✨ 3 Things That Made Breastfeeding Easier for Me
Breastfeeding this time around has felt completely different than my first experience.
Not perfect. Not easy. But different in ways I didn’t expect.
Here are three things that made the biggest difference for me.
1) The baby / the latch
This little one had a near-perfect latch from the second he popped out, which was absolutely nothing like my first, who nearly ate my nipples off and needed to supplement.
The latch alone improved the feeling (aka pain) and my supply. Obviously this isn’t something we can always control, but I’m so thankful Ari caught on quickly.
Helpful links:
• What causes latch problems and how to improve them
• Latch challenges and tips for better feeding
2) Wearable pumps
There was once a time when wearable pumps didn’t exist… but thankfully for us moms of 2025, they do and we should absolutely take advantage of them.
You can pump while you feed, while you eat, while you drive, do your hair, do laundry. I’d say the possibilities are endless, but really you can do anything that doesn’t require bending over 😅
Helpful links & tips:
• My personal pumping tip: I’d feed baby on one side while simultaneously pumping on the other. Baby’s latch helped trigger letdown (oxytocin & prolactin), which made pumping easier and faster for me.
• The wearable pumps I use
3) Knowledge
There was sooo much learning I had to do for myself, even as someone who has breastfed before. And I know every body and every baby is different, but whyyy was I learning so much this time around?
I learned what letdown is and feels like. I learned about the composition of milk and how it changes throughout the weeks and even throughout the day. I truly wish I could time travel and help my younger self feel less stressed about not producing.
Because not only is there little information out there on breastfeeding, but it’s also wildly conflicting. And boy was I in for it the first time I got mastitis, which happened in the first month after giving birth and was an absolute nightmare.
Warm compress. No, cold compress. Pump more. Don’t pump more.
I mean, women have been breastfeeding since the beginning of time, so what is up with that?
And don’t get me started on that pendejo RFK Jr 😠
This is probably the only time I’d suggest searching on social media for advice, specifically from other moms and from lactation consultants who share knowledge for free.
It was a blessing to have an oversupply in the first few months, but with great power comes great responsibility. My boobs were aching every two to three hours, bagging milk took real time out of the day, and if I missed a feeding or two, I risked getting sick.
Since then, baby’s been eating more and I’ve learned that oversupply doesn’t last forever. At three months, baby is sleeping up to seven hours a night and my supply took a hit. But hey… beggars can’t be choosers. Do I want free milk and nutrients for my baby, or a good night’s rest?
For now, we’re starting to explore what supplementing might look like, with a little help from our freezer baggies.
And honestly, what a blessing it is for those who have the funds to buy formula in the face of cluster feeds, growth spurts, leftover milk, and an uncertain economy.
The journey looks different for each of us, but I’ve always believed it’s in our different paths and choices that we find the real beauty.
Helpful links: