First Name: Owen
Age: 35
Number of kids and ages: 1 daughter, age 3
Location: Ohio
The most surprising thing about being a first time mom is I had hoped to have a natural labor and delivery, but due to circumstances outside my control my daughter was born by C-section. It was my first major lesson in managing expectations when you have a small human in your care.
My expectation vs. experience with breastfeeding is breastfeeding did not come naturally at first. It took a lot of time, energy, practice, and patience to find my and my daughter's ability to "perform." With persistence, I was able to successfully nurse for 2 1/2 years as well as become a milk donor at the local children's hospital! In the beginning, it takes a village to support a breastfeeding mom and baby.
The best piece of advice about motherhood is find a group of mama friends that support and encourage you!