I struggled to breastfed my son, but not my daughter. Poppy Belle latched on shortly after she was delivered via C-Section, and she breastfed until she was 14-months-old, at which point she decided she preferred a sippy cup. I was relieved; it took me six months to convince her to take a bottle, just in time, fortunately, for me to go back to working in the office. But I was also a little sad; my girl and I forged a tight bond during our breastfeeding days and I missed our special cuddle sessions.
Looking back, I think that being a second-time mom made breastfeeding easier. I believed in my mom superpowers. I was relaxed. I had an amazing network of people willing to support me, including other breastfeeding moms and the best lactation consultant ever (thank you, Freda!). I could text or e-mail Is this normal?! at pretty much any hour and someone would jump in to talk to me about cluster feeding, sympathize with a horrible pumping experience, or share that their babies had also ripped off the nursing cover in public (and yes, I would get over it, just like they did).
Poppy turned one last weekend, and our breastfeeding journey is winding down. I’ll continue to nurse her at night and in the morning for a while longer; I’m not ready to give up these bonding sessions just yet. Now more than ever, I treasure a sweet photo of Poppy nursing when she was about 2-months-old. In fact, many moms remember the time they spent breastfeeding with special photos. Check out these stunning photos of moms throughout the country breastfeeding their babies.
More on Breastfeeding:
- Celebrity Moms Breastfeeding Their Babies in Public
- 21 Things Only Moms Who Breastfeed Know
- 7 Infuriating Things My Husband Says After I’ve Been Breastfeeding All Night
- Step-by-step Guide On How To Stop Breastfeeding
Beautiful Photos of Moms Breastfeeding Their Babies
-
Samantha & Sahara
"This photo was taken just before my daughter's second birthday," says Samantha Walters, a Cleveland, Ohio, mom who is the founder of She Collective, an organization dedicated to teaching women about their bodies. "Although breastfeeding was a struggle at the beginning, like it is for many women, we were able to keep our breastfeeding relationship going for nearly four years!"
Photo: Samantha Walters -
Amy & Viv
"I'm so happy to have this photo of me breastfeeding my first baby as a newborn," says Amy Wruble, the Los Angeles mom behind the hilarious blog Carriage Before Marriage. "I feel peaceful just looking at it, and full of love."
Photo: David Lepes
-
Lauren, Bradley & Charlie
"I'm thankful for tandem nursing, because it's enabled me to give my children many intentional bonding opportunities every day of their lives," says Lauren Coleman, a Madison Heights, Virginia, mom of four.
Photo: Liz Photography
-
Codie & Dexter
"This is a precious memory that I will get to share with Dexter," says Codie Rae, of Weinkauf Ponchatoula, Louisiana. "I didn't take a breastfeeding photo with my firstborn child, and I regret it."
Photo: Elizabeth Torbergsen
-
Heather & Poppy
This photo, which was taken during a photo shoot in Brooklyn, New York, captured an incredibly sweet, intimate moment from a time in our lives that I'll remember and cherish forever.
Photo: Marilia Destot -
Jenny & Sam
"I love this photo because it's kind of a mom's-eye view of breastfeeding," says Jenny Fleishhacker, of Brooklyn, New York.
Photo: Marilia Destot
-
Jenny & Willow
"My husband took this photo a few hours after my daughter's birth, but I didn't discover it until about eight months into our breastfeeding journey," says Jenny Studenroth, the Jersey City, New Jersey, mom behind the beautiful blog Born to Be a Bride. "The love and pride is written all over my face and I'll treasure this candid shot forever."
Photo: Joshua Gerson
-
Leslie & Elsie
"My daughter looks so big and healthy and content in this photo," says Leslie Moniot of Gulfport, Mississippi. "It really shows how successful we've been with breastfeeding, which was my dream for us."
Photo: Hallie Louise Waldrep
-
Emma & Isaiah
"This photo captures my baby's first breastfeeding experience and the start of something that has become his ongoing nourishment and comfort," says Emma Timmins-Schiffman, of Seattle, Washington.
Photo: Sindea Horste
-
Alexandra & Penelope
"I took this selfie while breastfeeding my then-2-month-old daughter Penelope," says Alexandra Volk, of Alexandria, Virginia. "It's a glimpse of our day-to-day life at home."
Photo: Alexandra Volk
-
Karyn & Kate
"I never thought I'd enjoy breastfeeding as much as I did," says Karyn Agosto, of North Andover, Massachusetts. "I was one of the very fortunate women whose babies took to breastfeeding pretty easily...but it certainly wasn't always an easy road, particularly when Kate refused to take a bottle until she was 10-months-old!"
Photo: Karyn Agosto
-
Jacqueline & Alex
“This is one of the very first times that I breastfed my second child, Alex," says Pittsburgh-based mom Jacqueline Detsch. "He was the first child I was able to breastfeed, and I was ecstatic! I had a little trouble at first, but after a while it got easier and easier.”
Photo: Jacqueline Detsch