Epe says that even after breastfeeding her older children, each new baby has meant “re-latching and relearning all over again.” With this pēpi, the journey has felt calm and cruisy, but still surprisingly different. She was still feeding her toddler when he was born and assumed her body would just carry on, “but it was almost like I gave birth and my body changed again.” Feeding on demand, resting at home, and letting her toddler gently wean in that first week gave her space to settle into this new rhythm. “We haven’t really done anything except feed on demand,” she says, grateful for the chance to simply relax into it. What stands out most for Epe is the connection, and how breastfeeding has shaped her as a person. “When I’m feeding, I’m on his time,” she explains. Living with anxiety, she’s found that feeding has taught her to slow down, sit in the moment, and be okay with the dishes waiting. “I missed that with my first. I was always on my phone, wanting him to hurry up. Now I see how cool it is that my body can provide everything he needs.” With the right pillows, snacks prepared, whānau support, and clear conversations with her partner about what her body is going through, feeding has become a time of care for herself as much as for her pēpi. Her advice to new māmā is heartfelt: “Give it a go. It might be harder, but it’s so much more rewarding. I just can’t put into words the connection between you and your baby.”
