You start your marathon with 16 hours of hard work or perhaps you start with a major abdominal surgery (also known as a cesarean section). Over the next few days, you’ll learn latching, positioning, burping, diapering, swaddling, problem solving, and over a million other new newborn-related tasks.

Then, for the next several weeks, you will sleep an average of 4-6 hours in a 24-hour period. But this dream is obtained in 1-2 hour increments. You eat when you have time, you shower when your food allows it, somehow you gather the energy to do laundry or cook a meal on occasion. And somehow you survive But the question is: how can breastfeeding survive in these conditions?

After years of helping moms with breastfeeding, I have discovered that there are 2 basic personality traits that help you be successful at breastfeeding. First of all, let me tell you that the measure of success in breastfeeding is the ability to provide your baby with breast milk for one year. Now let’s get back to personality traits. I define them as the passionate and the persistent.

The passionate mother believes in breastfeeding so much that this passion keeps her going no matter the obstacle. She is determined to give her child the best, even through pain and tears. She is pretty but determined.

The persistent or stubborn mom has decided to breastfeed for whatever reason and that’s it. She is more verbal, demands that she not be given bottles in the hospital, instantly refutes any criticism and, by God, she will.

Babies who have physical or medical problems do not discourage these moms. Low milk supply and mastitis do not stop lactation. Candidiasis, vasospasm, nursing strikes: “I’ve been there, I’ve done that,” they say. Even mothers who adopt their babies are producing breast milk for their children. These moms are engaged. Some are able to breastfeed babies; some can express breast milk, but it will be.

Why do these babies get breast milk for a year? Because they are passionate, persistent, or maybe both. But one thing is for sure. They just don’t give up: they are NOT sissies. And no, they don’t have the perfect nursing baby. That baby doesn’t exist. At least I’ve never seen her. There is a simple truth, challenges will arise and you must be fully committed to making breastfeeding work. TOTAL COMMITMENT.

Is support important? Absolutely, if you didn’t believe that, then what would be the need for my services? But it is not as important as being passionate or persistent. It depends on you.

I think you are up to the challenge. And I think you are not a sissy.