An activity so valuable and touted as so “natural”, breastfeeding is often accompanied with an assumption of ease. I agree that breast/chestfeeding is absolutely wonderful for parent and baby. I also know first hand that it is in no way always easy.
Statistically, only 7% of breast/chestfeeding women have a physiologically low supply yet one of the most common breastfeeding obstacles is “not producing enough” or “not keeping up with baby.” In the middle of a #normalizebreastfeeding movement to normalize breastfeeding is to better support and encourage for the full spectrum of breast/chestfeeding.
We can certainly do better to meet parents where they are on this breast/chestfeeding journey.
Many families may eventually utilize the full spectrum of breast/chestfeeding throughout their journey. This may start with exclusively breast/chestfed and move towards mixed feeding when one or both parents return to work and as the child ages may move towards supplemental breast/chestfeeding as the child grows.
Breast/chestfeeding looks different for every single family and is a mutual relationship between parents and baby. It is important to ask for help and support right away. Your support team is ideally one that can help you best achieve the breast/chestfeeding relationship you desire with education and empowerment and completely without judgement.