I was not breastfed. And growing up, it wasn’t really talked about in my communities or represented in the things I saw. So when I started thinking about having kids, I figured I might try it, but I was fairly certain I’d pick a great formula and that would be my journey. Then Penelope was born. As soon as she entered the world, the nurses almost immediately latched her to my body (they took my “yes I’ll try” very seriously lol) and P latched “like a champ.” The feelings in that first moment are so hard to put into words. It instantly triggered my motherly instinct, and I was filled with this uncontrollable desire to uniquely provide for her. That feeling felt like confirmation for me so I figured I’d explore what our nursing journey could look like. As I researched, read and learned I was more and more convinced of it’s possibilities. And truthfully, my competitive nature wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. So I committed. Don’t be fooled though, while my experience with both my girls was overwhelmingly magical, neither were absent of nerves, inconvenience, frustration, tears, lactation consultant visits, and tons of support. But even on my hardest days, I returned back to that first feeling and my commitment that followed ~ those two things kept me pushing. I’d found my “why.”

Did you know the amount of hours a woman spends breastfeeding her child is almost equivalent to the hours served in a full time job?! That means ya girl has been working TWO jobs for the last few years, no wonder I can’t catch my breath! But I digress. Just like i need supplies and good technology to do my job well, I also need a stocked toolkit of things that help me breastfeed successfully. My shopping list of all my favorite boobie things can be found on my Amazon storefront but when I think about what makes my experience easier, a teensy bit more convenient, and as comfortable as I need it to be, my most recommended products would have to be my rocking chair, my spectra s1 pump (great for stationary pumping), my elvie cordless pump (great for pumping on the go), my nursing bras and my water bottle. I highly recommend these things and I’d be a mess with little success without them. Pro tip – check with your insurance to see what they’ll cover in cost, save yourself some coins!

For me, the hardest thing about learning something new is accepting the very real possibility that I may not be great at it immediately. Breastfeeding was no different! It’s not lost on me that latching is often some mamas’ hardest climb. And although my girls made that easy for me, there were other things in which I truly had a hard time adjusting to. The increased uterine cramping, remembering to drink and eat consistently, avoiding foods and medications my babies wouldn’t tolerate, and overcoming the shame of breastfeeding in public were all very large mountains for me. Time was my best friend in climbing many of these mountains. And when combined with my support groups of women in similar stations as me, I overcame. As I got better in one climb, I was even more motivated in another and the domino effect helped me in so many ways. There are many things in this life I’ve had the privilege of accomplishing with little effort. But breastfeeding, breastfeeding required my diligence, my persistence and my embrace of discomfort in ways I couldn’t have predicted. So much of my character was built in the lessons the experiences have taught me.

Wanna know the secret to copious amounts of liquid gold?! STAYING HYDRATED. Kid you not, learning that was a game changer for me. The more fluid you have running through your body, the more willing your body is to spare some for baby. The more food you offer your body, the fattier and more heavy your milk (bring on a sleeping baby!) Introduce pumping to the mix, and hydration becomes necessity. Through the blues that is the fourth trimester, I had a hard time associating my supply and demand with how I care for and fueled my body but in watching the themes and going through a second journey, I realized eating and drinking could mean the difference between just enough and an entire extra bottle. So as soon as I solved the puzzle, I found ways to really intentionally keep my body at peak.

Some of the things that work for me are:

• Oats (oatmeal, granola, oat milk, oatmeal cookies) – a bowl of oats a day keeps my milk flowing away. haha!
• Coconut has a way of instantly hydrating your body. So I capitalize by using coconut water in my smoothies, coconut milk in my drinks or sauces, and though I can’t tolerate the texture, I imagine eating straight up coconut would really get the gold going.
• Electrolytes aren’t just for athletes! Then again, I could argue that breastfeeding is an Olympic sport. Gatorade, Powerade, Hydration packs and my personal favorite – Body Armour – will do the trick when my supply feels low. Of course, I consulted my doctor before introducing those things to my diet!
• WATER – thought I might skip past the obvious? Water heals most things, a light supply doesn’t make the exceptions list, my friend. Sadly, though I love what water does for me, I’m terrible at remembering to drink it. So I employ cute water bottles, set reminders where I’ll see them, and require myself to sip every time I nurse. That one small practice, consistently, makes a world of a change.

I think the reason some women feel they can’t and shouldn’t breastfed is because the world makes it seem like life has to stop because if it. That couldn’t be the furthest thing from the truth though. Once I got my girls comfortable with bottles (around 6 weeks with my first and 2 months with my second), I quickly found I could still provide for my babies while living for myself, simultaneously. I first had to move past the very unnecessary shame of breastfeeding in public – not a small feat but so freeing once I got there. Babies’ gotta eat, whoever doesn’t like it can manage those feelings on their own. Secondly, I put my pumps to good use. My spectra wasn’t as convenient but never let me down while traveling away, thank God for the rise of mother rooms in many public places. But that elvie the second time around…if only I had her with my first baby, my goodness! Because of my elvie, I’ve made liquid gold in a car, on an airplane, in restaurants, at the movie theaters and even while visiting family and friends. Once I found my groove and stocked my boobie travel gear just so, I got to continue my experiences without sacrificing my commitment to my littles, it’s amazing. I could spend a whole lot of writing space talking about traveling while breastfeeding but that may be better suited for a blog post of it’s own, let me know if that’s something you’re interested in!

I say it often, had my husband and my family not supported my desire to breastfeed, I don’t think I would’ve been courageous enough to do it. It also helped that I had close friends become mommies at the same time as me and together, we learned and shared. The vulnerability, the discomfort, the embarrassment, the inconvenience were all made bearable because my circle believed in me, kept me encouraged and never made me second guess whether I was doing what was best for my girls. I recognize that isn’t a luxury all women have and I do not take that for granted. Some communities, accessible to all, that also really helped educate me and make me feel in good company are:

• Legendairy Milk on Instagram
• The Breastfeeding Support Group on Facebook
• Breastfeeding Support for Black Moms on Facebook

Surrounding yourself with thoughts, people, spaces and energy that uplift and affirm your journey are vital during the hard moments.

When doing something magical like this, mamas, I make time to celebrate me (and baby) and all of our milestones along the way! I take pictures, I learned to be present, I savor the moments, I protect the time, and I go as long as I feel led. This is my journey to design with my baby, and time I’ll never get back. Cheers to your journey and all the Liquid Gold along the way! I hope you found this helpful. xo

p.s. It’s okay to cry over spilled milk…because spilled milk will happen. And it sucks. But this too shall pass, mama. Keep going!

Friends, please know though this isn’t a sponsored post, some of the links listed above are affiliate links meaning, at no additional cost to you, our family will earn a small commission for your purchase(s). Though this is a blessing, we would never seek it at the expense of your trust. All opinions we share are our own genuine recommendations that we also send our siblings, family and friends. Every product I’m sharing today is one we use at home regularly with our girls, purchased and reviewed personally.