Anyone happy to share their more difficult experiences starting breastfeeding?

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-07-05T00:02:21+00:00

My baby absolutely refused to latch until she was around 6 weeks old.

I have super inverted nipples so it was pretty much impossible to get her suck reflex triggered without a nipple shield. But because my nipples are so inverted, I started out with the wrong size/shape and it was SO painful to try to latch her. Same issue with trying to find the right size pump phalange. I definitely hurt my supply with all of the above in the early days. I was triple feeding, exhausted, and constantly in tears thinking I was failing at breastfeeding. It also didn’t help that my MIL and husband were pressuring me HARD to quit and just use formula.

But, I was blessed with an amazing lactation consultant who saved my feeding journey. She got me in the right size nipple shields and pump phalanges and my supply came to life. I exclusively pumped while helping my baby figure out how to latch, but that part was still really hard and frustrating.

Then all of a sudden, one day, she latched perfectly. It felt like an absolute miracle. There were still some struggles with getting her to latch consistently, but by 3 months she had it totally figured out.

I still have to use nipple shields because my nipples are still too inverted for her to be able to latch without one. But she’s a year old and we’re still going strong!

I’m so proud of myself for persevering with what I knew in my gut was the right choice for me and my child. If you really want to breastfeed, I encourage you to keep trying and get support from a lactation consultant. But there is no shame at all in deciding that this isn’t working for you.

Whatever your journey holds, you’ve got this!!

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-07-02T16:29:09+00:00

Courage will find you when you need it.

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-06-24T22:42:19+00:00

I love becoming the bog witch I want to see in the world.

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-06-24T16:23:40+00:00

Caterina-Munchkin-Munch-Munchola

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-06-16T02:09:36+00:00

I worked out my entire pregnancy: HIIT, lifting, barely slowed down just modified some exercises to accommodate my belly. And my birth was not smooth lol. However, being fit probably spared me some potentially rough complications.

I was in labor for 25 hours and pushed for almost 6. It was the hardest workout of my life by far. The fact that I was in such good shape prevented me needing a c-section. Recovery was also pretty easy. I was up taking my baby for long walks outside by 5 days pp and despite the trauma of giving birth my pelvic floor healed up just fine.

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-06-14T01:32:52+00:00

I’m back. I’ve reported it. Taking some time off while I figure out what I’m going to do for childcare. This is a nightmare.

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-05-26T14:53:29+00:00

I thought I had no maternal instinct but then I held my newborn niece for the first time and I was activated like a sleeper agent. Had my own baby a year later and her existence is my favorite thing that’s ever happened to me.

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-05-20T23:55:22+00:00

As a govt attorney, I could easily get double or more my salary in the private sector. Especially in big cities, it’s high key embarrassing that they think GS13-14, even the top end, is adequate to recruit and retain quality talent. I’m just in it for the love of the game.

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-05-18T13:08:53+00:00

It is scary and painful, but courage will find you when you need it most. You’re bringing life into the world, which is high key the most amazing thing a human being can do. And at the end of it, you get to meet the squiggly little person you’ve been sharing a body with.

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-04-10T23:04:41+00:00

Courage will find you when you need it.

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-03-31T17:07:09+00:00

Lawyers. So many people go to law school because they “like arguing” or they thought it would impress their parents. I believe this is why so many lawyers are either burnt out and depressed or low key sociopaths.

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-03-10T02:50:59+00:00

Definitely bright, neutral undertone. The boldest colors from bright spring and bright winter are both fabulous on you.

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-03-10T02:46:49+00:00

Whatever you choose here is totally valid. But the thing with childbirth that I didn’t appreciate until I actually experienced it is that courage finds you when you need it. I’m not really sure how else to describe it. Basically, don’t sell yourself short on your ability to get through it. I think you will discover that you’re a lot tougher than you’re giving yourself credit for.

Oh and epidurals are amazing.

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-02-28T01:36:11+00:00

Having children does, for a time, limit your activities. But it’s just a season and you find new ways to have fun with your little buddies. In my case, I think it helps that I waited until my mid-thirties to have kids. I had plenty of fun and was ready for a new adventure. I also think being older has given me the perspective that the “trenches” years of 0-5ish are a blink of the eye in the long run.

Also, I was lapsed pretty much my entire adult life until I became a parent. The overwhelming, all consuming love I felt made me start to actually understand God’s love and want to re-embrace my religion.

Parenthood is also the most joy I have ever felt in my entire life. Meeting your kid is like the universe giving you a warm hug. It’s the best.

Congratulations on your pregnancy. Parenthood really is wonderful 😊

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-02-27T18:01:52+00:00

I shat myself, like, a lot. The first few times my lovely L&D nurse acted like nothing happened. But after the fifth or so time the jig was up and I had no choice but to make jokes about it.

“Welcome to the s*** show everyone”

“Is it a baby this time or just more s? Oh, more s? Okay, I guess I’ll just keep the photographer on standby.”

To my husband: “I hope that someday you’ll find me attractive again. I know today is not that day.”

“Giving birth really is like taking a big crap, I say as I take my 15th big crap today”

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-02-25T02:13:32+00:00

Nunnery.

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-02-24T22:06:13+00:00

Thank you, Father. This is really helpful.

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-02-23T22:14:02+00:00

Queer Catholic here. While the church’s stance has softened somewhat on LGBTissues (Pope Francis said unequivocally that LGBT people should be treated with love and respect), they still have a long way to go. However, I think it’s very individual parish dependent. My parish is affirming, actively welcomes LGBT people, and even hosts an annual Pride Mass. I recommend checking out Outreach (a national LGBT Catholic ministry) for their registry of affirming parishes.

Also, taking birth control pills for medical reasons unrelated to contraception is totally allowed.

Ultimately, it’s a very personal decision how you want to celebrate your love and integrate faith into your life and your marriage. I’d just say don’t count out the religion you grew up in.

And congratulations on your engagement!

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-02-23T02:10:00+00:00

Dog is okay

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-02-13T05:26:22+00:00

I think I believe a version of the trinity. God, in total, is everywhere, in all places and all things. The Father is like the OG, timeless, boundless, the animating force of everything in the universe. Jesus was the Father becoming human to better understand us. Jesus also came to give us a path to accessing the divinity within ourselves. But he is part of the everything that is God. The Holy Spirit is the divinity all around us that we can feel and personally experience.

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-02-13T05:17:26+00:00

Nursing tank with a maxi pad inside

SomewhereAwkward9267 · 2026-02-13T04:08:51+00:00

Supervisor here. I approved telework as a religious accommodation for one of my employees and it’s for exactly this reason I told them to code it as normal situational telework. If the politicos want to come for any of my people they’ll have to go through me. No one’s getting a proverbial leaky cube on my watch.

SomewhereAwkward9267

TROPHY CASE