The tears are so so normal! The idea of stopping for that entire year filled me with a lot of mixed emotions, tears absolutely fell!!
I saw this shared somewhere the other day, far too late to take it as advice myself but I loved it all the same so I’ll pass it along. At this point (4 mo!) one of the only ways you connect to your kid is through those moments of caring for them, and breastfeeding can be such a massive part of that for those of us who do breastfeed. BUT - at a certain point, the relationship grows — you have so much good stuff with your kid to look forward to, but also enjoy every moment of the phase you’re in now (even though, I know it can be easier said than done)
This made me feel quite emotional, as I sit here six months postpartum nursing my second born. Part of me is looking forward to being able to go braless again, to “getting my body back”. But it’s also such a precious time, which I’m relishing now that I’m on my second (potentially final) baby.
Realise it was out of necessity, being back at work, but I’m so impressed with your pumping schedule. Its work!
I echo that experience completely—looking forward to not being tethered but also knowing how special those moments aer (were). It's precious, and it's taxing!
As for the pumping schedule out of necessity, I feel like I've done a lot of mourning about that part of my experience. I have a lot of frustration that I needed to do it, that I couldn't just stay home, that the WORK that pumping is (while working) perhaps made me 'quit' before I would've otherwise been ready. I appreciate reading it was impressive—it doesn't always feel that way, but I am grateful I made it work for as long as I did!
Enjoy these moments, and also look forward to what is to come. I am a big believer that two opposing things are often true—breastfeeding is no different. Appreciate you reading and sharing with me, too ❤️
Thank you ♥️ I can’t begin to imagine going back to work after four months, so I can see why you’d feel a sense of mourning about that whole experience. Enjoy the freedom and the memories.
This is such a thoughtful and heartfelt documentation of your journey -- I can't imagine also keeping notes and times straight in my head while pushing through the Wild West of BF and pumping. I'm sharing this with a friend who will be having her first next month. Obviously everyone's experience is different, but your capture seems like it could be universally helpful. ❤️
Also I felt visceral rage when reading about the lactation consultant barging in -- I had a similar experience in the hospital and just wanted to be left to sleep for hell's sake!!
Thank you for the KINDEST words - truly made my day <3. Re: keeping things straight -- I have a weirdly good memory for certain details, I guess that came to play here in a way that is helpful.
I hope it is even the tiniest bit helpful for your friend. I know our experiences are all so so different but I do hope it at least helps her feel less alone, in whatever it is that comes up.
And I am learning (mostly through these comments) that the lactation consultant experience is a bit universal??? Just let us sleep!!!!
NHS midwives and health visitors here in the UK also like to push the boob even when mums are struggling physically and/or mentally with breastfeeding. It’s infuriating. However I am proudly exclusively breastfeeding my 4 month old at the moment, but I have wondered when I will know I’m (we’re) ready to stop. Reading this has been helpful and I did get emotional reading “for the last time”… 🥲 thank you!
I’ve been wanting to read this all week! I can’t imagine how much emotional energy it had to have taken to write this. I can 1000% relate to the idea is wanting to breastfed again for the first time with all the knowledge that you know now. Me and baby Z’s experience was such a rollercoaster, I’d love to go back and give myself so much more grace.
I think part of what took me so long to get this all out is because it all felt so close and emotional. I mean, it still felt that way but space helped it feel like something I could reach out and play with rather than something I felt I was still in/just out of. Highly recommend revisiting, giving yourself grace, if/when it feels right <3
Nursing my 5 week old now. And wow, my hospital lactation consultant made me question myself for days after meeting with her! Thanks for sharing all this - makes me more committed and excited to go through this journey again.
And based on these comments, the hospital lactation consultants are all the same!! I guess the lesson there is trust our instincts and stand our ground
hey I got fooled twice😭😂I remember thinking-surely this second time I give birth, in a different hospital 4.5 years later, they’ll have some lactation consultants who are operating at or above a 4th grade level in terms of social-emotional learning and appear to have seen both a human breast and a newborn baby before
“Two weeks after his first birthday, on August 7th, I nursed my son for the last time at around 7 a.m.”
As the mother of a 4 month old, the thought that this day will come brought a tear to my eye 😅
Also August 7th? That’s my mom’s birthday!
The tears are so so normal! The idea of stopping for that entire year filled me with a lot of mixed emotions, tears absolutely fell!!
