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I never doubted that I would nurse. I read all articles I could get my hands on and after learning about the huge health benefits for both mother and child, I was sold. But really, when I’m totally honest with myself … I also nursed because I’m lazy.

Yep, that’s right. For all the horror stories you hear about lost sleep and teething babies, it seemed a lot easier to me to just pop a boob out when he was hungry. No bottles to clean, nothing to warm, no formula to shake or measure, just one swift movement and - voila! Happy baby.

My son was born with a congenital heart defect, which presented a challenge when it came to nursing.  For my daughter, breastfeeding happened instantly and naturally; she knew what to do. I was one of those judgmental women who thought that breastfeeding was easy; that women who struggled were just too uptight.  My second child changed these false opinions.  For my son, he was too weak to nurse and slept through his first night out of the womb.

After our home birth, we took my son to see the pediatrician. He told us he had a loud heart murmur, and that he needed to nurse for a total of 15 minutes over the next 12 hours, or he would have to be hospitalized. Fortunately, my son complied, but only after much insistance and persistance on my part, as well as many unusual nursing positions.  Once my milk came in three days later, he took more readily to the breast, but it was only after his heart was repaired surgically, that I realized how much his birth defect impacted his nursing.

After my son’s open heart surgery, the drainage began to take on a cloudy appearance.  The doctors through he might have had Chylothorax, which meant he would not be able to breastfeed for six weeks, as his body could not handle the fat content of breastmilk.  I was heartbroken, but I knew that I wanted to nurse until he was at least two years old, so I committed myself to pumping until he could nurse again. 

For many women, there are many obstacles to be overcome about nursing, including personal and social issues. These can be overwhelming, in the emotional and physical roller coaster after giving birth, and can ultimately cause many women to quit nursing in the first few weeks or months after starting.

I was talking with my mother, and she mentioned a few of her friend’s daughters, and daughter in laws who quit nursing quickly after giving birth. Here are some of the challenges they gave as reasons for quitting, and why they don’t have to be reasons to stop nursing altogether. I’m pretty insulated from this up here in Vermont, where nursing is highly encouraged. My mom often helps me understand what is going on in the rest of the world.

Editor’s note: This guest piece on breastfeeding is from Amy Gates. Amy writes about attachment parenting, activism, green living and photography at Crunchy Domestic Goddess, where this was posted originally.  Thank you Amy for sharing your story!

One of Ava’s books about nursing (Breastmilk Makes My Tummy Yummy) contains a picture of a mom nursing a toddler and a baby and states: “Two can breastfeed without fuss, there is room for both of us.” On Wednesday night, we - me, Julian and Ava - experienced that for the first time.

Jody had to work an unusually long day yesterday and wasn’t planning on getting home until after 8 p.m. Since I knew Ava was really tired I decided to try to put her to sleep while Julian slept in the swing. Seems easy enough, right? Well, wouldn’t you know it, just as I got Ava undressed, Julian woke up crying. So much for easy. I brought him in the bedroom with us, hurriedly put Ava in her PJs, washed her face and hands (we skipped brushing teeth) and we all laid down on Ava’s twin bed (it was cozy) so that I could nurse Julian and hopefully, get Ava to sleep. She thought it was quite fun that we were all laying on her bed together. When I asked her if she wanted “na-na” (to nurse) with Julian, the giggles started. It took a bit of acrobatics on Ava’s part to nurse since I had Julian in the side-lying position, but she/we managed it. She giggled a lot as she nursed and thought the whole thing was quite funny, and I started laughing a few times too appreciating the comedic value of the scene. After the giggles subsided, she stroked Julian’s cheek and then held his hand as they both nursed, and it was a very sweet moment. Then the giggles started back up again.

As someone who breastfed her two kids a combined total of 36 months, I, like many women, am fairly informed when it comes to the benefits of breast milk for babies. But when it comes to spouting off the same statistics when it comes to the benefits of breastfeeding for moms, I have a bit of a harder time. And sometimes, when it comes to encouraging [...]

I was 28 when my daughter was born. With a typical pregnancy you will gain 35 (or so) pounds. I gained a few more than 70. No, it’s not a typo, I was a chili cheese fry eating machine (I also jammed a few pounds of cotton candy down my throat each week).

