That may sound weird, but I’m celebrating our breastfeeding journey, including the reality that it is over. I stubbornly held on, pushed through, and suffered in the hope that it would somehow work out. It didn’t.
Nick continued to struggle with nursing long after his frenectomy. After the chiropractor. After craniosacral therapy. After the meetings with the Lactation consultant. After the exercises from the speech pathologist.
After an awful experience with masitis, I realized the toll this was taking on my body, and really our whole family. So we switched Nick over to formula with thickener (for his reflux), and he has done really well on it.
Why did I hang on so long? Because I knew that breast is best. Nobody was pressuring me. I was putting the high expectations on myself.
It may seem silly, but I was very sad to let go of breastfeeding. I had to accept the reality that what I had imagined as a mom wasn’t going to happen. So I let myself have a little pity party, and then I decided that I needed to celebrate.
I wanted to celebrate that I was able to breastfeed Nick for 9 weeks. I wanted to celebrate that overall he is healthy and thriving. So I made a milk bath with some of my frozen breastmilk and we had the sweetest photo session with my friend M’Rhea.
Nick loved it. He kicked and cooed and made us laugh. He splashed some water in his face and the decided that it tasted delicious, so he started slurping it up. Ha!
After a month on formula, I realize that I’m not any less connected to him. In fact, I’m healthier and a better mom since I stopped breastfeeding.
Maybe there’s an end that you need to celebrate? I hereby give you permission to let go and have a party. Maybe a send off party as your kids go to school? (Bless those teachers) Or maybe you want to celebrate the letting go of perfectionism? Or fear or shame? That’s good too. 💕
Blessings,
Sarah
Photos by my talented friend M’Rhea. 😊