It's World Breastfeeding Week and so I'm sharing beautiful breastfeeding stories from women who have participated in my breastfeeding shoots. Please take the time to leave a lovely comment for this mama.

Maisy & Rachel's Breastfeeding Journey

  When I found out I was pregnant it was 6 in the morning on October 12th 2015. I'll always remember that moment. From then on my life would bever be the same.

 I always knew I wanted to breastfeed but I didn't have anyone around me that had ever breastfed nor was I ever educated about breastfeeding. So I researched as much as possible during pregnancy and joined support groups. I felt pretty prepared, but it's another thing entirely to actually feed your baby.

  Maisy was born June 14th 2016 and she was delivered via cesarean section. When I was able to hold her afterwards I put her on my chest and she latched immediately! It was such a beautiful thing I was brought to tears at the idea of it all. I was the source of nourishment and comfort for this baby and it was just such a natural thing for both of us. We spent the next couple of days in the hospital learning different positions to nurse in and different tips for proper latching. 

  We were sent home and everything seemed to be going wonderfully. That was until we returned to the hospital for a weight check and the nurse looked at our baby with an expression of concern that terrified me. She said we need to check this baby's bilirubin levels. We were called a few hours later and told to come back to the hospital as soon as possible. Our daughter's bilirubin levels came back the highest most of the nurses had ever seen at 23.6. Within minutes our newborn is stripped, hooked up to an IV, blood samples were taken, and she was put under UV lights. The doctor was briefing us on what to expect and telling us to prepare for the worst. She explained that this could lead to brain damage if we couldn't get her levels under control. I felt helpless I remember just asking them what I could do. I'll never forget being told, "You're already producing the best medicine for her." I never saw breastmilk as a medicine but in our case it definitely was. The more she ate the better she was. Maisy was such a fighter that we were released the next day. After that day I vowed to do whatever it took to breastfeed as long as possible.

 It hasn't been easy we've nursed through over supply issues, biting, nipple blebs and many other obstacles. Through it all here we are 13 months later and she shows no sign of being done nursing anytime soon, and as long as she looks to me for nourishment and comfort I'll be here for her.