My SD Moms Before I had my son, I did all the prep work new moms are expected to do: I read all the books, did all the research, bought all the pillows, sound machines, and gliders. And because I knew I
wanted to breastfeed, I invested in a breast pump that could travel with me when I went back to work. I even started eating a clean diet so my baby would have the best breast milk possible, and went to breastfeeding classes offered by my health provider. I was ready for anything . . . or so I thought.
Breastfeeding was an important part of my plan, to say the least. And considering that women are born with the ability to feed their children, I figured this act would come naturally to me. But of course, what you expect isn’t always what you get. Not only did my son have latch issues (a lactation consultant with magical baby whispering powers helped us there), but I also experienced low milk production, which meant if I wasn’t feeding him directly, I’d be pumping to try to increase my supply. Fun times all around! But the hiccup I didn’t see coming? I couldn’t breastfeed my son in front of other people.
It’s not that I was against the idea of breastfeeding in public. I was embarrassed. The whole “feeding in public” topic just wasn’t something that was covered in the reading materials, how-to videos, or breastfeeding classes. I was completely unprepared for my reaction, and in the beginning, I didn’t even realize how this was affecting me and my relationships with my son, my husband, and my family.
