There's no easy way to say this — as "natural" as breastfeeding may be, it doesn't necessarily come naturally to some moms — and that's OK. There are plenty of moms who feel guilt and shame about their breastfeeding experience because of recent cultural pressure to breastfeed. Even more cruelly, there's misconceptions that breastfeeding is magical and wonderful and easy — and the moms who don't think so must be doing something wrong. This mom's breastfeeding Instagram selfie about the reality of breastfeeding captures all of that nonsense perfectly.
Angela Burzo is a mom of two. Her daughter Aylee was born July 26, according to her Instagram account. As Burzo recovers from her C-section, she's also trying her damnedest to breastfeed her daughter, and the experience has been less than ideal. Coming off the heels of World Breastfeeding Week, Burzo candidly shared a selfie of her breastfeeding her daughter, tears streaming down her face as she looked into the camera. "This photo depicts my reality of this Breastfeeding journey so far & that first latch & the pain I endure," Burzo wrote. "Keeping it real."
Burzo's Instagram has received more than 4,500 likes so far and hundreds of comments supporting her in her journey and thanking her for bravely sharing such an honest portrait of breastfeeding.
In the caption to her Instagram, Burzo captured all of the struggles she's encountered in the 13 days since her daughter was born, including everything from proper latching issues to trying to increase her milk supply, to pumping and nipple confusion. "Whatever it may be it has been an emotional & painful struggle," Burzo wrote.
Burzo's candor is powerful and welcome. I remember just how painful — physically and emotionally — my own breastfeeding journey was with my son. I remember sitting in the glider, my son propped up on the Boppy, and crying silently as he struggled to nurse during those first few months. My heart goes out to Burzo because girl, I get it. I've been there, too.
While there are those moments where nursing your child feels totally magical and awesome, I'd venture to say that those moments are few in comparison the number of nursing sessions filled with stress, frustration, worry, and guilt. As much as many women would love to be amazing Mother Goddesses who can breastfeed with nary an issue, the reality is that breastfeeding is hard, messy, and painful — and Burzo's raw moment of self-awareness captures all of that. Moms need more candid breastfeeding photos like Burzo's.
