Today was just a normal day at home and I was feeling really uninspired about what to photograph for our daily pics. Just as I was thinking about this Blake wanted a feed and I remembered that I was talking to a friend earlier in the week about how she had very few photos of her time breastfeeding her daughter and that she wished she had taken more. So I took the opportunity to get Brian to take a few photos. He did a pretty good job!
After feeling like such a faliure and being really disappointed with my experience breastfeeding Hannah I am totally thrilled that Blake is still feeding at almost 16 months old. My first goal was to make it to 2 weeks, and then 6 weeks and I knew if we were still feeding at 12 weeks I would be confident that we could continue long-term. When we made the 6 month milestone I was so happy. I used a nipple shield for almost 5 months and fed Blake on demand. I had oversupply so he often vommited milk and I had to feed him in a really uncomfortable lying-down-on-my-back-position to limit how much milk was coming in at the beginning of the feed. There were certainly challenges. The benefits are immense though.
I absolutely love breastfeeding Blake and I am so proud of myself that I had been so determined to do it this time, to give it a red hot go and not listen to naysayers. I knew this was what I wanted for my baby, I knew this was worth my time and effort and I knew it would get easier and easier as time went on.
I don’t know how long Blake will feed for. I have no desire to wean him and he is still feeding on demand (sometimes 15 times in 24 hours, and sometimes as little as 5) so we will see what happens. I also have no issue breastfeeding in public or sharing photos like this with others. I shared photos of Hannah feeding from her bottle when she was little and I truly see this as the same thing. After all, they are both just feeding and that is what babies do :).
My mum suggested that my sister, Hannah, her and I go out for dinner on a ‘Girls Night’ while she was on holidays from work. Tonight was the night and when Hannah and I got ready to go out she was so excited to wear her gumboots in the rain! We had a lovely time, it was so nice to spend one-on-one time with just Hannah. She delighted in being a ‘big girl’ and being the centre of attention for the night. We’ll definately be doing it again very soon :).
hippyhappymama 
oh wow – you’ll treasure those breastfeeding photos forever – beautifully captured moment
Thank you Nicole, I will certainly treasure them forever 🙂
I love all of your photos. They are just so gorgeous.
Thank you Kylie 🙂
ohhhh what gorgeous photos!!! a treasure for sure. WELL DONE YOU on persevering on the breastfeeding!!! a great example that just cos it doesnt work out for whatever reason the first time doesnt mean it can never work. Big props for that and great idea to record those special feed times…. magic in even the most routine days, huh! x
Kate, thank you 🙂 it was a bumpy ride but we got there in the end!
great photos, so beautiful!
Well done on the BFing! I too am determined to ‘give it a red hot go’ with #2 (whenever that may be!) as I feel it so important and I feel more informed now than I did with #1.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos and words with us. Really inspiring.
Mel, it was really important to me, I was so determined and although it was tough going for the first few months I just knew I could do it. I was also lucky that Blake came out of the womb and just latched on! He is a great feeder!
If you ever have any questions feel free to ask, knowledge is power when it comes to things like this. I wasn’t informed enough when I had Hannah and also, – very importantly – I didn’t have enough confidence and support around me to encourage me. I hope you can have that when #2 arrives 🙂
Congratulations on breastfeeding for 16 months! Such beautiful photos that you will treasure forever.
Thank you Tara! I can see from your photo that you are on a breastfeeding journey with your bubba too 🙂 just lovely!
Beautiful photos! I agree with all you said, I’ve breastfed 4 babies into toddlerhood and am glad I did, my longest was 3 1/2. I think it makes it easier on us when they’re sick and going through all those new toddler moments.
Nicole, so lovely to hear from someone who had the dedication to breastfeed 4 babies for as long as they wanted. Congrats to you! Very inspiring 🙂
No disclaimer needed for me 😉
These are seriously beautiful, normal photos.
You should be SO proud of your breastfeeding experience so far with Blake, and what you did to make it happen (and I think from your two very different experiences it does show that for most women a successful start to breastfeeding doesn’t just “happen”.) You’re bloody awesome.
x
Haha, I thought I would put it there just in case 😉 Not everyone wants to see my boobs!
Thank you hun, you have been someone that I have looked up to and been incredibly inspired by throughout my breastfeeding journey so far and I will be forever grateful for your support.
No breastfeeding doesn’t just happen (though I wish it did) and I am certainly more aware now of just how difficult it can be in some situations. Thank you for that last comment, don’t know if I have been called ‘bloody awesome’ before but I like it 😉 xx