Olive’s Birth: Healing a Difficult Start Through Breastfeeding

By Annie L. As we have just passed Olive’s second birthday, I thought writing down our birth story would be a therapeutic experience. I am still nursing my toddler, and if you had told me that on the… Read More

Amanda’s Story: Birth, Breastfeeding And My Neurodivergent Child

Amanda Hartman, Winchester, Virginia My son is neurodivergent and had a rough start to life and breastfeeding, but with dedication, perseverance, and support he just self-weaned in August at a little over 3.5 years old. Our journey really… Read More

Erin’s Story: My NICU Experience And Breastfeeding Challenges

Erin Schultz, Apex, North Carolina None of the books prepare you for having a baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). My first baby was born by emergency cesarean after a failed induction due to placental failure… Read More

My Family, My Support System

Lauren, Florida This is my family’s story of our journey to feed my beautiful girl. I say it’s my family’s story because I truly could not have breastfed my daughter without my amazing support system! I hope that… Read More

Autumn’s Story: My Preemie And NICU Experience

Autumn Pennington, Colorado Springs, Colorado “Don’t touch her like that,” the nurse told me. I removed my hand from stroking my newborn’s hair. Her hand was unavailable due to the IV. “She needs to rest.” I was on… Read More

Birth Stories: My Gentle Cesarean

Lacee Cooksey Exactly one week after a failed external cephalic version (ECV) procedure*, I arrived at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland, Oregon, for a scheduled cesarean at 39 weeks pregnant. This was my first pregnancy, and… Read More

Born Unable To Swallow: My Journey To Breastfeeding My Son

Jennifer Clevenger, Scio, Oregon Bodhi is my fourth baby. I was young when I had my first baby. I nursed him for a little over a week, but with little to no help I switched to formula. My… Read More

Easing the Distress of Major Surgery: Part II

Shannon Gill, Denver, Colorado Originally published in Close to the Heart (LLL Asia & Middle East’s periodical magazine) Vol 17, No. 1. Editor’s Note: Part I of Shannon and Hunter’s story was published on the New Beginnings blog on July… Read More

Easing the Distress of Major Surgery: Part I

Shannon Gill, Denver, Colorado Originally published in Close to the Heart (LLL Asia & Middle East’s periodical magazine) Vol 17, No. 1. Last July, my husband and I were dreading the 7,000-mile flight with our 17-month-old son from Hong Kong… Read More

Gratitude

Kristen Witucki Birth was over. I held my son on the hard bed in Labor and Delivery, buoyed by very soft pillows that offered as much support as a rapidly deflating balloon. Someone—maybe a nurse or maybe one… Read More