Breastfeeding Stories - Fiona
This is Fiona and her lovely ‘not so little’ family. She has three children, Senan, Sadie and Molly.
These are her words.
"If only new mums spent the same amount of time researching how they were going to feed their baby as they do on the stroller they're buying" .....that was the parting statement from the Midwife at my 1st ever booking appt in Holles St (in 2006) She had been with me for a few minutes and had quizzed me about a few things , obviously my blank stare when she asked "how do you plan to feed your baby" , left her in no doubt I hadn't thought about it much. So home I went and started researching. I have Crohns disease and sure enough one of the benefits that came back in my "Breastmilk" Google search was a reduced risk of Crohns Disease/Colitis, reduced risk of Asthma (also in my family) and a few other things, coupled with benefits for me, reduced breast cancer risk , more sleep . It seemed like a no brainer ! I'd give it a go.
3 babies later , it's absolutely one of the things that I'm proudest of achieving as a Mum .
I hit every breastfeeding bump in the road. Along the way, I needed ALL of the support from multiple IBCLC visits to Cuidiú groups to PHN groups. I hated it and I loved it (in the same hour sometimes). But it was always worth it to keep going and by seeking real Breastfeeding support it always bought me more time , more headspace , no judgement . I was surrounded by a network of women who kept me going, offered a safe space to vent, answered my many phone calls, made me tea, never told me what to do .
And now , as a Cuidiú Breastfeeding Councellor myself , it's my honour to do the same for any mama that looks for that very same support ❤.
As I enter the teen and tween years with my 3 mini mes ...those years of night feeds , the cluster feeding hours spent on the couch , the quick feeds in the Tesco car park , the sneaky quiet feeds in another room in the middle of a busy event, the memories are all the more treasured now. I could stare at every detail on their face, their hands, curl their hair on my finger, drink them in a completely. It is the best present I have ever given myself.
