In my daily experience supporting and helping families, I hear the words, "I am going to try" a lot. I understand what "I am going to try" means to a lot of mamas. It means, "I really want to do what is best for my brand new baby. I am really concerned about how not being successful will affect my emotional self and physical self and possibly my child". It means, "I don't want to be judged. If I can't do it right, the first time, the second time, then my baby is rejecting me or I am doing something wrong". If breastfeeding does not work out, the neighbors, family, our friends and even our partners, will all have their judgment about what failed. The mom? Then baby? The relationship? Maybe a mom might worry that she won't like the feeling of breastfeeding. And isn't that valid? I have heard all of these concerns from the world’s best moms.
I am here to tell you, there is more to breastfeeding than nourishment for your child. It is OK if your baby doesn't latch right away. That is how it sometimes goes. When you express less milk than your baby needs and mix it with a supplement so that he can grow, isn't that part of breastfeeding? When you respond to your baby's cues and make him feel safe and you hold him close and he calms down, that is sort of a part of breastfeeding. Because breastfeeding is also the bond and relationship that you are giving to your child. You should feel good about all of your efforts. You are a Superstar Breastfeeding Mama. I would love to hear more in the future of, "I am going to succeed and success is whatever my baby and I can do. And I am going to celebrate that. If we stop breastfeeding for whatever reason, I didn't try, I DID". I challenge every mom who makes the choice to consider breastfeeding to say, "I am going to breastfeed, Yes''. This does take commitment and a whole lot of heart. But hard is not bad. It's the effort of love and maternal instinct. And if things don't quite work out in your planned out way, you didn't try, you are doing it and that is part of your special story. Let's celebrate all moms today.
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