Breastfeeding Is Natural, But It’s work!

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6 Aug

Written By Diana Hinek

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Every year during World Breastfeeding Week, we celebrate the power of feeding,bonding, and nourishing our babies in the most intimate way. But behind every breastfeeding photo or feel-good moment, there are often stories of deep commitment, quiet struggles, and everyday resilience.

Take this mama, for example. She had a beautiful homebirth. No bright hospital lights, no rushed measurements, no one whisking her baby away. Just peace, safety, and the uninterrupted magic of the golden hour—skin to skin, heart to heart. Everything aligned for a gentle beginning.

And still… breastfeeding wasn’t easy.

This wasn’t her first baby. She had breastfed before, and she was prepared. But she knew something a lot of second-time moms don’t always admit: each baby is different.

Breastfeeding doesn’t always come naturally—even with experience.

The First 24 Hours: What really Matters.

Here’s what many people don’t realize: in the first 24 hours after birth, the goal isn’t perfect feeding—it’s connection.That first day is about baby getting to know you—smelling your scent, hearing your voice, feeling your skin. It’s about practicing at the breast, not performing. And it’s also about understanding that babies aren’t born starving. Their stomach is only the size of a cherry, and they’re born with a buffer of energy from the womb.

That’s where colostrum—the “first milk” your body produces—comes in. It’s like condensed milk: small in volume but incredibly rich in nutrients and antibodies. It’s made to meet your baby’s exact needs in those first hours and days. It might not look like much, but it’s everything.

This mama’s journey

https://vimeo.com/1102343489

Even with the best birth team, a calm environment, and previous experience, this mama faced a challenge: her baby had a tongue tie. Latching was difficult. Nursing was painful. And like many mothers, she began to wonder if it would work out.

But what she had was support. A team who reminded her that breastfeeding pain isn’t something she had to accept. She had options. She could still bond, nourish, and build her breastfeeding relationship—even if it looked different than she expected.

She began pumping. She used a syringe to feed her baby when needed. She learned new positions. She cried. She doubted. She leaned on her people. And most importantly—she kept going.

Breastfeeding, as natural as it is, is also a learned skill. And sometimes, it takes more than just willpower—it takes patience, persistence, and a lot of support.

All Feeding journeys matter!

This World Breastfeeding Week, we celebrate every parent who shows up for their baby—however that looks like.

The ones who grieve the journey they wanted and didn’t get.
It’s all valid. It’s all real. It’s all rooted in love.
What we need is not more pressure to "succeed" at breastfeeding, but more support—more lactation consultants, more education, more patience, and more stories like this one.
Because no matter how a baby is fed, when parents are seen, supported, and empowered, every feeding becomes an act of love.
So here’s to the learning, the latching, the leaking, the late-night feeds, the tears, the triumphs—and to the baby steps we take each day.
Happy World Breastfeeding Week!
May we feed with love, lead with compassion, and support each other every step of the way.

The ones who nurse with ease.

The ones who pump exclusively, day and night.

The ones who supplement with formula to get through.

The ones who stop breastfeeding and choose what’s best for their mental health.

If you need support, please reach out. Whether I have the right answers for you, I can lend a ear and ask my community for extra help.