Helping mothers breastfeed their babies – that’s what I do. I love it and I can’t ever see myself working outside of this profession – I am hooked, or maybe latched is a better term? Ok, sorry for the cheesy joke, I just couldn’t resist.

Recently I have had the opportunity to help a couple of friends who hit a few snags in establishing their breastfeeding relationships with their newborns, who were for both of them, their second babies.  The experience of breastfeeding is different with every child.  Sometimes the birth story plays a role in how breastfeeding gets started, other times there are unforeseen circumstances like a the baby has tongue-tie.  The bottom line is, every baby redefines the experience for his/her mother, no matter how experienced she may be at breastfeeding.  Years ago, I met a mom who had eight children at the very first La Leche League meeting I ever attended. She had no problems breastfeeding the first seven of her babies, but the eighth one presented some challenges, issues she had not encountered despite breastfeeding for over a decade! You just never know what might come with each baby.

Recently I was asked by a follower on Facebook:

“Do you have any success stories of mothers NOT breastfeeding their first couple children but successfully doing so with their last? I had three children and for various reasons did not breastfeed any of them.  By the time the third one came around it was so overwhelming and complicated to TRY and start something new with her because I knew what had worked so well with the first two (formula). I do not have a fourth “cooking” or plans anytime soon but just have been thinking about it recently and was curious if there were stories like that rather than just the ones of “oh yeah I struggled for ‘such and such’ weeks then got the hang of it.” How about not working with kid # 1 or kid #2 but managing it w kid #3….”

I re-posted this question to the wall and moms started sharing their experiences, many fitting the description above. One mom said, “I was unsuccessful with my first. I didn’t know the things I do now. I didnt know about all the help out there. Now I do and we are still nursing at 6mos and have no plans for stopping. She will wean herself, when shes ready.”  Another mother replied, “I pumped exclusively for the first 6 months with my older daughter, and then used formula after that. With my younger daughter, I was determined to nurse, so I used lots of resources: pediatrician, lactation consultant, support groups, and just pushed through the first few weeks. I also didn’t have formula around the house as a back-up plan!”   None of the mothers achieved their breastfeeding goals the first time around, but that made them even more determined to make it work the next time.

Stephanie Casemore's book, Breastfeeding, Take Two

Then I realized that there was a great resource for moms like this one – a new book published late last year titled, Breastfeeding, Take Two: Successful Breastfeeding the Second Time Around. I remembered seeing an interview article with the author, Stephanie Casemore last fall on Motherlove Herbal Company’s blog, and then was lucky enough to catch Stephanie’s eye with the “Peace Love Breastfeeding” shirt shortly thereafter, which allowed me to make contact with her.  When this question came up last week, it just took a quick email exchange to make this giveaway happen.  Stephanie very generously and kindly offered to give away a copy of her book to help celebrate MamaPear Designs reaching a milestone of our own – 1000 fans on our Facebook page.  It is an honor to be able to give a follower this book, because one of the most important variables in the success of the breastfeeding relationship is maternal confidence.

Because we love our followers we are also going to give the winner a $50.00 gift certificate to spend in the MamaPear Designs online store.  We appreciate every follower and love connecting with you all. Thank you for your support and for participating – I look forward to a future of greater acceptance for breastfeeding mothers and more support as we try to awaken our culture to what is normal, natural feeding of our children at its most basic level.

To enter to win, please leave a comment on this post. This entry is required in order to be entered to win both the book and the gift certificate.

For one additional entry (limit two entries per person) please like Breastfeeding Take Two on Facebook, and let her know MamaPear Designs sent you! Then come back here to post a second comment stating you followed Stephanie’s page on Facebook for your second entry.  If you already follow her Facebook page, then just leave a second comment (must be a second comment to be counted) stating you already “like” her page.

Contest starts at midnight March 23, 2012, and ends at midnight March 29, 2012. One winner will be notified via email and will have 3 days to respond to claim his/her prize!

WINNER: Melissa Eldridge

3/29/2012

Congrats Melissa! We are thrilled to have oyu as our winner. We thank everyone who commented and shared their story and hope that you will spread the word about Stephanie’s book, Breastfeeding, Take Two, and more importantly help support another mother with your own stories!  Melissa please email Lara: info@mamapeardesigns.com to claim your awesome prize!

Additional breastfeeding resources can be found at BEST for BABES – the only non-profit dedicated to beating the booby traps™ – the barriers to breastfeeding- that prevent parents from making an informed feeding decision and prevents moms from achieving their personal breastfeeding goals whether those are for 2 days, 2 months, 2 years or not at all.