Deciding that you would like to Breastfeed your baby is a huge commitment and it’s one that isn’t easy. Breastfeeding takes a remarkable amount of dedication and determination and despite what we imagined it might be like, what we read or how easy it looked for others — it’s not easy. Especially for a first time mom! I wish someone had prepared me this truth when I was pregnant and idealistic about how I would breastfeed my baby and it would just come so easily and naturally. Spoiler Alert: it didn’t. In those early days, I relied heavily on the expertise of the wonderful community of Lactation Consultants in Charleston, SC and as a result, I was able to successfully breastfed my son for nearly 3 years!

After my son was born, he went to NICU for a few days and while he was there, he latched fine and everything seemed to be on the right track. One piece of advice that I found to be incredibly sage was when the nurses told me to pump after each feeding (but they didn’t tell me to discontinue doing that at any point, so I did that for about 6 months or so when I didn’t have to) and what that did for me was made my supply plentiful, so I was able to freeze lots of milk for when I went back to work! But the thing that I WISH someone, anyone would have warned me about was that on that 4th day, when I took my baby home from the hospital, my milk would come in and my nipples would be huge and my boobs would be on fire and my tiny, new baby who was latching fine in the hospital would no longer be able to latch well for a few days and he would be hungry and screaming and I would be exhausted, scared, crying and panicky about not being able to feed my baby and I didn’t need to be.

In those early days, I relied heavily on the wonderful, knowledgable community of Lactation Consultants in Charleston, SC and I firmly believe, had it not been for these incredible women, I wouldn’t have made it. I would have given up before I even started and I would not have been able to breastfeed my baby and that would have devastated me, because it was something I really wanted for us.

If you’re hoping to breastfeed your baby when they arrive OR if you’re currently trying to breastfeed your baby, my hope is that this blog post makes you feel less in the dark, empowered and less alone. I hope that it prepares you for the possible realities of what breastfeeding might actually be like and encourages you not to panic and not to give up because there are amazing resources in our community to help you make it happen, if that’s what you want! XO -Brittany

Oh! If you’re thinking that these Newborn Photos included in this post are totally adorable and maybe you would like to schedule a Newborn Portrait Session for your baby, you can view my Newborn Portfolio here:  Charleston’s #1 Newborn Photographer

Here’s a list of Lactation Consultants in Charleston SC:

Baby Settler – Like your Non-Judgey Nurse Friend for New Moms — who’s Always Available! Hillary, owner and founder of Baby Settler is a Labor and Delivery Nurse, Feeding Specialist and mom of FOUR! Hillary knows what it’s like for people throw advice at new moms from all different angles and her mission statement says it all! She’ll be like a non-judgy, nurse friend who can help you sort through it, so you can make more confident decisions, faster. She offers In-Office, In-Home and Phone Support and will help with everything from breastfeeding to bottle feeding, pumping to weaning, routines to sleep, formula preparation to baby wearing and everything in between!

Nurture & Nourish Services – Erica is a holistic lactation consultant and pediatric occupational therapist. She uses a holistic approach to help families address feeding concerns. Whether you’re choosing to breastfeed or bottle-feed, she is there to support you along your feeding journey! She can offer support with painful latch, long feeds, reflux, colic, tongue tie, lip tie, and bottle refusal among other things! Erica provides services in her Mount Pleasant Office, in your home or via tele health!

Low Country Lactation Station – If you’re thinking you’d like to have an expert in your corner, Linda Merli is a mother of two and has been a Registered Nurse for over 40 years and has worked with mothers and babies in the Low Coutnry for the last 16 years! As an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, she has been committed to providing the care and support that every nursing mother deserves. She offers non-judgmental, clinical, evidence-based counseling through private In-home visits!

Oh! If you’re thinking that these Newborn Photos included in this post are totally adorable and maybe you would like to schedule a Newborn Portrait Session for your baby, you can view my Newborn Portfolio here:  Charleston’s #1 Newborn Photographer