Moms Talk Breastfeeding is a community engagement strategy created by our MomNBabyEXCEL team to share women’s experiences with motherhood and breastfeeding.
We talk with moms who range from new to experienced who wish to share how they balance the demands of motherhood and postpartum care with the rest of daily living.
We will feature short stories from communities of women who want to inspire, engage, and support each other around breastfeeding, early nutrition for babies, and postpartum care for mothers.
Please meet Chizzy or Chiz!
Who is Chizzy? Chizzy is 31 and the motivated mother of six-week-old Karen.
She has exclusively breastfed her daughter since birth. She is married, works, and is creating a new norm for life with a first baby!
How has Chizzy been able to adjust to breastfeeding??
Chiz, like many other women, agrees that breastfeeding is not initially a comfortable experience, and the sensations you have from breastfeeding are unfamiliar and often painful. But she explains that the pain is manageable and credits several factors to making breastfeeding a mutually rewarding experience for herself and Karen.
1. Have a Plan
Chizzy and her husband prepared themselves and planned about lactation before Karen was born. Both participated in lactation classes at their local maternity clinic, spoke with their friends who were parents, and read everything they could to prepare for breastfeeding. “I thought this would be easy and did not expect the pain that I had.” The preparation did not remove the pain, but they were able to get resources that helped Chizzy navigate breastfeeding discomfort.
The most valuable resource recommended that Chizzy apply a lanolin nipplencream to her breasts immediately after breastfeeding.
The couple also agreed to exclusively breastfeed in advance of their baby’s arrival. This decision directed all their future actions. “Weeks before I gave birth, I
went on a healthy eating binge to prepare my body. I knew that my baby would need vitamins and minerals from my breast. This period made me very aware of
how my choices would affect her health.” Chizoba also believes that her diet may have reduced some of the discomfort from breastfeeding.
2. Make Breastfeeding a Family Affair (if possible)
Chiz credits the support of her husband and mother for her success with breastfeeding. She explains that she is rarely left alone with Karen. Both her husband and mother prioritized Chizzy’s comfort during this breastfeeding experience. They often relieve her when Karen cries and offer to feed Karen using prepared bottles of breastmilk when she is too tired to feed Karen herself.
ADVICE: PLAN and CREATE a SUPPORT SYSTEM for yourself!!
More importantly, breastfeeding has become a bonding moment for her and her husband. Chizzy believes breastfeeding has strengthened their love for each other and their bond as a family.
MomNBaby EXCEL team