Sorry gentlemen, this post may cater more to the ladies.

As a new mom, I got so much conflicting information about breastfeeding.

I am pretty conservative. I am not comfortable breastfeeding or pumping in public or in front of company.

This led me to resent breastfeeding because I ostracized myself and prevented myself from living life while feeding my baby.

Older women in my life thought it was absurd to breastfeed, while younger women insisted that breastfeeding was "the way."

Breastfeeding should be the most natural way to feed your child. Your body makes it, tailors it to their needs, and produces the appropriate amount to continue their growth.

The advice I did receive was extremely conflicting. The lactation nurse in the hospital, the lactation nurse at the pediatrician, and advice from friends all conflicted.

How is that the god given method for feeding babies is so misunderstood???

I began my 2nd pregnancy thinking that I wouldn't make an attempt to breastfeed due to the mental stress I put on myself with my first child.

I'm going into my 2nd breastfeeding journey with a different mindset. Hindsight is 2020, but I have a better attitude about feeding my baby. This is such a small portion of my life that can be so impactful on theirs. I've researched better techniques to make breastfeeding work for my lifestyle (a hands free pump for example). I've also learned to trust my gut and not get sucked into conflicting information. As long as my baby is gaining weight and growing appropriately, I am not going to put pressure on myself. I will likely remain conservative with covering my body, but I am not ashamed to do what is necessary to feed my child.

In addition, formula is a godsend. We've supplemented with formula in the past and I am so thankful for that option for this 2nd pregnancy.

I am a proponent of "fed is best," but I also wanted to share my internal struggles with breastfeeding because women don't talk about it. It's not easy, and not always possible, but I am willing to try.