Breastfeeding Diaries...

I must apologise but a crazy week (including A&E visit with 3 yo!) has meant I have been a bit slack with my posts. This one comes from Paula, mum of 2 from Curtain Lab.

I breastfed my 2 boys for a year each child. I can honestly say that I was only able to travel back home with a new baby (2-months) because he was breastfed.... I had to travel door to door for 24hrs (London/Sao Paulo/Manaus and back of course). It would have been almost impossible to carry formula milk, water and equipment for such a journey now!

Further to that, I also donated breastmilk to Kingston Hospital for 6 months! Whilst I feel it is important to give our babies the best possible start in life, I also understand the need for mum & baby to bond and breastfeeding gave me the chance to come to terms with the birth of my children (both very traumatic, 4 weeks early).

My husband and I were going through some tough times when I fell pregnant with my second child, and I wasn't looking forward to being a mummy again. I often wonder if I would have bonded as much or as well if he had been put on a bottle? No doubt my husband would have helped more, and I would have been quite happy to step back a little.

As for the fear of 'saggy breast' it is a complete myth! I had so much milk I had mastitis and once all settle down, I still have nice, mature breasts... it has not stopped me from topless sunbathing! My own mother refused to breastfeed us (4 kids) for fear of ending up with saggy breasts.

Breastfeeding was so rewarding to me that I was desperately trying to train as a breastfeeding councillor... Sadly it was not to be but I'm happy to be the only person I know to have fed the neonatal unit of Kingston Hospital for 6 months!