❤️World breastfeeding week 2022❤️ ❤️My precious B & our first feed (I’ve never shared this before), I hope IG doesn’t take it down (sadly I’ve seen a lot less nip removed 😬) ❤️I felt lucky that I happened to have a midwife with me in recovery who helped facilitate this. I knew that I needed to make it clear I wanted to feed immediately, & having just had surgery, I needed help to position him. He was early, and pretty sleepy so I woke him to feed him in those early days - in spite of another midwife telling me I didn’t need to (honestly think he would have slept all day.) ❤️Breastfeeding is complex - it’s a natural process but can feel far from natural. We all need help & support. ❤️When I look back to my first I am still grieving, and still angry that I wasn’t supported. We made it to 6 weeks through gritted teeth, repeated mastitis, and tears. That sadness still lives on in me, nearly 10 years later. My second was 5 months, and my third 5.5 months. I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with it. I found it joyful & suffocating all at the same time. It’s okay not to love it. It’s okay to feel indifferent, and it’s okay to enjoy it too!! Breastfeeding is natural, but it doesn’t always come naturally. Not everyone wants to breastfeed, but for those who do - support is vital. If you are pregnant and reading this, please do your research before hand. If you are struggling right now, seek help. An IBCLC if you are able, a peer supporter, or the helplines in the comments below. If you didn’t breastfeed, but you wanted to - im sorry you were let down. We all need better support - including those who bottle feed, formula feed & tube feed. We seem to fail so spectacularly at supporting parents - I am sure if feeding issues were addressed earlier, there would be far less babies struggling to sleep too. Supported is always best, informed is best, and we are all trying our best. We’re you let down? How was your journey?