Breastfeeding Is Natural… But That Doesn’t Make It Easy

They say breastfeeding is natural. And it is. But they forget to mention that natural doesn’t always mean easy.

In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, let’s talk about it—the unfiltered version.

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Breastfeeding is not always the peaceful, bonding journey it gets romanticized to be. I like to compare it to those tampon or pad commercials where women are running through a field of flowers, jumping for joy. Honestly, the only real time I ever jumped for joy was when I thought I might be pregnant and found out I wasn’t. Then? Sure—insert joyful leap. (In my case, anyway.)

But for a lot of women, breastfeeding comes with a fast reality check.

Those first few days? Jordyn and I were speaking two completely different languages—me trying to stay calm, her screaming at my boob because it clearly wasn’t working. And that, my friends, is more common than people talk about.

In my case, I chose to exclusively pump in the beginning, especially since my daughter had a tongue tie. I wasn’t sure if that was getting in the way of our “bonding.”

When she finally started to latch here and there? My nipples were screaming. A partial latch feels like tiny knives. I had moments where I almost Googled “does my baby hate my boob” because, in my mind, it felt personal.

Like she hated me. I was so over it—but somehow, still committed to pushing through. My goal was to make it to a full year.

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The Pressure Is Real

Nobody told me how much pressure breastfeeding would bring—not just physical (hello, engorgement), but emotional and mental.

The pressure to “get it right.”

To produce enough.

To overproduce so you can build a freezer stash.

The invisible scoreboard of ounces, latches, and schedules.

And don’t forget the guilt—the kind that creeps in if you decide to supplement with formula… or stop breastfeeding altogether.

Let’s talk about that too.

Some babies latch right away. Some don’t.

Some mamas produce enough to feed the block. Some don’t.

None of that makes you any less of a good mother.

And I know how hard it is to block out the mom guilt and the PPD (postpartum depression) that can amplify all those doubts.

What I learned quickly is that breastfeeding is a journey. And like most journeys, there’s a learning curve—for both you and your baby.

It takes time.

It takes grace.

It takes support.

And it takes a lot of snacks. (And water. Or in my case, Body Armor.)

It’s not just about feeding—it’s about trusting yourself, advocating for your needs, and letting go of the idea that there’s only one way to do it right.

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You Are Enough

I remember one day, I was cluster feeding every 20 minutes. My nipples were sore, I was crying, and I started Googling things like “when does cluster feeding end?” and “can nipples fall off?”

I felt like I wasn’t doing enough.

Which made me feel like I wasn’t enough.

So this post is for the new mama who’s trying her best.

The one who’s sore and sleep-deprived and second-guessing everything.

You’re doing amazing.

Even if it doesn’t feel like it.

Whether you breastfed for 2 years, 2 months, 2 weeks—or even 2 days—you deserve love and credit. You showed up. You tried. You chose what was best for your baby and your body.

And that last part is key—your body. Mama, you matter too. Your happiness matters. Your rest, your peace, your recovery.

Because the best way to show up for your child is to first show up for yourself.