There is nothing as rewarding as breastfeeding your child, and there is simply nothing better for the baby than having nutrition from the best source. Not only did I have a choice, but I had an opportunity to stay at home with my child and this has enabled me to breastfeed.

Before our daughter was born, I was completely sold on breastfeeding – I didn’t think twice about it. I grew up in Colombia in South America, and breastfeeding was very popular. Women breastfed in public transportation, at parties, in the street, it was commonplace. My mentality was set on breastfeeding, as this was part of my culture too and it seemed very natural.

To learn about breastfeeding, I went to a breastfeeding class, read several books about breastfeeding, went to many internet sites and was very enthusiastic about breastfeeding, but nothing prepared me for reality. When my daughter was born, those first few days were very hard, as I was not latching her on properly and my nipples were painfully sore. To my dismay, breastfeeding was not as natural and as easy of a choice as I pictured it to be. My husband was very supportive throughout and had the lactation consultants stop by our room at the hospital, and we went to one on one help after-wards. It was tough to breastfeed for two weeks at least-it seemed like forever! I cried, the baby cried too, because it was painful and I so wanted to make it work.

Thankfully, the lactation consultants called me many times and reassured me that the pain would go away and that my nipples would “toughen-up”, and I’m glad I hung in there. Everything started to slowly pass, and breastfeeding got perfected and I said goodbye to “white-knuckle” nursing sessions. I’d have to say that by around one to two months, I was so much more happier and so much more confident. The lactation consultants were right and I was glad to have listened to them. Now, after fourteen months, I am still proudly breastfeeding with no desire to stop in the near future.

What has really enabled me to breastfeed is having the support of the lactation consultants, my husband, and the opportunity that I have to stay at home full-time and not work. I think if I had to work, breastfeeding would have ended soon after childbirth – I wouldn’t have had a choice. If I wouldn’t be able to breastfeed our child, I would just do the best I could in terms of making sure she got the best possible of what’s on the market.

Breastfeeding is an experience of a lifetime, it is a choice and an opportunity. It is a sweet, wonderful magical time to give your child the closeness, love, and nutrition, that he/she so ultimately wants & deserve.