Breastfeeding?

[dd82]

There seems to be this growing trend of obsessive breastfeeding. Nothing wrong with breastfeeding, obviously - but the obsession. I know someone that was a slave to her breast pump, trying to desperately to keep up the breastfeeding - and previously fed her first born until 2+ years (2 1/2 maybe?) - that it affected her mental health! We have all heard that "breast is best" - we don't need this repeated. But it's ok to, firstly, simply want your body back - and secondly, if it started to affect her mental health, at what point did this single-minded quest of breastfeeding become detrimental? We all only want what is best for the baby - and what is best is a calm, present mother. If there are no issues, then great - but if the sheer stress is outweighing the benefits, then there must be a better alternative! We should all be able to go with what works best for us personally - ie. keeping options open, not limiting them. I've just seen this with my own eyes and it's frustrating.

It was SO important for me to breastfeed, I don’t know why, I just couldn’t imagine feeding my own baby a different way. I read up on the benefits, I did a lot of research and I was determined. But I had a baby via emergency c section in March 2020 when there was no support, I had no choice but to become obsessive in a sense because it’s hard not to look that way when you spend 10+ hours a day doing the same thing that you desperately want to succeed with.

The most important thing you can do for people around you who are trying to breastfeed is be totally supportive. It’s incredibly tough at times but the best decision I made.