My Breastfeeding Journey: From First Latch to Gentle Weaning + Free Downloadable Breastfeeding Guides

Breastfeeding has been one of the most intimate and transformative parts of my motherhood journey. From the moment my daughter was born, it felt surreal to offer my body to feed her—but minutes afterward, skin-to-skin, she instinctively crawled up my chest and latched on. I don’t even know if she got anything, but she latched—and yes, it hurt a bit but there was something powerful in that moment that will stick with me forever.

The newborn phase tested me physically and mentally. I tackled every overnight shift to give my body the best chance at producing enough milk. In the first 2 weeks I got almost no sleep. I didn't count all of the hours but I do remember getting into a fight with my husband and screaming "I've had 4 hours of sleep in the past 4 days! Give it to me!" It definitely wasn't my finest moment. But the oxytocin rush during nursing felt like helped me keep going.

Sleep-deprived though I was, those every hour and a half feeds forged a bond so deep—I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Also, be warned, whoever said newborns feed every 2-3 hours LIED. It's more like every hour and a half; and I don't mean you get an hour and a half break between feedings. There's an hour and a half between the beginning of one feeding and the start of the next. You may get 30 minutes of uninterrupted time between nursing sessions but it's definitely not sufficient for sleep.

During the first few months of my breastfeeding journey, I leaned heavily on supplements like Legendairy’s Pump Princess and Milkmakers cookies. In month one, the effect was dramatic—an hour after taking them, instant engorgement and often a soaked through shirt and sheets if I didn't nurse her quick enough. By months two and three, my body had found its flow; the supplements still offered a boost but without the mess. Pumping, however, remained mechanical and impersonal. Even with a wearable pump, I felt like a cow attached to machinery, and at work—being the only mother pumping in a very male-dominated office—it felt wrong, awkward, and isolating.

Despite all the work I did to keep a healthy milk supply, when I returned to work it seemed to be all for naught. My supply plummeted. I wasn't eating or drinking enough, and with Lily spending most of the day with the nanny those oxytocin producing nursing sessions were replaced with disconnected bottle feeds. My milk was drying up and I scrambled, desperate to bring it back. I ended up leaving my job, started nourishing myself properly, drank lots of water, and prioritized nursing again. My supply rebounded. It taught me brutally that feeding your baby starts with feeding yourself.

There are moments of pure beauty amidst the chaos. My daughter is now 15 months old and I’ll never forget the time she was scared and she ran straight to nurse for comfort. As soon as she latched, she calmed. That feeling—beholding her in that moment, sensing that I grew her and nourished not just her body, but her mind and spirit, and that I was her most complete place of safety—brought me to happy tears.

What I Wish I’d Known: Honest Tips for Other Moms

• Breastfeeding hurts at first—but you get used to it quickly, and honestly, it’s not as bad as people warn.

• Teething doesn’t ruin it. Babies bite, sure, but they learn—most do fine.

• Miss a feed? You can wake up drenched. Stock up on nursing pads.

• Don’t chase Instagram-style freezers full of breastmilk bricks—it’s not necessary. My daughter now rejects re-heated expressed milk.

• Frozen milk flavor changes, because enzymes can alter the taste when thawed. It’s normal, but good to know.

One thing I never expected was how breastfeeding affected my brain. The surge in progesterone and the steep hormonal shifts postpartum intensified my “pregnancy brain”—that fuzzy, forgetful fog. Science supports this: rising and falling progesterone and estrogen during the perinatal period are linked to cognitive blips (like slower recall or focus) . And while brain scans show physical re-wiring—like gray matter shifts that may enhance maternal instincts—our brains are indeed working overtime adapting to new roles.

The Power of a Virtual Class

One of the most practical things I did was enroll in Aeroflow's virtual breastfeeding class, covered by my insurance. It armed me with strategies for latch technique, pumping, and troubleshooting. The handouts were lifesavers—easy reminders when everything felt overwhelming. I’m sharing those same handouts here—downloadable and just as helpful as they were to me.

Birth & Breastfeeding Parts 1 and 2 Class Resource Guide.pdf

Download PDF • 752KB

Breastfeeding SOS Class Resource Guide.pdf

Download PDF • 1.56MB

Emotional Shifts: The Mental Ride of Breastfeeding

I fully empathize now with “crying over spilled milk.” When you’re running on no sleep, and precious pumped milk spills, it feels catastrophic. Your body poured energy into making that milk, and dropping it is heartbreak. Hormones don’t help; the shifts in oxytocin, prolactin, estrogen, and progesterone during those months can leave you feeling fragile emotionally.

Between hormone shifts—like continued progesterone exposure while nursing—and relentless fatigue, my mental state had more ups and downs than I could've imagined. Progesterone acts as a neurosteroid, impacting GABA receptors and promoting sedation and emotional vulnerability. That meant some days I felt extra tired, anxious, or moody. But knowing it was biology—not weakness—helped me be compassionate with myself.

Slow Weaning, Gentle Goodbyes

I breastfed on demand for the first year, then began easing into weaning around 12 months. Slow was key—I offered alternatives but never pushed if she wanted to nurse. Official weaning began around 14 months, and we're now down to two nursing sessions a day. Our plan? Gentle weaning through 18 months, but with zero pressure. She leads, I follow.

Why I Still Recommend Breastfeeding

• It’s the ultimate comfort tool. Hurt, tired, or emotional? Breastfeeding fixes it.

• Fed is best. I believe fiercely that no mother should feel guilty—whether feeding breast or bottle.

• Breast is easier than bottle. No prepping, no cleaning—just togetherness and nourishment.

Strong Takeaways for Other Moms

1. Feed yourself to feed them. Eat, hydrate, rest—your body needs fuel to fuel them.

2. Supplements are great—but temporary. Use them early to stabilize supply, not later to chase peaks.

3. Pumping is a tool, not your identity. It’s okay to dislike it. It doesn’t define your journey.

4. Hormones can hijack your emotions, and your brain—cut yourself some slack.

5. Wean on your terms, on her terms. Slow and steady with no guilt.

6. Normalize public nursing. You’re not just feeding—you're nurturing.