When I had our second baby, I was determined to get breastfeeding right. I wanted to give my baby the best start possible and I wanted to experience the bond that comes with feeding your baby.
After a previous difficult experience with my first son, I was ready to have to fight to get a feeding routine established. After a few initial teething problems with latch and supply, we fell into a routine and I fell in love with breastfeeding. It was an experience like I’d never had before.
To know I was doing what nature intended and feeding my baby like million of women have done throughout history made me feel accomplished.
I was proud of how hard we’d worked to get into a good place with breastfeeding and was always open to any conversations about breastfeeding from friends, family and even strangers.
I think that is why I found feeding in public so easy, although the few first times I did it, that wasn’t the case.
I had my turning point when my son was a couple of weeks old. We had gone to the local woods for a walk and my baby started to clench his fists and root around. I knew he needed feeding but there was nowhere to sit. I managed to find a tree stump and perched myself on it while I tried to juggle my breastfeeding apron and a very hungry baby.
I remember it was a hot and muggy day and I just couldn’t get my son to latch on properly. I couldn’t see him as the apron kept getting in the way. The more frustrated I was getting, the more he was crying and the hotter we were both getting. It was madness.
It was in that moment I thought to myself ‘why are you doing this?’ Why was I struggling with this apron? What was I trying to cover up?’
I didn’t really care if people saw a bit of skin on my breast while I fed my baby.
I figured it was not really any different from wearing a bikini top as my son’s head would be blocking my nipple and the majority of my breast.
Why was I getting us both into a state just to make sure no one else was offended or commented? That moment was the start of my feeding with confidence journey and I never looked back.
