Breastfeeding: Beautiful, Not Glamorous

Ahhh, it’s here again. World Breastfeeding Week. The only time in our culture where you will see boobs with babies on them all over the internet and it not be reported. And if you report, you will be hung out to dry by every moms group there is. (Just warning you.)

I have three babies. I nursed three babies and LOVED it. I nursed them everywhere I went. I never had anyone ask me to leave or go to another room. I had a great experience. I always had a blanket or a burp cloth or a strategically placed scarf, so most of the time it was unnoticed. I completely understand if your child won’t stay covered. My third turned into that child, as he got older, little stinker.

The bond between mother and child is one of the sweetest images in the entire world. This scene has been sculpted, painted on ceilings, hung in museums and churches, and photographed because it is truly beautiful. I remember after we had our first son, my husband was sitting beside me on the couch as I fed him. He leaned over and said, in a very sweet and sincere voice, “that is so cool”. I think I cried, for the 9th time that day. He’s right, it is so cool that we can provide life for another human being!

Lately, however, something has been weighing on my heart, although breastfeeding is beautiful, it is definitely not glamorous. We are bombarded with images of celebrity moms who, have no problem showing off most, if not all, of their chest on a movie screen or runway, as the new spokeswomen for nursing mothers everywhere. I love that they are using their platform for good. Really! I just want to remind you moms, that even though you don’t look like Gisele or Olivia or Lucy or Miranda or Natalia when you feed your baby, it’s ok!! It’s ok if you have dark blue veins road mapping your boob, because the milk is stretching them to their limits. It’s ok if you have stretch marks because your milk came in and hurt like the dickens because you have never had that much going on up there in your life! It’s ok if, once you have weened your child, those DDs turn into B- because they have been through the ringer and have served their purpose. It is even ok that you, not dressed in your designer clothes, will be walking down the aisle of your favorite grocery store and all of the sudden you have a giant wet spot on your shirt, because in the rush of life you forgot a nursing pad. It’s ok.

So if you are pregnant and thinking about nursing, if you are currently nursing, or if you have nursed your babies and are feeling a little less about yourself, just remember this: Breastfeeding is beautiful, but definitely not glamorous.

We all have our own breastfeeding stories.  Share with us some funny, crazy, or simply non-glamorous times.  We’d love to know we are not alone.