While Emma doesn't regret persisting to continue breastfeeding despite difficulties, she also respects those that choose to not breastfeed.
Transcript
With my first, it didn’t, I didn’t even think about it with my first. It was very natural, no issues. With my second, I did have to get him lips and tongue tie revisions. And there were times, because he had colic and he would cry and scream, and he only wanted me. But because he would cry and scream all the time, I just felt like a failure, that failure narrative kept playing over and over and over, and I felt broken. And so I didn’t want to breastfeed. But on the other side, I felt like this is the one thing my body can do that I wanted to do, I need to keep doing it. And so while I was like, no, I don’t want to breastfeed anymore, I was like, you know it’s good for him, so make that sacrifice, and just do it. I don’t think that – I don’t regret breastfeeding, I’m still breastfeeding, I don’t regret it.
At this point, it is a huge bonding moment for me and my son. And because I feel like we’re kind of on the other side of things with my mental health and with our relationship and his development, where he’s sleeping and he’s interactive, I think that it’s been very positive on our relationship. I do remember moments where it was not. And when I hear women share that they made the decision to not breastfeed or stop breastfeeding, I admire that. I admire that recognition that the mom is again, taking that empowerment of her own decision on her own body, to say, “you know what, this isn’t working, and I want this experience to be positive. And I can have a positive experience if I’m bottle feeding my baby”. I think that’s amazing. I respect women who make that choice. Because I think that’s a – that can be tough because of that whole culture of breast is best. Which is, I don’t agree with at all. Mom is best, whatever mom wants and whatever mom needs is best. And if mom needs a bottle and a bed, then that’s all that matters. And so if the moms feel that it’s not working, then that’s OK. It should be welcomed and if you’re struggling, I get it. And if you want to push through, that’s great. If you don’t, that’s great too.
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