Mum Shares 'Unspoken Reality' Of Breastfeeding
'Am I doing something wrong?'
By Livia Gamble
November 09 2016
A new mum has opened up about her struggles with breastfeeding an in an honest Instagram post which has now gone viral.
Following the birth of her son on October 26, Heyona Cho asked for help from mums surrounding the unspoken reality of breastfeeding.
“Nobody ever told me about the challenges of breastfeeding,” she wrote on social media. “This must be an unspoken reality for SO many new mums."
Speaking to herself and anyone else currently struggling to feed their newborn, Cho asks parents not to feel "guilt or shame as you continue your journey into motherhood.
"Some things we just cannot control, and so, we will make the best choices that we know how and we will have done it all with love in our hearts SO full that it cries out from our eyes."
Cho says she finds it hard to describe the feeling she gets when her newborn cries for milk.
“The heartbreak you feel when your newborn cries and you don't have milk is even harder to describe,” she continued. “Nevermind that the nipples are cracked and sore, baby's cries sound like ringing alarms inside the brain and I'm desperate to do anything to alleviate his discomforts and meet his needs.
“When the night hits, I have to make a choice to supplement with formula or let him sleep hungry.”
She finishes, saying, “Breastfeeding is definitely a journey with ups and downs but seeing them so content after feeding is the best feeling ever.”
The reaction to her post has been positive with other mums thanking Cho for sharing her story.
“Thank you so much for sharing - my baby is 3 weeks and went through exactly the same, to experience the feeling of not being able to feed your child is totally heartbreaking and no one tells you beforehand of the potential challenges,” wrote one mum.
Another wrote: “I can totally relate to your experience.”
Speaking to The Huffington Post, Cho revealed why she decided to voice her struggles: “This very beginning stage of motherhood has taken me by a whirlwind, and I’m floored. I needed a way to articulate this very visceral experience.”
