The Feeding Movement

 

First time mothers all go through the same question

at one point or another during their pregnancy..

 

Breast or Bottle?

 

Personally my experience growing up I never came

a cross a friend or a relative who spoke openly about

breastfeeding with me. It was always something I felt

I would feel completely uncomfortable about

and never thought I would think about doing.

Going into the hospital they asked me how I planned on feeding my baby.

....well that put me through a loop.

I never really thought about it before?

Bottles were all I knew and my answer was,

 

"I guess I'll try breastfeeding".

 

After Camden was born he was immediately taken into

the NICU where I wouldn't see him until the following day.

He was having trouble breathing without oxygen

and over-all just wasn't looking good.

At that moment I knew I had to give him the best of

whatever I could to make sure Camden stayed alive and healthy.

I was super scared and nervous at first.

Breasts aren't something I was used to taking out of my shirt

to feed a human being. But lets be real..

the day before I didn't care who saw my downstairs after 18 hours

of labor...as long as they got that baby out!

 

So we gave it a try...

 

It was super overwhelming for me..

Camden had issues latching on

I wasn't eating from stress.
Billy went back to work
I couldn't drive to the hospital to feed him.

I wanted so hard just to go to the hospital to feed my baby

but my options were slim...I resulted to pumping.

 

Pumping only lasted so long with not eating correctly

and I was hardly educated about breast feeding and how it worked.

 

My breast feeding journey then ended.

I wish there were more resources then for me to be educated about breastfeeding,

or to be able to reach out to other mothers who could give me advice

or just a spark of inspiration to keep going.

My days of breastfeeding are long over & short lived

but I want to make sure other young mothers like me

who don't have the support know that there is an entire community out there for you!

There ARE other mothers out there who can help.

 Then one day I happened to come across..

 

Recently I have had the privilege of interviewing a few  of my favorite IG momma's who also happen to admin this page. I could go on about how amazing this cause is

but I'll let you read for yourself..

 

The Feeding Movement was started by the lovely Crystal (@themorrismanual), after receiving negative comments on photos she posted of her nursing her baby girl. The movement originated as an idea to post a photo of Elena nursing every day for as long as their breast feeding journey lasts, but then evolved into a page all it's own. A page where breast feeding mothers can join together and support one another, ask for advice, or tell their personal stories, as well as the occasional hilarious breast feeding meme. In a time where more and more mothers are being targeted and their photos or pages removed over the slightest bit of skin or cleavage in a beautiful, natural photo of them nursing their child, Crystal saw the need for not only support, but education. She selected her admin team based on our collective knowledge and experience, and so far together we've been able to help and support many mothers and show many more that breast feeding is much more than a taboo subject, and what you feed your child is one of the most important
 

(@maxim.and.lor)

 (admin)  

My personal experience with breastfeeding is a lot different than most. I had to relactate twice. Once when my son was only 7 months old, and again when he was 10 months. I found out I was pregnant right before J turned 6 months old, quickly after I found out, my supply diminished. J wouldn't latch and pumping wasn't saving it. So, I decided to get donor milk (breast milk donated from other moms). I was still pumping as much as possible with no luck. I was not even getting a drop. When J was 7 months old, we found out I had miscarried our baby, so from then on I focused on getting my supply back and breastfeeding again. In 2 short weeks, my supply was back and he was latching again. Perfect. At 8 months J one day decided to stop breastfeeding all together. My first thought "oh my gosh am I pregnant again?" And sure enough, I was. This time, I stopped trying to breastfeed and strictly relied on donors milk. 4 weeks after we found out, I miscarried again. All I wanted then was to get my milk back, so I started looking up every way possible to relactate, and I did everything. I almost gave up. Something told me to just try a few more days, and then after a whole month of trying I got my milk back! J still wasn't latching though so all I could do was pump, then I started putting applesauce on my nipples for him and with only 3 times of doing that, he was back on the boob! And now at 15 months we are still going strong!

(@todaywithj)

(admin)

 

 

There are different situations that require different responses. If it's family, a good way is to educate them about nursing, and get them comfortable with it. If it is in public and you come across a complete stranger, I would kindly ask them to either A) to please stop staring, as there is nothing out of the ordinary going on, or to B) If nursing bothers them so much, that they are free to move to a more comfortable place. I do not put up with negativity, and feel that no mother should either. Breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world. Breastfeed where ever, and when ever, because that's what nature intended you to do. Those that are uncomfortable can easily turn their wandering eyes in a different direction.

 (@kcastellon1228)

(admin)

 

Growing up, I had no example of breastfeeding aside from the Mennonite moms I saw at the library play group. No one in my family breastfed - not even my grandparents; so it was pretty taboo. But when I met my now-husband and we became serious, he expressed the importance of his children being breastfed. I did a little research and figured, why not! A few years later I found myself nannying for a breastfed baby. It was such an amazing experience for me and I learned so much! Seeing the bond of mother and child made me 100% certain I would breastfeed. When my son was born, we hit a lot of obstacles but I remained passionate! Now we are 20 months into our nursing relationship and I am in my second trimester with baby number 2! Breastfeeding has been -hands down- the best parenting choice we have ever made! 

@montanashea

(admin)

 

 

I personally found a ring sling as my life saver for keeping my supply up. Jude did not take bottles or pacifiers so I had constant nipple stimulation the first year. Breastfeeding is all about supply and demand. Jude was one of those babies who would eat nonstop. All day and all night. (We co-slept.) The only way I was able to walk around, leave the house, go to stores, ride the bus or wash his cloth diapers was to wear him in a ring sling while breastfeeding. I had been to Kenya a few years ago and saw mothers there working in their community while breastfeeding and baby wearing. They were my inspiration. Even when I worked my body didn’t respond to the pump so my mother took Jude to feed during my work breaks. I’ve tried supplements, nursing teas and even oatmeal stout beer but honestly trusting my body is how I kept my supply up. Some days I nurse Jude only 15 minutes or less a day without pumping and I am still producing at almost 16 months postpartum. I don’t determine my supply by how much I was able to pump but by if I could squirt milk out. Maybe I do have a “low” supply but as long as Jude is latching and enjoys nursing I find there no reason to need to up my supply. I really do believe babies can sense when your body needs a larger supply and they will nurse more often to try to bring your supply up. I think baby's nipple stimulation are the best at raising milk supply not products. It’s all about trusting that your body has the right supply for your baby.

@overthemoonforjude

 

 

There you have it ladies!

If you ever need any advice feel free

to contact these wonderful ladies because

they would be more than happy to lead

you into the right direction of a

happy breast feeding experience!

 

 

www.instagram.com/thefeedingmovement