Instead of the serene smiles and effortless bonding we’ve come to expect from the likes of Miranda Kerr, Angela captured a different experience.
Alongside a tearful selfie she wrote, “I love seeing all these beautiful women in their beautiful nursing clothes smiling down at their babes as they lovingly look up back at them hand in hand while breastfeeding away.”
“That is not my reality, right now that is.”
“This is real & as much as I want to stay strong and be the soldier I feel I can be I cannot hide the struggle that is BREASTFEEDING.”
“Whether she is not latching on properly, whether I am not producing enough milk to keep up with her demand, whether my nipples might not be adequate, whether we confused her with having to give her a bottle after pumping....whatever it may be it has been an emotional & painful struggle. Today has been full of no naps, sucking and not eating, crying and frustrated parents. This photo depicts my reality of this breastfeeding journey so far & that first latch & the pain I endure. Keeping it real.”
Her image resonated with thousands of women around the world, receiving a flood of supportive comments.
“I'm right there with you!” one wrote. “Just had my first baby and it's a real struggle. I'm cried many times. Thank you for sharing your story, we can get through this!”
Another said, “I cannot agree more and am so grateful to know in not the only one.”
In a follow up post Angela thanked everyone for their “kind, loving, encouraging and supportive comments”.
"We are 2 weeks in today & I am still pushing through despite all the back pain, neck pain, nipple pain, head pain (from clenching my teeth) and all the other pains," she wrote.
"For now I am going to keep at it. I just tell myself I will not feel ashamed if I have to give it up because as strong of a woman it takes to exclusively breastfeed it takes an equally strong woman to walk away. Here's to Motherhood & Keeping It Real!"
Hear, hear.
This article first published on Women's Health.
