Feeding with Love: My Journey as a Breastfeeding Stay-at-Home Mama

Hi, my name is Savannah McIvor. I am 25 years old and from the good ole state of Alabama. I have a little boy named Waylon, who is currently 17 months old. I’m also married to my amazing husband, Michael. Thank you for being here and taking the time to read my breastfeeding story.

Preparing to Breastfeed

When I was pregnant, I told everyone that I would pump and breastfeed. I thought the idea of a baby being on my boobs all the time, would just be unbearable and totally not fun. But you know what they say—things come naturally when you become a mama.

When I was pregnant, I told everyone that I would pump and breastfeed.

I was actually leaking milk around 20 weeks and had to start wearing nursing pads. I wanted to collect colostrum in my third trimester, but my doctor told me that could possibly send me into labor. I took his advice and waited until birth.

Expressing Colostrum During Pregnancy – Everything You Need To Know About Antenatally Expressing Milk

I had all the cool things I thought I needed — such as nipple butter, an electric breast pump, manual breast pump, and feeding bottles!

My Birth Experience

I was induced and my birth experience had some ups and downs, but all together it was the most amazing thing I have EVER done in my life. As soon as they laid my son on my chest, it was a feeling I could never put into words.

As soon as he came out I knew I wanted immediate skin-to-skin with him. I had no cares for him to be taken away and cleaned up. I just wanted my baby to feel safe with his mama.

The benefits of skin to skin for you and your baby

I remember looking over at my husband and we both had tears running down our face, because that day is the day that our life truly began. The nurse asked if I wanted to try and feed him, so of course I said yes. He latched as soon as I put him on.

Breastfeeding on a Strict Schedule

We got transferred to our postpartum room, and I had to feed him on a very strict schedule. My husband and I had to write every single feeding session down, including what side he fed from and for how long. It was very tedious, but I was so happy to do it. I had my pump and all the parts in my car incase I needed it, but I never ended up using it at all. I realized that I could feed my baby all natural, with the body that just delivered him. It truly is insane to think of it that way, but it is the truth.

I had a lactation nurse ask me if I needed any help. She advised me to use a nipple shield the first night, which I did, but by the next day I took it off and breastfeeding went perfect. Did it hurt? Well yes, somewhat. I could definitely feel every bit of it for the first month or so, but do you want to know a secret? If I had told myself ‘I can’t do it’, I would have never continued on breastfeeding and been able to share my story today.

The Ups and Downs of Breastfeeding

I would say my breastfeeding journey has been a good one. I am SO passionate about this topic, because it is the one thing that I have been able to do, and not give up on. For me, there have definitely been more ups than downs.

I have loved every second of being able to feed my son in the most natural way. Seeing him change has been amazing. I have been able to go from nursing a tiny little newborn to a toddler laughing at me and giving me a high five! Not having to worry about washing bottles or cleaning pump parts is a big bonus too.

I think some people automatically make breastfeeding weird. And if I am being honest, it is the negative feedback I receive that have been the real ‘downs’ of breastfeeding. I could tell you all the crazy comments and suggestions I’ve received from family, friends and even strangers, but I’ll keep them to myself. I will say I’m blessed to have my husband and I would never have continued breastfeeding without his support.

I’m blessed to have my husband and I would never have continued breastfeeding without his support.

Breastfeeding a Toddler

Currently, I am still nursing my 17 month old. Did I think I would be breastfeeding a toddler? No. Is it okay that he is not fully weaned yet? Yes. In other countries and cultures, breastfeeding beyond the age of two is completely normal. I think it is totally up to the mama as to when she wants to stop breastfeeding. You birthed your baby, nobody else. Set those boundaries, and be confident in your decisions.

I truly believe that breastfeeding is a beautiful gift, because nursing has so many benefits for baby and for mama too. It is the ideal nutrition for your baby, it contains important antibodies, reduces the risk of many different diseases, and so many other things too.

My Must-Have Products

I would highly recommend a couple of different breastfeeding items that I have used along the way and which I found to be very useful.

• Earth Mama Nipple Butter. It was a lifesaver for me in the beginning. If you keep your nipples moisturized, you shouldn’t have to worry about them cracking or bleeding. Earth Mama is safe for baby as well, so you can put it on before or after feeding.
• Haakaa breast pump. I used this to collect my letdown when I was nursing my son. I used the milk I collected or milk baths, bug bites, and I even saved some for breastmilk jewelry.
• Sweat & Milk nursing bras. I did a collab with a company called Sweat & Milk, and they were my absolute favorite. They had many different options to choose from, and were very comfortable. 

Final Words of Encouragement

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. If you have any questions at all for me, please feel free to reach out. My social media handles are below, and I would love to chat or help in any way that I can.

Just remember — If you want to breastfeed, you can do it. You got this!

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