August is World Breastfeeding Month!
Happy World Breastfeeding Month!
Honestly - breastfeeding and formula feeding aren’t the same experience for new moms. Feeding your baby in any form is incredible, but growing milk with your own body (pumping, tube feeding or nursing)? That’s next level.
Breastfeeding means your baby relies on you: your time, energy, body, nutrition and calories. It means chugging water, eating enough calories, and still pushing through mastitis, clogged ducts, soaked shirts, and the anxiety of nursing in public.
Some moms pump or nurse until it hurts. Some nurse through tongue ties, latch issues, and total exhaustion. Some wake every 90 minutes just to protect their supply. Some moms planned to only nurse and switched to pumping not by choice. Some moms overcome low milk supply, while some make just enough and some combo feed with however much breastmilk they can make, because all are powerful!
This is not for comparison, but to honor the invisible, exhausting, beautiful effort that goes into breastfeeding.. whether you did it for a day, a month, or several years.
That’s what this week is about:
Raising awareness. Offering support. Celebrating the mothers who gave so much of themselves.
If that is you - YOU have done incredible things for your baby and yourself, offering incredible benefits to last a lifetime💛
HOW TO CELEBRATE??
Make a Breastmilk Keepsake: Turn your liquid gold into a lasting memory! Order or DIY a keepsake like breastmilk jewelry, soap, or lotion. It’s a beautiful way to honor the time, energy, and love you’ve poured into your feeding journey.
Share Your Story: heartfelt post, funny reel, or blog entry: use your voice. Share your breastfeeding journey on social media. Be real. Be raw. You never know who you might inspire or encourage by opening up.
Support Another Mom: Offer your help and invaluable advice! Drop off a snack box, send a supportive message, or share your favorite breastfeeding tips and products. Sometimes, one kind word can make a huge difference.
Donate Breastmilk or Supplies: If you have extra milk, consider donating to a milk bank or another mom in need. Not a milk donor? You can still help by donating unused breast pump parts, nipple creams, or lactation teas to moms or shelters.
Host a “Milk Mama Meetup”: Connection is key! Meet with local mamas in a breastfeeding or pumping support group for a casual coffee date, park picnic, or virtual Zoom chat. Share your journeys, laugh about the leaks, and connect over the ups and downs of breastfeeding.
Simple Celebration of Yourself! Reminisce on your journey so far, write a journey entry for yourself to look back on and read later. Take a picture of your journey for yourself. Grab a special treat to celebrate everything you have done so far!
