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Two babies, two very different breastfeeding journeys - and one mama who followed her instinct
At Joolz, we believe that every parenting journey is uniquely messy, beautiful, challenging, surprising… and absolutely valid. There’s no perfect path - just the one that works for you and your little one. That’s exactly what we learned from Mikki, mom of two girls, who shared her breastfeeding stories with us. Same mama, very different experiences - and plenty of lessons (and laughs) along the way. 💪
“This was supposed to be natural…” — Loa
When Loa came into the world, Mikki felt that deep “yes” you hear about — that instinctive pull to feed her baby with her own milk. Easy, right? Spoiler: not always.
“I thought it would just happen. But oh boy — reality had other plans.”
The early days brought weight loss, blocked ducts, painful latching, and more advice than you can imagine. Two lactation consultants later, she got two very different messages: plenty of milk vs you’re out of milk — maybe stop now? Classic.
But quitting wasn’t on Mikki’s playlist.
“I wanted to keep trying. For us.”
And try she did — pumping around the clock (seriously — day and night!), experimenting with techniques, flipping between hope and doubt like a daytime TV channel. Still, months in, Loa started showing frustration at the breast. It was time to listen to her.
“Letting go? Yep, that felt like a tiny grieving process.”
But here’s the twist: Mikki had built up her own stash of pumped milk — and for months she fed Loa with her own liquid gold. That rhythm became proud and powerful in its own way.
“Every drop felt like a tiny celebration. I felt unstoppable.”
When Loa turned one, it was time to wind down — gently, slowly, and with lots of emotions. At 15 months and 5 days, a tiny last session marked the end of that chapter. And just like that, one cycle closed in the sweetest way.
“Alright universe, let’s try this again” — Sumi
Second baby, second round — same mama, new strategy. Mikki went in prepared this time: prenatal courses, colostrum collection (yes, tiny drops with big peace of mind), and a plan for those first precious days.
And guess what? The beginning actually felt… easier?
“She latched, she drank, she slept. WHAT is this magic?!”
Compared to Loa’s belly flops of hunger and worry, Sumi was calm, chill — even taking long stretches of sleep. But then the plot twist: baby wasn’t gaining weight as expected. Cue the drama.
Enter: mastitis.
Not once, not twice — like clockwork every week. Pain, fever, tears, frustration… the whole “this is supposed to be natural” narrative hit a plot twist. Still, Mikki held steady — supplementing only with her own expressed milk, keeping things at the breast first and foremost.
Then finally, the culprit was revealed: a stubborn bacterial infection that kept her body in pain mode. New antibiotics later? Relief. Sweet, glorious relief. “Suddenly feeding wasn’t agony anymore. And I could finally enjoy it.”
By eight weeks postpartum, Sumi gained weight, Mikki healed, and they settled into a rhythm that felt simple, joyful, and theirs. “I can feed her anywhere, anytime — no bottles to heat, no gadgets to find at midnight. Just us.”
💛 What we can all take from Mikki’s journey
Neither story was “perfect.” One was relentless, exhausting, and heart-heavy. The other - still real - was gentler, calmer, and full of welcome surprises.
But both had something in common: Mikki trusted her instincts.
She learned, she adapted, she cried, she laughed — and most importantly, she kept going in the ways that felt right for her and her babies. Parenting isn’t a straight line. It isn’t a checklist. It’s a series of tiny choices — some easy, some impossibly hard — and lots of moments in between. And every one of them? Worth celebrating.
Feeling seen by this story? You’re not alone. 😊
Here’s to the messy, magical, sometimes chaotic — but always meaningful — path of parenthood.
