What boobs are made for

I used to write for a child nutrition campaign, of which, the key point was good nutrition in the first 1000 days of life — mom’s nutrition during pregnancy and exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months. I’ve read and written articles about the benefits of breastfeeding for baby and mom (and household and national health). So I knew.

I knew when I had Lua what I’d try for; I also knew of the real struggles many face while breastfeeding. We got lucky! LUCKY bc that is a lot of what breastfeeding is, I think. And it has saved us everywhere we go. We have breastfed in the car, in restaurants, in the furniture aisle at Target, in the park, at the pool, at friends’ and family’s houses, on an ✈️, at softball games and I have no shame. I’m proud that I could do this, that it worked for us, and that I alone grew my baby for the first 6 months from tiny babe to plump little.

I don’t think I thought I’d still be breastfeeding 1 month before her first birthday, and/or 3.5 teeth later. But everything about having a baby is a (good) surprise. What started out as a gummy bear in a photo, then a 5 lb.er coming into the outside world, has now grown to be 18 lbs!!! Guys, 18 lbs. thanks to boob milk, banana bread, and rice (as that is all she chooses to eat).

To all the mamas and dadas who want to, try to, and even struggle with breastfeeding…the latching and the eating enough and the sore nipples and the milk rocks in your boobs and the pumping (omg the pumping 🤕😫)… you’ve got this. I once tallied up the number of x she has sucked on my boobs in a month… 279! This. Is. Not. Nothing.

And to the mamas and dadas who can’t breastfeed… you’ve also got this. Happy and healthy mom & dad make happy and healthy baby.

Happy #worldbreastfeedingweek. I’ve loved Melinda Gates posts this week if you want a real look at the struggles of breastfeeding for the modern day mom and the kinds of pro-breastfeeding policies I’ll be supporting. #WBW2017 DYK: Achieving near-universal levels of breastfeeding could save the lives of 800,000 children every year. 800,000 baby lives! Imagine just one little tiny innocent life in your arms… saved.

Our photo is a throwback to working while folding laundry while feeding bb in the closet from last winter. For the thousands of times I’ve breastfed, this is the only photo I have. Can’t be a photographer and a milk chef at the same time.

lindsey talerico

overthinking is my best skill.

    Lindsey Talerico-Hedren

    Written by

    Retired blogger.

    lindsey talerico

    overthinking is my best skill.

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