EP 1047 - Breastfeeding and Stress

I thought getting pregnant was stressful.  Feeding my baby was even more stressful.  It was very clear after 2 weeks that my little boy was starving and as a new mom, I was horrified. Deemed a ‘failure to thrive’ baby.  He was so hungry that he could barely keep awake.  I wasn’t producing enough milk to nourish my own child.

At this point I thought I was a failure.  My dad, who was a dairy farmer, said later that if I had been one of his milking cows, I would have been turned to steak. Humourous now…certainly not then.

I now look at this tall, athletic, muscular man and it is hard to believe the rough start we had together.  He is healthy and that is the ultimate goal.

Breastfeeding is a healthy choice

But the pressure to nurse your child should never be so great that it makes a mother feel like a failure if they can’t make it happen.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Breastfeeding Awareness Week:

Nursing a baby is natural.  Help moms to feel comfortable when it comes to feeding their child.

Don’t assume that a parent who is bottle-feeding is doing so by choice.  Be supportive of all of the options that are available to parents.

If you are expecting a baby or if you have a newborn, rely on the people around you for support.

And finally, Supermom status is a lousy goal and impossible to reach.  If we could all learn this early on it really would save us a tonne of stress.

If you like today’s wellness tips, let me know. You can leave me a review on amazon or through your #alexa app.

For more information on coping with mental health issues, sign up for one of my on-line courses at worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab.