My Biggest Secret: I Am a Breastfeeding Militant

Before I got pregnant with my first child, I vowed that I would never breastfeed any of my future children. Formula was just as good, I thought, and breastfeeding looked so inconvenient. No way. I was not going to let myself be tied down to a baby all the time.

Then I got pregnant, and at my first obstetrician appointment my doctor asked if I planned to breastfeed or use bottles. Before I could think, I blurted out, "I'm going to breastfeed." I was stunned, but I knew in that moment that it was the right decision. The words flowed through me as if I had always known what my choice would be. My motherly instinct took over, and I have never looked back from that moment.

My daughter is now 9 months old, and still nursing. Since she was born, I've been doing a great deal of research into all things parenting, including breastfeeding. I've learned so many things about breastfeeding, things that most parents are unaware of, and I've been trying to share my knowledge with everyone who will listen. Because of this, I have been labeled as a "breastfeeding militant." At first I recoiled from this label - I'm not militant, I'm just a supporter. I'm not militant, I'm just trying to spread the word. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that I am militant. And I'm proud of it.