I think that breastfeeding can be another arena for perfectionism, judgement and shame within Motherhood

I think that there is a lot of pressure on women to breastfeed in order to be a ‘good mum’. 

I think that there is pressure to put your own needs to the bottom of the pile and to do whatever it takes for your children. And don’t get me wrong as mothers we want the best for our children- and you matter too.

Breastfeeding is a beautiful experience. One that I am so happy that I had and that I am proud of. It also wasn’t an easy journey for us, and I didn’t love every minute.

I remember people saying to me whilst being pregnant, that it’s so much easier than bottle feeding, its free and that it saves you time and energy.

I disagree.....

When I was pregnant with my little girl, I remember making the decision that I would try to breastfeed her. I didn’t give much thought to the details of it-just that I wanted to try. I bought the breast pads, nipple cream (thank god!), and had read that I would need snacks and water to hand at all times.

I didn’t think that it would be easy, and I didn’t fully know what to expect- I thought ‘well ill cross that bridge when I get to it’.

It was more like a scramble on hands and knees than a breezy walk across that bridge!

Matrescence...I’d never heard of it before and It has literally transformed my life. Its a word that every mother and mother to be needs to know about and this is why....

I had a traumatic birth. I didn’t fully realise that it had affected me as much as it did until my little girl was 20 months old. I had started to get more sleep after my little girl turned one, I stopped breastfeeding, and she started nursery. I now had the time and space to realise how much better I was feeling, and just how much I had struggled.