The Chronicles of Breastfeeding: all the Myths and Messiness
Hello there, fellow moms, dads, and everyone in between!
So, I have been pondering and pondering about this specific topic…lactation—trying to figure out the perfect angle and wonderful breastfeeding stories. Well, well, the truth is, breastfeeding is a super unpredictable, messy, and hella wonderful sacred moment between me and my son.
Tip: Ideally, several weeks before your baby arrives, you should begin pumping breasts with a breast pump. This is to encourage your body to release prolactin, which produces milk. Ideally, you express your milk several times a day, just like you would if you had a baby. This helps establish a supply. You can also freeze any milk you produce for use once your baby arrives.
However, in my case, my baby's arrival was an emergency; I couldn’t do all that I had planned.
I struggled immensely to get my boobs to produce milk; my son in NICU meant I couldn’t have him in my arms to latch on my boob. I would massage my boobs and wear a bra, and I bought a breast pump and relied on some prescribed medication to get me going. I would often find myself in tears, with aching boobs and a machine plugged into my nipple. I felt hopeless and longing for my son to be in my arms.
Nurses at the NICU suggested many remedies to help with milk production, and when I say I tried everything, I mean everything to the point that I didn’t know what worked and what didn't, but fair enough, I managed to get the milk ducts producing.
One of the remedies I enjoyed was the Jungle juice
Jungle juice ingredients
- 2 litres – water
- 1 litre – apple or berry juice
- 1 sachet – Blackcurrant Rehidrat®
- 50 ml – Schlehen Blackthorn Berry Elixir
Mix all the ingredients and enjoy. The rehydrate ensures your electrolytes are kept to optimal levels, while the Schlehen berry elixir promotes energy levels and keeps hormones functioning optimally.
The quest for more milk got me also putting more myths to a try. Eating Matabele porridge in the morning or drinking gallons of rooibos tea have all proved to be effective to a certain extent. But I found my pot of gold in the Mrs Milk lactation bars! HEAVEN!! These bars are crafted using purposefully selected ingredients that work together to enhance milk production, regulate mood-altering hormones and give a natural energy boost!
I promise you each bite is delicious!!!
So I need to always be ready because one thing for sure is that when my darling little bundle of joy decides it's feeding time, it's feeding time.
Another joy to breastfeeding is the harsh reality that suddenly, my outfits need to be 100% breastfeeding fashion. Past few months, I have strategically draped scarves to tops that resemble a game of peek-a-boo; no more covered tops; my boos need to be readily accessible.
I have had a few stares at my massive cleavage…thinking to myself it is only the knew my real reason is from trying to attract attention. Geeze, navigating the world of breastfeeding attire is a comedy of errors. The stealth manoeuvring as I attempt to discretely unleash the milk factory without flashing the entire restaurant …LOL
Despite the chaos, the messiness, and the occasional wardrobe malfunction, breastfeeding is undeniably magical. It's a bond like no other, a sacred moment of nourishment between mother and child.
So, here's to the late-night feedings, the milk-drunk smiles, and the moments of pure, unfiltered joy that make it all worthwhile.
To all the breastfeeding mamas out there, keep laughing, keep nursing, and remember that you're doing a fantastic job even when it feels like a comedy of errors; just laugh it away and Gaze into your baby's beautiful eye!
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