You haven’t even given birth yet and you’re already thinking… What if I can’t Breastfeed.

Oh girl, breathe! We ‘ve got you.

At Northeast Doulas we hear it all the time. A new client hires us as their doula and before they even leave the room, they ask the question… what if I can’t breastfeed?

Now the truth is, we understand why.

They have heard about it over and over again from friends who weren’t able to breastfeed.

They heard about:

  • Cracked nipples
  • Bleeding nipples
  • Inverted nipples
  • Poor latch
  • Low milk supply
  • Insufficient glandular tissue

So of course, they fear the worst.

And we didn’t even get to the part where all of their friends said that breastfeeding hurts and is exhausting.

In frustration and often sadness, women tell their friends, “I couldn’t breastfeed my baby.”

And in some cases, that’s true. They just weren’t able to.

But what we’ve found is that when someone says, “What if I can’t breastfeed?” The best response is, “What if you can?!”

We know that breastfeeding is hard; in the beginning.

But we also know that breastfeeding requires far more support than most people ever consider recruiting.

We know that the necessary support comes from knowledgeable professionals who have walked others through the process of establishing good breastfeeding relationships.

We know that what seems wrong to a new mom, can sometimes be right.

We know that there are ways to soothe nipples that are raw, cracked and bleeding.

We know that there are strategies for increasing milk supply.

We know that there are alternative means of milk transfer.

We know that you love your baby and want the very best for them.

The most important thing we know about difficulties with breastfeeding is…

If quitting is not a deliberate choice, don’t make it a definitive choice!

Take one day at a time. Take one feeding at a time. Take one diaper change at a time.

And take one breath at a time!

 

Authored By: Randy Patterson