Breastfeeding : Foundation of Life | World Breastfeeding Week 2018

I believe that #WBW2018 said it best:

In a world filled with inequality, cries, and poverty, breastfeeding is the foundation of lifelong good health for babies and mothers.  

Breastfeeding prevents hunger and malnutrition in all its forms and ensures food security for babies, even in times of crises.  With no additional burden on household income, breastfeeding is a low-cost way of feeding babies and contributes to poverty reduction.  Nutrition, food security and poverty reduction are fundamentals of achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.

What a crazy journey this was.  Lylelynn's tug and lip tie were so bad that the first week of breastfeeding was the most pain I have ever endured.  Even more than her birth.

I remember having to tell myself to hold still as my mom latched her on while my body shook from all the pain.  It wasn't like this with my first.  I knew the signs to look for and I had a lactation consultant from the amazing For Babies Sake.  I KNEW it wasn't forever, a week away from seeing Dr. Thomas and I just had to make it.  I could do it.  But oh the pain.  

I honestly wasn't sure how long I would breastfeed.  When I had Axle I thought, I will do it for 6 months!  That should be enough and a year sounded too old.  But as I was breastfeeding I learned so much.  I was food, comfort and an emotionally safe place for him.  Breastfeeding came more often after getting hurt or have overly emotional moments.   And I will admit that by 19 months I wanted my body back. So I weaned him.  

To this day I regret that decision.  I truly believe that he needed more time.  

So when Lylelynn came around I decided I would do whatever she needed.  But of course, that journey was different.  I wasn't that emotional anchor for her like I was her brother.  She truly just breastfeed to eat.  And then at 2 years, just days before her birthday.  She stopped.  I wasn't ready.  What happened to the mom that thought a year was old?  And now I'm not ready at 2? 

 I have learned not judged more from my breastfeeding journey than any other.  Don't judge the mom that last only days, those first few weeks are HARD.  Don't judge the mom that is feeding her 5-year-old.  Don't judge the mom that is in her car breastfeeding so other's don't see, but also don't judge the mom that is breastfeeding in front of you and your husband without a cover.  

Breastfeeding awareness is not about judging moms and their decisions.  It's about our world, about poverty and health.  Stop getting offended and start joining the movement.  A lot of the babies in our world live or die due to breastfeeding or not.  Families have to choose between formula or food.  What of those that don't even have clean water? What about those in tents that have nothing to their names?  What about those you see every day as you walk through Target and don't even know the benefits of breastfeeding.  This is about education and awareness.  Share! Talk! Don't Shame.

My daughter and I in June with the amazing Sandy Fales documenting what I didn't know at the time was her last time to breastfeed.  We made it to two years.  I am SO glad she captured me hold Ell's foot.  That was something Lylelynn would always require when she ate.