I saw this shared somewhere the other day, far too late to take it as advice myself but I loved it all the same so I’ll pass it along. At this point (4 mo!) one of the only ways you connect to your kid is through those moments of caring for them, and breastfeeding can be such a massive part of that for those of us who do breastfeed. BUT - at a certain point, the relationship grows — you have so much good stuff with your kid to look forward to, but also enjoy every moment of the phase you’re in now (even though, I know it can be easier said than done)
And Happy Birthday to YOUR mom!
Lovely advice, thank you for sharing!
And good luck for everything that lies ahead in your journey, I wish you and your son have lots of fun and bonding :)
This made me feel quite emotional, as I sit here six months postpartum nursing my second born. Part of me is looking forward to being able to go braless again, to “getting my body back”. But it’s also such a precious time, which I’m relishing now that I’m on my second (potentially final) baby.
Realise it was out of necessity, being back at work, but I’m so impressed with your pumping schedule. Its work!
I echo that experience completely—looking forward to not being tethered but also knowing how special those moments aer (were). It's precious, and it's taxing!
As for the pumping schedule out of necessity, I feel like I've done a lot of mourning about that part of my experience. I have a lot of frustration that I needed to do it, that I couldn't just stay home, that the WORK that pumping is (while working) perhaps made me 'quit' before I would've otherwise been ready. I appreciate reading it was impressive—it doesn't always feel that way, but I am grateful I made it work for as long as I did!
Enjoy these moments, and also look forward to what is to come. I am a big believer that two opposing things are often true—breastfeeding is no different. Appreciate you reading and sharing with me, too ❤️
Thank you ♥️ I can’t begin to imagine going back to work after four months, so I can see why you’d feel a sense of mourning about that whole experience. Enjoy the freedom and the memories.
This is such a thoughtful and heartfelt documentation of your journey -- I can't imagine also keeping notes and times straight in my head while pushing through the Wild West of BF and pumping. I'm sharing this with a friend who will be having her first next month. Obviously everyone's experience is different, but your capture seems like it could be universally helpful. ❤️
Also I felt visceral rage when reading about the lactation consultant barging in -- I had a similar experience in the hospital and just wanted to be left to sleep for hell's sake!!
Thank you for the KINDEST words - truly made my day <3. Re: keeping things straight -- I have a weirdly good memory for certain details, I guess that came to play here in a way that is helpful.
I hope it is even the tiniest bit helpful for your friend. I know our experiences are all so so different but I do hope it at least helps her feel less alone, in whatever it is that comes up.
And I am learning (mostly through these comments) that the lactation consultant experience is a bit universal??? Just let us sleep!!!!
NHS midwives and health visitors here in the UK also like to push the boob even when mums are struggling physically and/or mentally with breastfeeding. It’s infuriating. However I am proudly exclusively breastfeeding my 4 month old at the moment, but I have wondered when I will know I’m (we’re) ready to stop. Reading this has been helpful and I did get emotional reading “for the last time”… 🥲 thank you!
Thank you for reading! I think there has got to be a balance at the hospital — the all or nothing thinking is maddening!
And I think you’ll know ❤️ and that looks different for all of us. I too got emotional writing about the last time!
I’ve been wanting to read this all week! I can’t imagine how much emotional energy it had to have taken to write this. I can 1000% relate to the idea is wanting to breastfed again for the first time with all the knowledge that you know now. Me and baby Z’s experience was such a rollercoaster, I’d love to go back and give myself so much more grace.
I think part of what took me so long to get this all out is because it all felt so close and emotional. I mean, it still felt that way but space helped it feel like something I could reach out and play with rather than something I felt I was still in/just out of. Highly recommend revisiting, giving yourself grace, if/when it feels right <3
Nursing my 5 week old now. And wow, my hospital lactation consultant made me question myself for days after meeting with her! Thanks for sharing all this - makes me more committed and excited to go through this journey again.
🥰🥰🥰happy 5 weeks!
And based on these comments, the hospital lactation consultants are all the same!! I guess the lesson there is trust our instincts and stand our ground
awww Julie I loved this! lol why are hospital lactation consultants all….like that
🥰🥰thanks for reading.
I am ARMED with how I will handle them should there be a next time 😤 but boyyy did it catch me off guard after 25 hours of labor 🤣
hey I got fooled twice😭😂I remember thinking-surely this second time I give birth, in a different hospital 4.5 years later, they’ll have some lactation consultants who are operating at or above a 4th grade level in terms of social-emotional learning and appear to have seen both a human breast and a newborn baby before
Was waiting for this and love it 👏🏼 also, what is it with the hospital lactation consultants?!?
Thank you thank you!! Also I cannot believe they are all like that!!! It makes me feel better and also is infuriating 😂
Love this and feel so privileged to witness you as mother. What a journey.
💕