Breastfeeding at Birth and Beyond

Establishing a breastfeeding relationship isn’t always a care free experience. Starting your nursing relationship with your baby right at birth is not only normal, but a beautiful and natural way to bond. If you experience problems with breastfeeding, there is help! There are some great links in this post. In the meantime, enjoy these beautiful photos sent in by BWF Mamas.

Brittany Averill sent this in. She says, “My daughter and I on the day she was born.  I hadn’t even delivered the placenta yet 🙂  Little piranha!

Sacha sent this in. “This is the first time breastfeeding my daughter. I think if I had just let go of my breast she would’ve gotten it!”

Autumn shared this photo and explains that her photographer was being censored at the store she was trying to develop it at. They told her it was obscene and against policy to print such pictures! They decided to educate their local store and community with a nurse in and media coverage. Here is the news story.

“Here is the photo of my daughter, Quinn and I nursing at our lake. I love nursing photos and have a passion for taking them. My breastfeeding experiences with all of my nurslings (I have 4 kids) have been each one a different nightmare, so I am proud of our accomplishments. I have had vasospasms, an abscess, thrush, mastitis, nipple pain and cracks that have lasted for over 6 months, I’ve had babies in the low percentiles, and have delayed solids. I have an oversupply and an overactive letdown. I have had 4 c-sections (that I’m not proud of) and we’ve still beat all the odds. I am a strong advocate of child-led-weaning. I told myself as long as my body is producing milk, I will never give up, so it hasn’t always been easy, actually quite the contrary but the bonding experience and the nutrition that I’m able to give my babies makes it all worth it.” ~Anna

Picture by Julianna Grey Photography

Nyssa is a mom with IGT (insufficient glandular tissue). Here she is nursing her third child. The SNS has given her a much more normal nursing relationship, and has helped her self-esteem.

Megan is feeding her 2nd baby just minutes old here.

“Here is my daughter cozy riding in her sling while getting some boofoo. We were on our honey moon in Leavenworth, WA and thought she needed some glasses.” ~Kelsey

This baby is a little shy…

Kate says, “Here’s a photo of me feeding my 10 week old baby on a medieval toilet at my cousin’s wedding in a castle in England! It was a very cold day and we traveled from Spain for the event. The cold was so new to my little man that he just wanted to nurse all day so he’d be warm! This little hut was great -although tourists kept coming in. I must have been quite a sight!”

Alison, “The 1st pic is my first daughter, Carol. I got to 7 weeks, but had mastitis 3 times. The 2nd pic is of my second daughter Susanah’s 1st feed. I fed her for 9 months and stopped due to medical reasons or we would have kept going!”

This beautiful picture of a newborn nursing was taken by Lynsey Stone.

“A newborn baby has only three demands.  They get warmth in the arms of its mother, food from her breasts, and security in the knowledge of her presence.  Breastfeeding satisfies all three.”  ~Grantly Dick-Read