Most of us know that breast milk is best for baby, but formula has improved over the years.  Companies advertise their formula as "closest to breast milk" and other similar terms and phrases that make it sound desireable to new moms.  We hear horror stories about how difficult breastfeeding can be, how breastfeeding moms have little to no freedom, and how society shuns public breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding, though very natural, does not come naturally in the beginning.  Without help and good information, breastfeeding can be quite challenging.  I know you may have met or read about perfect moms who have wonderfully beautiful and comfortable pregnancies and they see breastfeeding as natural and beautiful and say it's the best experience of their life.  Well, I'm not one of those moms.

My pregnancies were very uncomfortable.  I had terrible morning sickness with all three. With my first and third pregnanies, my ligaments in my hips became so soft that I had trouble walking.  I swelled up to the point that I didn't even recognize my own face in the mirror.  I had to deliver all of my babies via c-section, which is a very unpleasant recovery.  Before I had my first child, I had flat nipples.  The entire first 3 months that I breastfed my first I had a case of mastitis that got so bad it turned into a staph infection. With my second, I battled thrush for months.  On top of all of this, I struggled with engorgement, extremely sore nipples, and back pain from my newly enlarged chest.

Even with all of the challenges I faced, I breastfed my first child for 18 months. During the last five months of breastfeeding her, I was pregnant with my second child!  I breastfed my second for nearly 11 months.  I will breastfeed this third baby as well.

Why did I tell you all of this? I want you to know that I understand the challenges you face.  I did not have an easy experience breastfeeding, but still breastfed successfully for over a year.  If I can do it, you can too.  Here you will find information, advice, and resources to help you successfully breastfeed your little one too.

*Feel free to add your own breastfeeding story as a comment to this article.