‘Breastfeeding Is Really Hard’ – The Silent Struggle Of So Many Mothers

Breastfeeding is really hard. And it had me feeling like I’d already failed as a mother before I’d barely become one.

Breastfeeding – often hailed as the most natural form of nourishment for a newborn – comes with its own set of challenges. For many of us, it’s not the serene image of motherhood as often portrayed. But rather a journey filled with hurdles that can push our boundaries of physical, emotional and mental resilience.

With both of my babies, I grappled with the complexities of breastfeeding. For the first few weeks, each feeding session was a tangle of frustration and tears, a stinging reminder of an unspoken failure. The weight of societal expectations, combined with my own aspirations of motherhood, nearly broke me.

And it wasn’t until speaking out after intense challenges with my second child, that I realised I wasn’t the only one going through this.

Written for Mama Disrupt® | Read the full feature here.