Laura Clark's Breastfeeding Story

The Stats:

Name: Laura Clark
Age: 35
Occupation: Founder and Editor, L.A. Story
Children: One daughter, Caroline (3 1/2 years)

TB: What was breastfeeding like for you in the beginning?

LC: I started breastfeeding my daughter in the hospital immediately after she was born, and the first moment was great. It was very bonding, and I loved it, but once I was away from the nurses and everybody else it got harder. I was by myself in the room, or with my husband and mom. It just wasn’t working properly. My daughter wasn’t latching on, and it was just tricky. But with more practice I got a little better, and it was amazing.

TB: Why did you initially decide to breastfeed?

LC: I had read and heard from my doctor that it was incredibly healthy for the baby and that it would give her an amazing boost to her immune system. Since I was a first-time mom and nervous about the whole baby thing in general, I wanted to avoid any unnecessary trips to the pediatrician. In the end my daughter was not sick. She went through her first year and hardly had any trouble.

TB: What did you think about breastfeeding in public?

LC: In the beginning, it was tough to be mobile. I was always afraid that I’d have to feed her at an inconvenient spot. Well, that did happen (Hello, airplane! Hello, side of the road!), but I got over it. You just do. Then I appreciated not having to mix bottles or powder whenever she needed to be fed.

TB: What did you think of your experience of breastfeeding overall?

LC: It was an amazing bonding experience — one that I never expected. Although it was so hard and embarrassing and frustrating in the beginning, I eventually got the hang of it and loved just watching my daughter get something so vital from me. It was a real shot of confidence, knowing that I was able to give my baby something so basic and necessary.