In celebration of World Breastfeeding Week, we’ve enlisted a few of our favorite BLANQI babes to share their personal breastfeeding experiences. Cracked nipples, failed latching, and tears. It’s all here.
SPOTLIGHT: JORDAN FEARS-NEAL / @letyourlightshineee
Touching on her own personal journey with adoption healing, Jordan touches on the sweet bond she fought so hard to create with her baby girl.
One thing I’ve learned in these past 10 months - breastfeeding is such a personal journey. For me, I knew I wanted to breastfeed Selah more than anything; it was personal and deeply rooted in my own adoption healing. It’s one of the sweetest bonds I’ve known because we fought so hard to get here. It’s a love/hate relationship. Lip and tongue ties, cracked nipples, happy and sad tears. Because as much as I miss sleeping a straight 8-hour stretch, there’s nothing like singing my sweet girl “Happy Birthday” every night as we start a new day together. Just her and I in those still, sweet moments.
Jordan is wearing the Lift-Up Access Underbust Postpartum + Nursing Support Tank and the Hipster Support Leggings both in Deepest Black
SPOTLIGHT: JEMILA MEDLEY / @jemilamedley
Feeling empowered by her breastfeeding journey, Jemila lives for the smiles and snuggles shared with her little one at feeding time.
I spend the majority of my day nursing my little boy and I am so thankful that I am able to nurse him daily. Nursing times are when we share lots of eye contact, snuggles, and experience so much bonding. It’s definitely challenging, but a challenge that is so worth it to me and my little one. This breastfeeding journey is extremely rewarding, and I am constantly empowered and amazed at what my body is capable of doing.
Jemila is wearing the Lift-Up Access Underbust Postpartum + Nursing Support Tank in Deepest Black and the Hipster Support Leggings in Storm
SPOTLIGHT: TARA ORTEGA /@taralynne
Tara is a true believer that nothing compares to the uniquely special intimacy that breastfeeding affords.
Breastfeeding for me has been beautiful, hard, awesome and overwhelming. Nothing compares to the intimacy breastfeeding can offer; but it doesn’t come without extreme sacrifice and challenges. Challenges and sacrifice it may be, it’s something I don’t even question giving into. If I’ve learned anything it’s that breastfeeding isn’t just a gift to my baby, it’s been the greatest gift to myself.
Tara is wearing the Lift-Up Access Underbust Postpartum + Nursing Support Tank in Pure White and the Hipster Support Leggings in Deepest Black
SPOTLIGHT: JACKIE NUEZ / @livingwithjackie
A rollercoaster of emotions experienced throughout all three of her boys, breastfeeding has made Jackie her own personal hero.
Breastfeeding is a journey that may not for everyone. As a mom of two boys I was afraid I won’t be able to breastfeed CJ because Robert never really liked it.
Breastfeeding it’s exhausting. You wake up in the middle of the night half asleep wondering if you’re even feeding your babes, it’s such a roller coaster. But that’s life but as mothers we are our own hero, because this journey doesn't last long but we create a bond with our children.
We got this Mamas!
Jackie is wearing the Lift-Up Access Underbust Postpartum + Nursing Support Tank and the Hipster Support Leggings both in Deepest Black
SPOTLIGHT: MARIANA ARIAS / @house.of.darlings
After initially struggling to breastfeed her twin girls, @house.of.darlings has had a completely different experience with her third born.
Breastfeeding was my number one goal when pregnant with my twins, and the one thing I had to learn to love the most. I felt a lack of connection with my girls, and it wasn’t until 3 months in that I felt it was less of a job and more of an honor. After 18 months, our journey was over, and I missed it terribly. Now three weeks into breastfeeding my son, and the experience is completely different. A journey I wasn’t ready to take on, but an instant love and connection that I can’t wait to continue!
Mariana is wearing the Lift-Up Access Underbust Postpartum + Nursing Support Tank and the Hipster Support Leggings both in Deepest Black
SPOTLIGHT: TARSILA OGDEN / @tarsilaogden
Ready to give up, Tarsila persevered through the pain and trusted her body to do what it was made to do, eventually forging a beautiful bond with her babe.
My breastfeeding experience so far has been what I believe most moms also have gone through. I was in so much pain the first couple weeks. I felt as if I had multiple knives stabbing my breasts at the same time. I thought about giving up daily, but somehow, I knew I needed to keep giving my best. I knew it was going to get better, because I knew this is what my body was made to do. So, I just kept pushing through the pain. I developed mastitis on my left breast. At some point I was bleeding. But I kept going and sure enough, the pain went away and now it gives me such pleasure to be able to feed my beautiful baby and to feel that bond between us only getting stronger. My advice to any mom is this: I understand some women truly can’t breastfeed safely, but if you can, and you do your best and keep trying, I personally feel that things will get better and it will be so worth it.
Tarsila is wearing the Lift-Up Access Underbust Postpartum + Nursing Support Tank and the Hipster Support Leggings both in Deepest Black
Like one of our mamas said best, “Beautiful, hard, awesome, or overwhelming,” no two breastfeeding journeys are the same. We hope these unfiltered accounts help shed some light on both the challenges, and better yet, the rewards that lie ahead. Don’t be afraid to reach out. There’s a whole community of mamas out there waiting to lend support. Trust.
