Breastfeeding is hard. This isn't groundbreaking information.

But it's not just hard as in “deciding what to wear postpartum is hard," (we’ll discuss that later) but teeth clenching, eyes weeping, heart aching kind of hard.

Being a breastfeeding mama requires so much of us - our time, our bodies, our schedules, our comfort.

It’s not that we aren’t willing to give what’s required, because we are; but it’s important to acknowledge the weight of it. It is heavy - and that’s okay to say out loud.

For many moms, the positives of breastfeeding outweigh the negatives. Eventually. At some point, the good surpasses the hard, and pendulum swings the other way. But for many others, that day never arrives. Sometimes, it stays difficult, beyond all reason and effort. Maybe it’s a latch issue. Or your milk never comes in. Maybe you have to head back to work much too soon and the logistics of pumping at work just make your head spin. Or  - Or - Or. There are a thousand reasons why our joy might be replaced with apparent defeat.

When we feel disappointment collide with our breastfeeding journey, we have to be acutely aware of how it affects us. Untempered disappointment can be like a tiny weed that grows into overwhelming feelings of failure; like a vine beyond control, convincing us that we did something wrong, that we are inadequate, and that we’re alone in our struggle.

Friend, if that seed has been planted in your heart, it’s time to dig it up.

It does not bring life.

It has no place in your motherhood or your womanhood, for that matter.

In place of that constricting vine, let’s plant some truths into your heart today:

It’s not your fault. Period.

You are not alone.

You are strong and capable.

Yes - it really is that hard. You weren’t just imagining it.

Disappointment has its place. It’s okay to be temporarily disappointed; it is not okay to continue to beat yourself up. It’s okay to wish something had turned out differently. But never allow disappointment to completely damper your joy and your spirit.

Let these truths settle in deep, growing and blooming like crazy, so much so that there is no room for a single weed. We can’t let something like breastfeeding break us. We have too much to look forward to. After all, this is just the beginning.

There is so much more to your story and your baby’s story.
And it's going to be beautiful. 

Wyatt's Maternity is here to help you however we can in your breastfeeding journey - contact us here!