Breastfeeding mamas, you have my utmost respect. I am truly in awe of YOU… and myself… that I did it not once, but twice, especially if you know my struggles. I had a hard time with my supply, trouble sleeping, and postpartum depression which made my journey with breastfeeding a real challenge. As we go into World Breastfeeding Week, I want you to hear from me that I feel like breastfeeding is very underappreciated. I was watching a reel on Instagram recently that said breastfeeding really is MORE than a full-time job.
On average, in a year, moms spend 1,800 hours doing 5,000 feedings and produce 300 gallons of milk. A full time job is typically 1,930 hours.
If there is one thing I can say to you as a breastfeeding mama of two little boys who are now 5 and 2, it’s that you should just hang in there as long as you can. Give yourself an abundance of grace. There is no sweeter or harder gift that you can give your baby than breastfeeding, but we so often feel we are “less than” or “not enough” if breastfeeding doesn’t work for us.
As a first-time mom, I actually wish I had given up sooner due to external factors that were making it difficult for me. As a second-time mom, it was a breeze! I knew what to expect, how much time it would take, etc. That’s just how it goes with parenting, though! You never know what you’re going to get and then you just roll with the punches! Am I right, mommas?!
I hope this post is helpful to you if you are a breastfeeding mom, a mom-to-be, or a future mom! Know that you are LOVED, and you can do hard things! P.S. If you read only 1 article from this whole post, please let it be #1… it will explain more about what to expect with breastfeeding and tell you my story and struggle.
6 Essential Breastfeeding Tips For The New Mom
Read about my experience with mom-shaming, my encouragement for overcoming it, and stories from others in the MWLW community about their experiences HERE. We are all in this together, mama. You are NOT alone! Motherhood is not easy but I thank the Lord that He gave us each other to lean on and learn from during this wild ride!
If you read about my journey with breastfeeding Leyton, you know that I accidentally dried up my milk supply! The entire nursing experience after that felt like an uphill battle. That being said, I found some great ways to increase my supply, including this EASY lactation cookie recipe!
Finding a breast pump that works for you can be intimidating, especially for a new mom! I break it all down in this post for you, so you don’t have to spend hours reading reviews online!
Kindred Bravely has the best maternity clothes and nursing bras! I wore these when I was pregnant with Finn and postpartum, too. They are SO soft. They were designed for moms, by moms, specifically for this season in life! They also just launched a wellness brand, Sensible, which includes a couple of balms for nipple and belly available on the Kindred Bravely site. They also carry lactation supplements on the Sensible site! Use my code LOVED20 for 20% off either site! The code does not work on already discounted or bundled items.
It’s easy to lose motivation to work out after giving birth, simply because you aren’t sure what you’re able to do. You’d be surprised how quickly our bodies can bounce back. God created them to be strong and resilient! Be sure to check with your doctor and get cleared before exercising, and then check out this post for postpartum workouts. Speaking of exercising, it’s super important to find a sports bra that works for you postpartum! This can be tricky sometimes, so I’m linking several of my favorites below:
Pure Barre is near to my heart since I was an instructor for several years! It is a workout that can easily be modified to fit your needs, especially during postpartum when you are getting back into the swing of exercising.
Thank you to Kindred Bravely for sponsoring this post.
Check Out More Breastfeeding Posts
Shop The World Breastfeeding Week Post Here
Pin The World Breastfeeding Week Post For Later
