#1 Breastfeeding is hard, so hard.
As women, we are told that breastfeeding is the best thing you can do for your child. It is beautiful, natural, and your body was made for it.
Of course, I wanted to breastfeed my child. I was picturing us having this incredible bonding experience. Holding him near my heart while he was peacefully feeding.
Well, let me tell you, that is not how it went down. And that is because I was lied to. You always hear that breastfeeding should not hurt if you’re doing it right. Well, this is partially true.
Breastfeeding should not hurt, except in the first two weeks and in the first minute of every breastfeeding session after that. I asked three people to check my baby’s latch because the pain was excruciating. I thought I had to be doing something wrong.
Turns out I was not. There is a learning curve, and the baby has to get used to you, and you have to get used to them. While some women will never experience pain during their breastfeeding journey, they are a rare breed.
Most of us will feel pain, toe-curling pain. Your nipples will crack, bleed, and you’ll want to give up more times than you can count. I know I did.
The beginning of my breastfeeding journey would have been more bearable if someone had warned me about the pain. I could have prepared better and stocked up on all the nipple creams, nipple shields, and other breastfeeding items. I also would not have been so disheartened by my early struggles. I really thought I was doing something wrong, and it was starting to affect my mental health.
But I promise you, if you can get through the first two-three weeks, it gets much better. I am so happy I stuck it out because it is now the beautiful bonding experience I had always imagined.
