Just a few days ago the World Breastfeeding Week was celebrated and all the media echoed us of the innumerable benefits of breastfeeding our children. But there are also mothers who cannot choose to breastfeed their baby and choose another way to feed him without it meaning that they love him less or take care of him worse.
And yet, it is true that some of these moms feel that they have failed because they have given their children the bottle (by obligation or choice). The photographer Felicia Saunders was one of them and she wanted to support all those moms with some beautiful photographs that remind us that seeing a mother feeding her baby is a beautiful gesture of love, no matter how: with breastfeeding, a bottle or even with probe.
“We do the best for our children, without judging or being judged”
“I am the mother of two wonderful children and I defend the mother (and the father) by doing what is best for them and their baby,” says Felicia in an interview with Bebés y Más.
His intention with these photos, as he tells us, is * “to convey feelings of empowerment, inclusion and empathy to parents.”
Felicia says that she tried to breastfeed her baby but was unable to latch on:
“I tried different methods, I used nipple shields, I spoke with lactation consultants, I expressed myself with a pump, I took supplements, foods and drinks that were supposed to increase production and still could not produce enough breast milk to feed my son of properly”.
She adds that her baby began to lose weight and “I felt like I had already failed as a mother .” Overwhelmed by “feelings of guilt for not fitting the mold,” she says she “reluctantly” began feeding her baby formula. So, “I saw my little one gorge himself on milk for the first time and get fat, and my feelings of guilt melted away.”
“When I stopped trying to fulfill an expectation that my own body could not satisfy, I realized that it was not a failure and that I could enjoy my son and motherhood.”
For that reason, she explains that she has wanted to capture in a snapshot the bond that exists between a mother and her child, when she feeds him, in whatever way: “to show other mothers that they are not a failure because their circumstances are different.”
Adds the photographer who imagined that during World Breastfeeding Week there would be many articles promoting breastfeeding and that “many moms would feel like failures or experience ‘mother’s guilt’. I wanted all of them to feel proud of how they feed their babies. children and that they are just as impressive and strong . “
The happiness and complicity of a mother
This photographer, based in Las Vegas (United States), says that her passion for photography began when she was 16 years old and received her first camera.
“I continued with photography as a hobby for several years until my husband encouraged me to fulfill my dreams and open my own studio.”
He explains that he loves capturing precious fleeting moments. And she ended up specializing in motherhood because “I always marveled at the amazing ability of women to create life and the beauty of pregnancy, and I enjoy photographing those tender moments.
But he also photographs newborns, since “they are amazing human beings, so tender, precious and perfect, but they grow in the blink of an eye before us .”
“I strive to create timeless art for families that can be cherished by generations to come.”
We ask you to show us your favorite photo and give us this snapshot of her with her children, because “it captures a moment of laughter and love.”
And complete your choice with some heartfelt words that perfectly summarize the message of the main photo: the important thing is to do what we think is best for our children, in their development and in their diet.
Photos | Felicia Saunders Photography. On Instagram and on Facebook.
In Babies and More | 15 tips from an expert in feeding so that children eat healthier, You can give love with a breast and a bottle: this beautiful photo of a mother who breastfeeds and gives the bottle at the same time to her babies
