Anonymous
"My medical department didn’t really discuss breastfeeding with me at all. When I went to his first doctors appointment it was kind of disheartening how they tried to push formula or supplements on me, I kindly declined as my son had no issues with nursing and was gaining weight fine. Knowledge I would suggest is when creating a pumping schedule try to stick to it to empty your breast as much as possible. I started with a pumping schedule I couldn’t keep up with once I went back to work full time once my son was 6 weeks and as a result I ended up with mastitis which was a very challenging time because my ducts ended up having to be cut in one breast. However, there was still light at the end of the tunnel since I still managed to successfully continued to breastfeed until my son was roughly 18 months. I decided to breastfeed as something to try because it wasn’t something that was common among young mothers, I continued to breastfeed because I was meeting all my short term goals and to prove my family wrong that I could do anything I put my mind to. What helped me most and the best part of my journey was seeing how bonded me and my child were opposed to others, his temperament was different then other children his age. I am now expecting my second child and I do intend to breastfeed exclusively again."