When I first held our daughter in my arms, I could hardly believe my luck. That moment, when she was first placed on my chest, was the most wonderful thing I had ever experienced. I was incredibly excited for the first few hours with her, and especially for the first time breastfeeding. I had always known I wanted to breastfeed and believed that no special preparation was needed. Like so many mothers, I firmly believed that it would all work out somehow; after all, breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world, and we both surely knew intuitively how it worked and what to do. And if not, the competent staff at the hospital would surely be able to help me. However, I realized in the very first hours after the birth that I knew practically nothing about breastfeeding.
Did you know, for example, that around 90 percent of women intend to breastfeed at birth, but only 13 percent are exclusively breastfeeding by the end of the sixth month? Looking at these statistics, it's safe to assume I'm not the only one who approached this topic with a certain naiveté. One could even argue that more women would likely breastfeed longer if they received the right support and information to start or continue breastfeeding and make informed decisions.
I, too, wish I had made a different decision when I first breastfed my daughter. Before the very first latch in the delivery room, the midwife present, upon seeing my nipples, decided that it would definitely only work with nipple shields. As a new mother, I naturally didn't question this. Pumped full of hormones, it didn't even occur to me to say that I'd like to try without them first. After all, she was a professional; she must know. So I trusted her. Without knowing what influence nipple shields have (or can have!) on the start of breastfeeding, the breastfeeding relationship, or the sucking pattern. And so it came to pass that we shared this intimate moment of the first latch with a nipple shield. Just three hours later, a certified lactation consultant came to our family room. She took a lot of time for us, gave me valuable tips on proper latching, and showed me different breastfeeding positions. The nipple shields went straight into the trash because, according to her, I didn't need those "things" with my nipples.
Within a very short time, I was confronted with completely different opinions and recommendations, so in retrospect I wish I had been better informed beforehand and had reacted more confidently to the situation. Although I approached the topic of breastfeeding so naively and with such a lack of understanding, thanks in part to the support of the lactation consultant, I had a wonderful start to breastfeeding and hardly any initial difficulties.
Today, however, I know that I'm probably the exception. Many mothers, especially in the beginning, lack the necessary support and the right information. For many, things simply don't work out the way they imagined and hoped. Added to this is the unnecessary external pressure, incorrect advice, or misinformation, which further unsettles them, leading to self-doubt and anxiety.
Was breastfeeding always easy for me?
Definitely not! At some point, the constant nursing began. Especially at night, my daughter often demanded the breast for hours on end, and I started to enjoy breastfeeding less than before. There were more and more evenings when I came crying from the bedroom and told my husband that I couldn't do it anymore, that only I could put our child to sleep. I always nursed my daughter to sleep, but I quickly realized that nursing to sleep had very negative connotations in many people's minds. And so, I too was easily unsettled by the opinions of others and believed that constant nursing and nursing to sleep were bad things. I often heard things like, "Don't let her fall asleep at your breast, or you'll never get her off it." "Oh dear, you poor thing!" they would say, looking at me with sad eyes because my child could only fall asleep at the breast.
I reached a point where I had to decide whether to change the situation. But I didn't choose change; I chose acceptance. I wasn't ready to change anything and interfere with our wonderful and functioning breastfeeding relationship without my child having a say. What did change was my mindset. Instead of constantly getting upset about the situations, I freed myself and realized that by accepting things as they came, I could use this intense time in our lives even more positively.
I'm glad we chose this path for us and accepted many things as they came. It's simply fascinating what nature has arranged, that I'm able to nourish my child with my own body. There's nothing more beautiful than being needed by my daughter so much, being her safe haven, being able to give her this closeness and security at any time.
Yes, breastfeeding also means sacrifice, because it demands a great deal from you as a mother, both physically and mentally. Breastfeeding also means having a lot of patience with yourself and your child. Nobody prepares you for the fact that breastfeeding is anything but easy and that you will reach your limits.
We've been breastfeeding for 17 months now and will continue until my daughter weans herself. With my breastfeeding story, I want to encourage you to learn as much as possible about breastfeeding beforehand, so you can start a wonderful breastfeeding relationship with confidence and make the right decisions for yourself and your baby.
What I've learned in 17 months of breastfeeding:
1. Breastfeeding is so much more than nutrition. It is love, security, closeness, warmth, comfort, and safety.
2. Every breastfeeding relationship is unique and individual. Sometimes it takes a little help, patience, and practice, but there's a solution for every challenge. The more informed you are, the better it will go.
3. Successful breastfeeding requires more than just the desire to breastfeed. In my opinion, a breastfeeding preparation course should be just as commonplace today as a childbirth preparation course. During pregnancy, we already spend so much money on things we ultimately don't need, instead of investing in a breastfeeding course. We women need more education so that so many breastfeeding relationships don't end prematurely due to a lack of knowledge or external influences, and so that we can return to a society where breastfeeding is seen as an important part of life.
4. The Basics! In the first few hours after birth, breastfeed between 10 and 12 times to stimulate milk production. When breastfeeding, demand regulates supply; that is, the more frequently and effectively your baby nurses, the more milk will be produced. In the first few days after birth, your baby's stomach is still so small that it only needs tiny amounts of the valuable colostrum to feel full. Did you know all that?
4. I also struggled with sore nipples, especially in the first few weeks. A slight sensitivity is perfectly normal, as the delicate skin needs time to adjust to the increased demands. However, if your breasts are painful, it's usually a sign that something is wrong – often caused by incorrect breastfeeding positioning or technique, and frequently the reason why women wean earlier than planned. Seek help from your midwife or a lactation consultant early on. The sooner the cause of any problems is identified, the easier they are to resolve.
If my story can help even one mother avoid prematurely ending her breastfeeding journey due to lack of knowledge or external influences, that makes me very happy. I hope that many women will consciously engage with the topic of breastfeeding before giving birth and gather accurate information (provided they want to breastfeed), so that they can enter their breastfeeding relationships with more confidence, block out external influences, and make more conscious decisions.
Believe in yourself, dear Mom, have faith and don't give up! Breastfeeding is wonderful. You can do this! #yougotthis
Your Christian
@hey.christin_
