What I Know Now – The Parenting Learning Curve

I breastfed each of my children, but the circumstances varied with each one of them. My two youngest children were exclusively breastfed for nearly a year, but my oldest two children were not. It was always my goal to breastfeed exclusively for at least a year, and hopefully longer. I felt societal pressure to do this, but I also wanted to make the choice that I felt was healthiest for my children.

Today I realize that breastfeeding doesn’t always work out the way we want it to. It can be difficult, painful and sometimes we need to supplement. My reasons for using formula varied with each of my kids.

I went to college when my first son was just 5 weeks old and I supplemented his diet with formula to ensure he was getting all of the nutrition and calories that he needed. By the time he was seven months old, he went to formula exclusively. Choosing the right formula was very important to me, so I researched everything that was available. We chose Nestlé formula, and today it would be an even more obvious choice because Nestlé Good Start infant formula has benefits for baby such as probiotics, small proteins for small tummies, and Omega 3 & 6 to support development.

My second son was born tongue-tied. We were told that we could get the skin under his tongue snipped, or we could wait and let it stretch out on his own. We opted to let it correct itself over time, which meant that I had to endure the pain of breastfeeding a child who couldn’t latch properly. I know that it is the healthiest choice for baby, so I stuck it out for five months before moving him to formula. Having already been through the research of formula options, it was easy to select the same trusted infant formula for him as well.

I remember feeling especially discouraged when I couldn’t continue to breastfeed my second son. I was home with him and I felt like it was my responsibility to breastfeed. When I saw him grow and thrive I felt reassured that and he was getting what he needed.

Mothers tend to put a lot of pressure on themselves when it comes to taking care of their babies. I’ve learned over the years to relax a bit and realize that I do the best that I can, and I look for help when I need it. At the end of the day I raised some pretty amazing boys.

This post is sponsored by Nestlé Canada.  The opinions and language are my own, and in no way do they reflect Nestlé Canada. Please consult your healthcare professional before introducing infant formula.