Why I stuck with breastfeeding, through it all

Sure it’s natural and all, but let's be real - this shit ain’t easy. So, why did I do it?#realtalk

We are about to start month 11 of breastfeeding (BF) our third child, Brinley Finn (not named after BF). With that said, I’ll be the first to admit BF isn’t for the light-hearted. In order to survive you have to have grit, determination and at some times, a crazy-minded willingness to proceed. When all signs point to stopping, you unwillingly proceed. 

We’ve been blessed to survive 12 months of breastfeeding with all of our little ones so far. However, it wasn’t easy, but I sure as hell would do it again (sounds crazy doesn’t it?). Let me tell you why...

Nursing baby B in her first few weeks.

First of all, it’s natural. Sure, your body was made to make babies, and it was also designed to feed them and nourish them for the first year(s) of life. That is a fact. Again, this doesn’t mean it's easy, it just means your body was designed to do it. And because of that, it’s the most natural start to your baby’s health. 

Which leads me to my next point, its health benefits. At first, I was like, yeah-yeah it’s healthy, I get it. But no, hear me out, it’s magically beneficial. I’ve had friends use breastmilk for healing all sorts of injuries - including in their eye! Wicked, I know, but the live enzymes and antibodies created in your milk, very literally cure your little one and often times before you even know it. And because of that, our first, Piper Kai, never had a single cold in her first year, and I attribute that to the power of the boob.

Lastly, I’m naturally a competitive person and with that comes goal-setting and achievement. I set a goal to make it to 12 months, at which point baby’s belly is developed enough to consume cow’s milk (should you choose). So, I decided in an effort to never buy formula (cha-ching money in my pocket), I would make it 12 months. How hard could that be? Ha! Check out my later posts about what makes BF so hard. For this, I’m simply summarizing my reasons for sticking with it, in hopes it sheds a little light on why us crazy moms stick through the grind. So, what did I stick through, really you may ask...

Where do I start? From going back to school and getting my MBA with my first, to going back to work with my second and third, which all meant endless pumping on the train, on planes, on my commute, in the office, in airport bathrooms, in locker rooms and much much more. It’s terribly difficult to keep up with BF when you’re not with baby 100% of the time. Not to mention, cracked, bleeding nipples, middle of the night feedings for weeks on end, and sore engorged breasts. Still interested? Stay tuned for future posts on tricks + tips of breastfeeding. For now, I'll leave it with - it was 100% worth it. And I'd do it all over again (if I had to).

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