It’s not always smiles and sweet laughter. I breastfed for 5 years straight. Two of those years I was tandem nursing my two girls. Nurturing this bond was worth every cuddle but it wasn’t always easy. Quickly after I ended my journey, I entered a very dark mind space. My energy felt heavy and doing anything felt like immense work. I had negative thoughts, self doubt and wanted to give up on anything I was involved it. Weaning from nursing hit me in ways that were surprising. People talk about postpartum depression and even baby blues... but no one mentioned the weaning blues. The chemical change that happens (yet again) when you end the giving of yourself to your children through breastfeeding.
What I learned that helped:
1. Change the pace or pattern of your daily habit. Hell, throw it in a blender and let it go! Shake things up to zap that yucky energy some fresh oxygen!
2. Tell your friends/family/support person. Darkness can feel so heavy when you’re alone. It can also take over quickly if those around you are keen on what’s happened inside your mind.
3. Move your body. I don’t care how, but make the sweat come out. Let it cry out of your skin and drip away from your system. Sweat out those emotions.
4. Give yourself time and effort to heal. This is not an overnight process, but it does take awareness and effort to see where you are and how to move forward.
5. Ruthless compassion. “You cannot be compassionate with others around you and an A-hole to yourself and say that you’re being compassionate” @drshefalitsabary . Give yourself extreme compassion during any difficult time.
You got this, mama!
xo
Victoria
Author Victoria Gracie is part of the Avenue Mama tribe and the above post on her Instagram. With permission, we are sharing it here.
