Before I get into this column, let me state for the record that I am an ardent believer in breast feeding.
I breastfed all three of my children, including my set of twins – mastering tandem feedings, the football hold, the scoop-your-infant-up-and-nurse-while-preventing-your-toddler-from-drawing-on-your-wall-with-a-Sharpie maneuver.
Was it all easy and beautiful? No. Breast feeding can be difficult and frustrating especially at first.
Is it worth sticking it out?
For now, I’ll say yes*.
I’m also a mother who suffered from post-partum depression and anxiety. I’ve been open about some of my struggles with this illness in the past because I believe it is important for me to share, so that others may not feel so alone or will seek help if they too travel that dark path.
My journey with post-partum depression began with my first child, although in that instance I did not recognize the degree to which I had become agitated, anxious and fearful. With the twins, my initial euphoria soon descended into an unbearably thick fog. This time, things got to a point where I placed my infants safely in their cribs and made a plan to get in my car and run – far, far away. I made it to the front step before breaking down in tears and calling my doctor’s office. This began my journey to recovery.
I bring up both these topics because of the recent letter written by Kim Chen, husband of Florence Leung, a New Westminster woman who disappeared in October, roughly two months after giving birth to her son. Her body was found in November in the waters near Bowen Island, an apparent suicide.
Chen wrote “You are not a bad mother. Do not ever feel bad or guilty about not being able to ‘exclusively breast-feed’, even though you may feel the pressure to do so based on posters in maternity wards, brochures in prenatal classes and teachings at breastfeeding classes.”
He makes a link between post-partum depression and failure to breastfeed, something documented in a British study which showed women who planned to breastfeed but were unable to do so had more than double the risk.
Clearly there needs to be more supports put in place to assist mothers in their breastfeeding efforts, as well as resources for those suffering with post-partum mental health.
And so I come back to my Yes* to breastfeeding. The asterisk is there to account for the fact that12:23:59 A woman’s mental health should be given as much weight as the benefits of a breastfed infant.