Transcript: 5 Breastfeeding Facts No One Told You (That You’ll Wish You Knew Sooner)

This is a text transcript from The First Time Mum’s Chat podcast. The episode is called 5 Breastfeeding Facts No One Told You (That You’ll Wish You Knew Sooner) and you can click on the link to view the full episode page, listen to the episode and view the show notes.

Hi, and welcome to First Time Mum’s Chat. I’m Helen Thompson, a childcare educator and baby massage instructor, who’s passionate about helping you feel more confident, calm, and connected as you navigate those early, often overwhelming months of motherhood. Whether you are feeling exhausted, unsure, or just figuring it all out, day by day, you are in the right place.

This is the second episode in my ‘ Feeding Without Guilt’ series, and today we’re talking about something that I hear all the time from moms, ” Why didn’t anyone tell me breastfeeding would be like this?”

Maybe you’ve heard that breastfeeding is natural, but no one tells you what that actually looks like. From cracked nipples and cluster feeding to that drained, touched out feeling, it’s not always what you expect, and if leaking milk has ever caught you off I’ll also be mentioning a helpful tip from Garrett Wood Kusmierz founder of kozēkozē, who’s created something clever to help with that.

So if you’ve ever wondered, am I doing this right or felt like you are the only one struggling, I promise you, you are not.

This episode is here to help you feel seen, supported, and reminded that you are doing better than you think.

Let’s explore those hidden challenges together and help you feel a little more seen and a lot less alone.

One thing I’ve heard over and over from moms is how unprepared they feel for what breastfeeding actually looked like in real life. They expected a soft, bonding experience, and instead they got sleepless nights, cracked nipples, and the emotional rollercoaster of wondering, ” Am I doing this right?”

Some felt guilt creeping in because it didn’t feel magical or because it hurt or because they secretly wanted to stop but didn’t feel like they were allowed to say that out loud.

If that’s you, please hear me when I say you are not alone.

Breastfeeding can absolutely be beautiful and empowering. But it can also be physically painful, mentally exhausting, and emotionally overwhelming.

Let’s walk through some of the real life pros and cons, not to sway you one way or the other, but to lift the pressure and remind you: both breastfeeding and bottle feeding are valid. What matters is what works for you. I can’t say that enough.

What matters is what works for you!

Breastfeeding can create a beautiful bonding experience, offer natural immunity support, be free and always available, but it can also mean pain from cracked or sore nipples, exhaustion from frequent night feeds or cluster feeding. Restrictions on what you eat or medications you can take.

That “touched out” feeling from constant skin-to-skin contact. While I say that skin to skin contact is really, really important, it’s valuable for your baby, but sometimes you just want me time and I totally get that.

Bottle feeding, whether formula or expressed milk can share the feeding load with a partner or support person.

Make it easier to track how much baby is taking, offer more flexibility and predictability.

But it might also bring pressure to find the right formula or feel judged for using one.

The ongoing routine of sterilizing, prepping and packing bottles, additional financial cost.

Neither path is perfect. Each comes with its own rhythm, challenges and rewards, and both are 100% okay.

What’s most important is that you and your baby feel safe, supported, and connected.

What’s interesting is how much it has changed across generations.

My mum, for example, shared how things were back in the 1960s. Breastfeeding wasn’t always encouraged. My older sister struggled to feed and I was put on a bottle right from the start.

It actually became a positive thing in their household. It meant my dad could step in and feed me too, which gave my mom more rest and helped my dad bond and my youngest sister went straight onto the bottle as well.

There wasn’t the same kind of support available then. No lactation consultants or online communities, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the guilt, the pressure, the quiet doubts moms carry, no matter what they choose.

Sometimes it’s the little things that catch us off guard, like unexpected milk leaks at the worst possible moment. That’s why I wanted to quickly mention something from episode 17 1 of the podcast where I spoke with Garrett Wood Kusmierz the founder of kozēkozē. Her brand makes clever, leakproof bras and postpartum wear that are comfortable, supportive, and beautiful. So if you’ve ever been caught out during a meeting or on a walk or just want to feel a bit more confident in public, it’s well worth checking out.

Even if you are not experiencing that now, tuck it away for later or pass it on to a friend who might be.

Now, I’d love to invite you to pause with me right here, right now.

Let’s take a moment together.

If you are feeding, holding, or even just sitting nearby your baby, this is for you as much as them.

Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose…

And gently out through your mouth.

Again…

In…

And out.

Notice your shoulders.

Are they creeping up? Let them drop down and soften. Let your face relax. Unclench your jaw, wiggle your fingers or toes, anything to gently bring yourself back to your body.

If your baby is with you, place your hand gently on their back or chest. Feel their warmth, the rise, and fall of their breath. Their tiny noises.

Just be in this moment.

No fixing, no rushing.

If your baby’s asleep or not with you right now, that’s okay too. Picture them resting peacefully. Imagine the love between you flowing like a gentle current.

And now in your mind or out loud, repeat after me:

“This is enough.”

“I am doing enough.”

“I am enough.”

Let’s do it together. One more time. Take one final deep breath with me…

You’ve just given yourself and your baby a moment of true presence.

Not because it was perfect, but because you showed up.

And that’s what connection is made of.

I’ve supported moms who’ve cried through every feed.

Who felt like they were doing it all wrong.

And I’ve seen how things shift even subtly when they give themselves permission to adjust. To stop. To mix-feed. To change plans. To ask for help.

You are not failing.

You are adapting.

And your baby doesn’t need perfection, they need you.

So if your feeding journey looks different to what you expected… it’s okay. It’s so important. It is okay.

If you’ve switched paths… it’s okay.

If are still figuring it out day by day… that’s okay too.

Take it one feed at a time.

You are doing beautifully.

Take a moment of calm anytime you need it.

If this episode resonated with you, if you are longing for more calm and connection, I’d love to gift you something special.

It’s a free baby massage routine, quick, gentle, and perfect for winding down after a busy day or soothing unsettled moments.

You can find it at MyBabyMassage.net/routines.

It’s also a beautiful way for partners to get involved too, especially at bedtime.

Because bonding doesn’t have to be loud or big.

It’s in these little moments, touch, rhythm, stillness that love grows.

Thank you so much for joining me today on first Time Mum’s Chat. I hope this episode has helped shine a gentle light on the parts of breastfeeding that often go unspoken and reminded you that you are not doing it wrong. It is just that this journey is rarely as straightforward as we’re led to believe.

If today’s episode resonated with you, then I invite you to download my free baby massage routines. It’s a simple, nurturing way to bring calm to your day, soothe your baby and ease the stress of bedtime. And guess what? Dad can do it too, making it a beautiful part of your family’s evening wind-down. While perfect for bedtime, it’s gentle enough to use any time your baby needs a little extra comfort. Grab it now!

You’ll find it at MyBabyMassage.net/routines, or just click the link in the show notes.

And when you do, feel free to let me know what else you’d love support with. I’m always listening and I’d love to hear what would help you most right now.

Before I go, here’s a little sneak peek at what’s coming next. In the final episode of this series, I’ll be busting some of the biggest myths around bottle and breastfeeding. The ones that quickly pile on guilt or make you second guess your choices.

We’ll talk openly about what’s true, what’s outdated, and how to filter out the noise so you can feel more confident in your unique feeding journey.

So be sure to follow First Time Mum’s Chat so you don’t miss it! Until next time, take a breath, be kind to yourself and remember you are doing better than you think.