How To Thrive Through Breastfeeding Overwhelm

As a breastfeeding mum, have you ever felt trapped, suffocated, and overwhelmed? This is such a common experience, but we don’t hear about it because we “should” be feeling the joy, happiness and wonder of motherhood, and the beautiful, calm bonding experience of breastfeeding. But just because it’s common to have these not-so-positive feelings about breastfeeding sometimes, doesn’t mean that this defines your breastfeeding journey (or that you’re a bad mum!). The main reason I’m writing this post is to let you know, Mumma, that feeling totally overwhelmed while breastfeeding is super normal. But it’s not something you have to put up with or power through. There are things you can do that can help you move back towards the happy and calm breastfeeding journey you were expecting and long for.

In this post, I’ll cover what causes breastfeeding overwhelm, why it’s important to address it, and give practical strategies to help you navigate and ease these feelings.

What Causes Breastfeeding Overwhelm?

There are so many factors that cause breastfeeding overwhelm. Surprisingly, it’s usually not the breastfeeding itself, even though that can feel the most suffocating for some mums and the most overwhelming. A lot of the time, lack of breastfeeding support, lack of support around the house, trying to juggle too many responsibilities, setting unrealistic expectations for yourself, or feeling pressured by others’ expectations are actually what cause the overwhelm. All these things together can take away your mental capacity and energy so that you have nothing left for breastfeeding and caring for your baby. It can feel really hard, really overwhelming and even upsetting or distressing.

Why It’s Important to Reduce Breastfeeding Overwhelm?

Finding ways to reduce your overwhelm isn’t just about easing temporary stress; it’s crucial for your mental well-being and your breastfeeding journey. Research shows that high levels of stress can interfere with your milk flow, make bonding with your baby more difficult, and often leads to mums stopping breastfeeding much earlier than they wanted to.

How to Reduce Breastfeeding Overwhelm

1. Get Support

Surround yourself with understanding and supportive people who can offer guidance, encouragement, and help with your day-to-day life. Whether it’s a partner, family member, friend, or Lactation Consultant, don’t hesitate to lean on others for help. We were never meant to do this motherhood thing alone like we are expected to now. We are supposed to have a village helping and supporting us to raise our babies, but modern society is not set up in a way that makes that easy these days.

2. Prioritise Self-Care

Remember that taking care of yourself helps you care for your baby with the intensity they need. Share the load of looking after your baby with your partner (even just for 10 minutes while you have a shower), relax and rest as much as you can, prioritise rest and nourishing food (or have someone else organise it for you 😉), move your body, and do activities that bring you joy. Remember, you don’t necessarily have to be away from your baby to do these things if you don’t want to. Look for ways you can do the things you love with your baby.

3. Adjust expectations

It’s okay to adjust your expectations and embrace imperfection. Recognise that motherhood is a journey filled with ups and downs, and it’s okay to ask for help or let the small stuff go. You don’t need a perfectly clean house, or all the dishes done. These things don’t determine your worth as a person or a mother. Prioritise care of you and your baby, do the things you absolutely need to do (like have clean clothes and clean dishes to eat off). If you have the energy and the time to get other things done, it’s a bonus! Before you know it, your baby won’t need you so intensely and you will have more energy and capacity to do more, but it doesn’t have to be now.

4. Delegate and Share Responsibilities

Don’t hesitate to let your partner know what you’re struggling with and what they can do to help. Whether it’s household chores, childcare, or other responsibilities. Share the load with your partner, family members, or friends to lighten your burden and create more breathing room.

5. Set Boundaries

It’s ok to say no to extra commitments, requests or social events that drain your energy and make you feel more overwhelmed. You don’t have to do it all. Setting boundaries and prioritising yours and baby’s well-being is essential for feeling balanced and looking after your mental health.

Breastfeeding overwhelm is a really common challenge faced by many mums, but there are things you can do to help. By being aware of the underlying causes, understanding why it’s essential to address these feelings, and putting strategies in place, you can get through this season of motherhood with greater ease and confidence and a lot less overwhelm. Remember, you’re not alone in this journey.

If you found these tips helpful or have tips of your own to share, please DM me on Instagram and let me know! Let’s support each other through the highs and lows of this motherhood journey ❤️