I got to know this awesome lady through Stillwater La Leche League shortly after I had my first daughter. And I've had the privilege of photographing her through her breastfeeding journey with her youngest. I'm very excited that she's sharing her story with us today!
Sherryl nursing her youngest son at a little over 1 week postpartum
Sherryl
I can attribute the success of my breastfeeding journey to one thing: support. I have been fortunate to have support from so many people. First, I had the support of my husband. He was never weird about me nursing in public which greatly decreased my anxiety and made me feel empowered. I remember once while we were standing in the mall our little one began to fuss then cry. I hesitated but my husband gave me this bewildered look and asked, "Why haven't you whipped your boob out yet?!" That was his way of telling me that it was more important to him that his child be fed than someone being offended if they got a glimpse of my breast. He continues to take this stance today.
During my pregnancy, a good friend invited me to a La Leche League meeting. Saying "Yes" was one of the best things I could have done. This group of mothers has a wide range of knowledge coming from personal experiences. Their knowledge helped me when I had mastitis, clogged ducts, and thrush. Not only did I benefit from their knowledge but I gained some amazing friends in the process.
Finally, my coworkers were amazing too. We have days at work that we forego lunch hours and sometimes don't know when our next bathroom break will be. During those months of pumping, I had to leave my post and in doing so, they often had to pick up the slack. I am so grateful to them.
I was able to breastfeed my oldest until he was 3 and a half years old. I am currently nursing my 19 month old with no end in sight. My journey has had ups and downs but I would not have made it this far without the support of my amazing village.
birth story of my fourth baby - Arlo Michael