my little one and there is no shame attached in feeding a baby, nature has made us mothers.
Feeding a child is beautiful but tedious; I found an awesome facebook support group that helped me. They were my real friends in those months till I got the hang of feeding him in laying down position and working on his acid reflux as my son would overfeed!
I never expected myself to feed him for one year but as time progressed it got easier, we could travel without worrying about hygienic food as he had the breast always! Feeding also helped us avoid a hospital stay when he had a high fever as being fed meant his fluids did not fall. It also helped me connect with him and my son would co-sleep. At 2.5 he only took night dream feeds as he slept and one day I refused and he was okay with it. He self-weaned I never thought he would leave feeding and I cannot believe I miss those moments of staring deep into his eyes as he would feed himself to sleep. Would I do it again? Yes without a doubt. In a world where we look for shortcuts, there is no shorter route to feeding, yes it was difficult but it is a magical feeling and I always tell every expectant mom to give feeding a genuine try before picking alternatives.