Giving birth was easy, suckling was natural and we sent the lactation consultant out of the room. Jane and I knew what to do. Parenting an infant was the easiest thing in the world to me. I was a little surprised that I still looked pregnant after giving birth (no one tells you that) but there was one remarkably stunning moment in my adult life that I’ve shared with no one until today.

The first day of milk boobs.

Editor’s Note:  This breastfeeding story is from guest writer Heather Garvet. Heather blogs at A Mama’s Blog, where she has written other posts on C-sections, VBACs, breastfeeding, pregnancy, and birth issues, as well as her two boys. Heather is also a monthly contributor on API Speaks. This post originally appeared on A Mama’s Blog.

World Breastfeeding Week starts on August 1st, and runs through August 7th. The theme of this year is “Mother Support- Going for the Gold.”
Supporting a mother who is breastfeeding is so important. There are so many other demands that a new mother faces when nursing, having support can be invaluable to the mother and new baby to establish breastfeeding.

But did you know that nursing a baby past six months and has many health benefits for the baby and the mother? Sadly it seems that once a baby is nursed passed six months and beyond, support often turns to opposition?

Mother’s milk is one of those ‘does size count’ topics that can make new dads wonder how their wives suddenly look like an ad for Hooters, and new moms quake in nervousness bookmarking resources from La Leche League for fear the baby won’t ‘latch on.’

There’s guilt-laden inadequacy of spousal pillow talk mumblings like, “Fergawdsakes, quit touching them, they feel like they’re gonna pop!” and surges of insecurity that surface in the wee hours of baby fussiness that can mess with our brains, convincing us the tyke must be starving. But the baby bonding, nourishment, and even eco-benefits of breastfeeding? Worth every precious ounce of initial angst and challenge…

My daughter was born on her due date, into water during an assisted home birth, and weighed nine and half pounds! After my beautiful daughter was born, we immediately brought her to the breast. She latched on in a supine position, which amazed my midwives.  I was in sheer bliss.

I read tons of natural pregnancy books, but I had neglected to really read about breastfeeding. I was more worried about labor then breastfeeding, as I thought nursing would just occur naturally, and it did (although this was not the case with my second child).  I did read the Nursing Mother’s Companion, which I highly recommend.  The most important thing I learned in this book was to NEVER wear an underwire bra while lactating. The wire can cut off your milk ducts and lead to nasty mastitis.  It happened to a friend of mine, and I still wonder why doctors don’t tell their patients the dangers of the wrong bra.

My daughter quickly gained weight, and her cheeks grew to the size of melons. I began to fear I was overfeeding her and that she might become obese. My midwives tried to squelch my fears and called her “healthy”, but since I couldn’t measure how much milk she was getting, my anxiety got the better of me.  I kept breastfeeding, despite these fears, despite cracked nipples and an occasional blocked milk duct, through the uncontrolled let down of milk pouring out.

Breastfeeding is natural. So when my daughter Zinnia was born, I was surprised at how UNNATURAL it felt to me. Babies must have proper mouth, and nose placement in order for the “latch on” to be successful and productive. It took me a lot of trial and error to establish a good nursing relationship.

I attended my first La Leche League meeting when Zinnia was a week old. I silently gaped at all the seasoned moms calmly discussing parenting techniques as they nursed babies of all ages. Some of the children were really tucking into their evening meal, but others were just “checking in;” breastfeeding was an intimate, nurturing bond that comforted them and made mother and child feel connected.

At Zinnia’s one week check-up, she showed a slight weight gain, which is almost unheard of, since most babies actually lose weight during their first week. I was one proud mama!

Like most new moms, the first two months hurt. A lot. I cringed at the thought of the next feeding. I was a slave to Lansinoh, the lanolin nipple cream that was supposed to smooth the way and ease the pain of cracked, tender, or otherwise harassed nipples that were relentlessly utilized every four hours or so.

A comedian said “It used to be an entertainment center. Now it’s a juice bar.” Boobies and babies and breastmilk will take over your life, so make it fun and enjoyable for all of you. Just don’t ask for cream for your coffee…

Making the change from just the two of you to a threesome can be challenging, but when you see your partner contentedly nursing, and your child peacefully sleeping on her lap, it’s fulfilling as well.

Breastfeeding is an integral part of natural or attachment parenting. Fathers can support their partners and babies by being in touch with their needs and meeting them in a mindful way.