This post is sponsored by Pampers.

I’m going to share a bit more about my breastfeeding journey over the past 4.5 years in this post but I think it’s important to say a few things first to make sure we are on the same page. I believe “fed is best”, and while breastmilk is great for a baby, I think formula is just fine as well. The baseline goal is to feed the baby, so. . . feed your baby however you want to. My experiences and decisions are all very personal but I hope my sharing them here is a source of encouragement or support if you need it!

I was nervous about breastfeeding with my first son David because it all seemed so complicated and different. I mean there were entire books that were hundreds of pages long dedicated to the subject. In my naïveté I didn’t do a ton of prep work nor did I surround myself with enough support to push through the challenges that were heading my way only after just starting to breastfeed for the first time. David did not have a good latch leaving me in excruciating, mind-numbing pain every single time he nursed. . . which I was reminded of several times a day because he was a newborn. I tried so many things to help, from a nipple shield to having a lactation consultant come to my house. I even took him to an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor to see if he was tongue tied. The diagnosis was that he maybe had a slight tongue tie but they weren’t sure cutting it would make a difference or correct his latch si...