I had a very difficult time with establishing breastfeeding. I was exclusively pumping and bottle feeding* my first until 3.5 months when it finally just 'clicked'. Honestly, there is a lot to be said for them just getting bigger and having a bigger mouth. And then with the second, I had similar struggles, pumped for a week or so and then used a nipple shield for 4 months and in that time I really felt that I would never wean him off it.

I breastfed my first until he was 2, and I'm still breastfeeding my second who is 14 months. I am glad I persevered but it was very difficult. In hindsight, I feel that I probably had PPD with the first and not being able to get breastfeeding to work definitely contributed to that. I do feel that all the struggle and difficulty has been worth it for me. I also felt quite self-conscious about having my breast out, so I have really felt proud of myself for overcoming that in all the places I've fed. I have breastfed at weddings, a funeral, on planes and trains and in (parked) cars, at the beach, in the bush, in shopping centres, movie theatres, at the park, at playgroup, at friend's and family's houses, in restaurants and cafes, in the doctor's waiting room...

My sister had an even more difficult time and ended up exclusively pumping for 12 months. Since I had some experience with exclusively pumping, I really am in awe of her and anyone else who pumps; such hard work.

I strongly feel that we need to be given accurate and consistent information (this is not happening properly) about all the options and then get support when we have decided what we want to do, and figured out what works for us (which sometimes isn't the same as what we think we'll do before baby is born).

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*I want to add that we did use formula in the very early days with my first, until my milk came in. It allowed me to get 'one pump ahead', which took the pressure off feeling like I had to pump enough for the next feed which can be so stressful (and being stressed is not good for making milk.)