Why I Became a Lactation Educator - My Breastfeeding Story
I was 18 when I had my first child. I was young. I was inexperienced. So when I struggled nursing my son, my family's advice was to switch to formula and save myself the headache. And why wouldn't they give that advice? There were one or two entire generations in this country who had no experience breastfeeding. They were sold on the idea that bottle was best. That nutrition was equal or better with formula. In the United States, breastfeeding was at an all time low in the 70's with only 24% of families initiating it at birth. One of my family members even said her mother used formula even though they couldn't afford it because, in her mother's words, "only poor people breastfed." Further proving there was pressure even just to keep up appearances whether or not it was sustainable financially. Granted, few would deny how formula has saved millions of lives, and a whole lot of people's sanity. But there was little in the way of education and resources that I knew of or knew how to get ahold of in the late 90's.
I lasted about two weeks with my son. I didn't know how to get past him falling asleep at the breast and I thought he wasn't getting enough, which is a common thought process many people go through even though it's often not the case. With my second child many years later I was older, I had more determination, but when I was up crying my eyes out at 2am in a postpartum haze and I realized I was actually the one bleeding from my nipples, I didn't have much help and eventually gave up. With my last child I did last several months. And it really felt like a triumph! But there was always a nagging feeling I could have done more if I'd had more support and over the years I always thought, what if I could help someone in the way I wish I'd had?
Jump ahead a couple decades and when I trained as a doula years later, sure, they go over some basics of breastfeeding. But when I had my very first postpartum client with a five day old and she's looking up at me for help, I felt more unprepared than I'd like to admit. You know that feeling when you're put on the spot and get a little sweaty? Yeah, that. That's when the past came rushing back. I knew right then and there that more lactation education needed to be on the horizon.
A few months ago I had the pleasure to attend a CAPPA (Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association) Lactation Educator training instructed by Jodi Congdon of The Birth Boss Society. Three days of in-depth training with a great group of other birth professionals. It was informative, it was fun, and I finally felt more confident going into my clients home ready to troubleshoot, ready to educate, ready to empower. Breastfeeding classes will be coming soon, something I'm also super excited about! But all this makes me feel like my younger inner mom-self is healing.
