Breastfeeding and Beyond: Honoring Every Physician Mom's Journey

Welcome to a special National Breastfeeding Month episode of ✨Stethoscopes and Strollers✨! Today, we're diving into the complex relationship Physician moms have with breastfeeding.

In this episode, we explore:

• The unique pressure Physician moms face when it comes to breastfeeding

• The role of perfectionism in our breastfeeding decisions

• Acknowledging and supporting moms who choose not to breastfeed

• The challenges of breastfeeding while returning to work

• A personal reflection on the emotional complexities of breastfeeding

Remember, whatever your breastfeeding journey looks like, you're doing an amazing job!

Don't forget to share this episode with other Physician moms who might need to hear this message. Your support helps us reach more moms who need to feel seen and heard.

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Questions or comments? Email hello@drtoyacoaching.com. I'd love to hear from you!

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Transcript

 Hey Doc, it's August and that means it is National Breastfeeding Month. And I wanted to do a special episode for my physician moms because we have a very special relationship with breastfeeding in general and I wanted to honor that. Most physician moms that I know who Want to breastfeed and I'm sure people have lots of different reasons, but a very common one is that there's this extra obligation Because of how much our jobs take us away. That is the least that we can do is to give this baby this liquid gold. There's a little bit of Perfectionism there.

There's a little bit of whatever your idea of a quote unquote good mom is and we tend to want to be the best at everything and the best moms give breast milk. We know the medical side of the benefits and all of those things. So for all of these reasons, physician moms tend to prioritize breastfeeding very heavily.

But I also want to acknowledge the physician moms. Who want no parts of breastfeeding for whatever reason that's okay, too Not that you needed me to tell you that it's okay But I just want you to know that I know that it is okay If you do not want to breastfeed if you never wanted to if you did and you hated it if it caused you Postpartum depression and anxiety  if you had supply issues and it was so traumatic that you never want to do that again Whatever your story is it is okay And if you're somewhere in between, so that's where I am.

I loved breastfeeding and I've talked about breastfeeding on this podcast numerous times. I did it for 22 months with my first, only made it to eight with my second and it almost broke me. Even though I was very happy to stop, I still miss it. When I see somebody breastfeeding, it's like, Oh, that's so sweet.

I wish I was still there. So it's a complicated thing. So I want to acknowledge all ends of the spectrum. I guess a spectrum can't have too many ends, but both ends of the spectrum and everything in between, because I know it is a complicated thing  and all of the extra pressure that comes with breastfeeding and going back to work, because the majority of us have, what, three months.

If you're a resident, six weeks. So add on the pumping and all of those things.  It's a difficult thing for us. And if you are in this phase where you are breastfeeding, you are pumping, I see you, you got this, you're doing a great job, you're doing a wonderful thing for your baby, and it is also okay if you want to stop.

All right, so that's all I have for you today. Happy National Breastfeeding Month.  Don't forget to share and follow the podcast. So all other physician moms can join and listen and feel seen and heard and have the commiseration on all of the things. And I will see you on the next episode of the Stethoscopes and Strollers.