05/08/2021
World Breastfeeding Week
Here is my dear friend Cayleh feeding her baby boy Makani. Below are words by Cayleh who writes with such honesty about her breastfeeding journey.
“It’s World Breastfeeding Week… this years theme being “Protecting breastfeeding; a shared responsibility.” And so it should be!
Those first few weeks of breastfeeding I didn’t think we would last very long. I cried when Makani would need a feed, had cracked and blistered ni***es, was very engorged and just couldn’t quite get the correct latch, then to be told he had a tongue and lip tie and that was hindering our journey. Getting that cut or lasered didn’t sit right with me, so we persisted and all it took was one midwife to tweak my latch and I had a few painless feeds which built my confidence to keep going. The journey was still seriously hard at times but I am so proud of us for persevering as it was hugely important to me to give it a good crack. We are still going strong 11 months later and I am so proud. Sadly, I thought it was all up to me in those early days, when there should be a village of support and readily available resources. I felt hugely responsible for being able to feed my son, and if I couldn’t; what kind of a mother would I be? I know they say fed is best, but any mama will tell you that it’s just hard to accept.
The support is out there, but it’s definitely hard to seek and I wished I researched a whole lot more before becoming a mama. I asked every single midwife and nurse in hospital to check my latch but once you get sent home, it’s seeya and good luck. And that’s when the breastfeeding rates tend to drop off. It may feel like the most natural thing in the world, but it doesn’t come naturally.
To all the mamas who are about to embark on their feeding journey, who weren’t able to breastfeed and felt their body failed them, to those who simply chose not to, the mamas who pump and sterilize non stop and feed around the clock, you are all worthy! I’m inspired by you all and this is your reminder to just be kind to yourself. We can all do our bit to share the responsibility of breastfeeding! Drop off meals to a new mama so she can stay on the couch cluster feeding her newborn, or even one handed snacks so she remembers to eat, someone to help around the house so she can demand feed, or just friends or partner offering words of support, especially when out and about. We weren’t meant to do this alone and we all have a role in supporting breastfeeding.”