Changing the Mindset: Empowering Every Feeding Journey
Changing the Mindset: Empowering Every Feeding Journey
As women, we wear so many hats — mother, partner, friend, professional, nurturer, and so much more. In the middle of it all, we’re also trying to nourish and care for our babies in the best way we can. Stressed yet? Anxious. I bet. Now we are expected to protect and nourish this little human that we just grew in our belly for 9 1/2 months.
During my time meeting families in the hospital, I often hear phrases like “I only pumped,” or “I only breastfed for a month,” or “I could only provide colostrum.” My heart aches a little every time I hear the word “only.” There is no “only” when it comes to feeding your baby — there is love, effort, and resilience in every drop.
Every feeding journey looks different, and it’s time we lift each other instead of measuring our success against someone else’s path. Whether you exclusively breastfeed, pump, supplement, or use formula, your dedication as a mother is what truly matters. Empowering women means celebrating each individual's story and ensuring every family feels supported, not judged.
The Barriers We Face
Unfortunately, one of the biggest barriers I’ve seen in our community is access to lactation support. Too often, families are limited by insurance coverage — or lack of it. It’s disheartening to think that a mother’s ability to continue breastfeeding might depend on a policy decision made by a large company rather than her personal goals or needs.
Some may argue that there are laws in place to ensure breastfeeding support — and while that’s true, the reality is that these laws often come with limitations. Coverage may be restricted to a certain number of visits, specific settings, or limited to certain providers. As a result, many mothers who need ongoing, in-home, or personalized care end up without the support they deserve — despite the intent behind the legislation.
If more women had access to consistent lactation resources and support — prenatally, postpartum, and in the outpatient setting — we could make a tremendous difference in breastfeeding success rates. Early education and guidance can help families feel prepared, supported, and confident before challenges arise. The unrealistic expectations will no longer be the failures that many mothers experience, and they will now understand that most of the beginning hardships are normal.
But just as important as improving access is changing how we define success. Empowering women means helping them see that success isn’t measured in ounces or months — it’s in the love, effort, and intention behind every feeding. You grew a human being. You are nurturing that life in the best way you can. Whatever you provide, in whatever way you provide it, is success.
My Mission
At Shoreline Lactation & Beyond, I’ve made it my personal mission to help women feel supported, confident, and empowered through every stage of their feeding journey. I want to help shift the language from “I only” to “I provided.”Because every mother provides love, nourishment, and care in her own way — and that should always be celebrated.
No big company or financial hardship should ever stand in the way of a mother’s dream to feed her baby the way she hopes to. Every woman deserves equal access to lactation support, compassionate care, and the reassurance that she is doing an incredible job.
Together, we can build a community that lifts women up — one feed, one story, and one mother at a time. 💗
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