World Breastfeeding Week, 2014

I gave lots of thoughts how to approach the World Breastfeeding Week. As member of the local attachment parenting group I felt that we really should do something, we should advocate, celebrate, organise events.

Then I realized that breastfeeding is not a happy story for everyone. There are mums who fight really hard to be able to breastfeed. There are mums who cry a lot, they are full of emotions, overwhelmed with the love they feel for their baby and want to give and give and more. And they feel that they failed. They failed their child. Which is not true, yet a valid emotion.

I support breastfeeding, I believe that a breastfeeding mum is one of the most beautiful creatures of nature. I wish every mum would and could breastfeed their baby. 

When we say that breastfeeding is the best for the baby and the mother, we should not forget those tears and efforts, we should remind ourselves that those mums who want to breastfeed but cannot are not failures, they are fantastic mums. 

While breastfeeding is a winning goal and, yes, for Life!, the balance should be found and when it is not the best for baby and mum that should be respected, as well.

I do not say that those mums who cannot breastfeed or do not want to feed their babies in this way are less or more. 

Mothers need support, mothers need help, mothers must be heard, mothers need more information and they need to learn more - either from their own mother, family, friends, through support groups, lactation consultant or from a health professional. 

Mothers need to be accepted. Breastfeeding should not be a topic of judgemental conversations or debates. Breastfeeding is the most natural way of feeding and human milk is the best for a human. 

I ask the attachment parenting group to celebrate this week with respect and understanding, with support and love!
Read more: http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org