To breastfeed or not, it's your choice

I have always dreamed of breastfeeding. Nourishing your child with your own body, having your baby close to you while feeding. I thought it was simple and natural. Well, that’s not always the case, and no one told me that during my pregnancy. I would have liked to know that breastfeeding can take time to establish, that a baby can have sucking problems, and that a mother can develop cracked nipples. Maybe I wouldn’t have been so disappointed later.

I always thought, naively, that my baby would naturally take to the breast. For both of my children, this was not the case, and I experienced complicated breastfeeding. I breastfed for only a short time: 7 weeks with my son and 1 week with my daughter. Of course, I felt guilty, and those around us don't help. Some people (including some I didn't know at all) asked me if I was “feeding my baby,” others said with surprise, “Oh, you’re not breastfeeding?” and I found myself stammering all the reasons that led me to stop, as if I needed to justify myself, perhaps out of shame. And the WHO, which recommends exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months, as breast milk is the best for a baby. This information is also noted on formula milk packages, as a little reminder to make you feel even more guilty: “Breastfeeding is ideal for your child. Seek advice from a healthcare professional if you wish to use this product” (Holle Organic Goat Milk). They tell you what breast milk provides to your child, like antibodies. But if you don't breastfeed, they don’t reassure you that your child will also thrive.

Indeed, there are many factors that can make you feel guilty if you can't or don't want to breastfeed. Because yes, you might not want to. Yes, you might not like breastfeeding (I came to realize this after the birth of my second baby). And yes, you might not be able to, for various reasons, to breastfeed your child.

So, to you, mom, who is breastfeeding your child, and additionally doing it in public places where sometimes (or often) you unfortunately have to endure the gazes of others, or to you who can't breastfeed even though you would have dreamed of it, or to you who chose not to breastfeed; know one thing: neither others nor the WHO are the ones feeding your baby.

You don’t even need to justify yourself or hide. It’s about YOUR body and YOUR child. Trust yourself.