Juggling New Motherhood and Overproduction
Meet Samara—a 28-year-old community-driven force who’s spent the last two years diving into mixed-heritage narratives and amplifying underrepresented voices through her community Meleret Melanin. We caught up with her to get the inside scoop on what it’s really like navigating breastfeeding—complete with supply issues, emotional roller coasters, and managing a freezer full of breast milk.
Samara’s Story
Q: Let’s rewind a bit. You’ve mentioned before that your breastfeeding journey didn’t exactly start smoothly. What went down?
Samara: Oh, it was wild from day one. After giving birth, the baby is born with a kind of “lunch box” that means that while mom is recovering from birth the child is biologically built in a way that makes it able for them to survive the first 24 hours without milk. This also means that you have more time to establish breastfeeding. But the next day, when they had to weigh him, things got messy. There was a mix-up with his birth weight in the system, so it looked like he’d lost a dangerous amount, which he hadn’t. Still, they put us on this intense feeding regimen with pumping, tiny bowls, and pipettes to make sure he was getting enough. It was overwhelming and unnecessary in the end because they figured out later that his weight had been recorded wrong. But by then, I was deep into this whole extra feeding routine.
Q: That sounds exhausting. What happened after they realized it was a mistake?
Samara: It was frustrating but also kind of a relief when a nurse finally caught it. She was new to us and wasn’t supposed to be in our room that day, but her fresh eyes noticed that the plan we were on was totally off. Once we got home, I realized all that pumping had given me an oversupply. Our freezer was packed with milk, which sounds like a good problem to have, but the oversupply actually led to chest inflammation and some serious pain. It was like this never-ending cycle—dealing with too much milk instead of too little.
Q: How did you manage through all of that?
Samara: It wasn’t easy. There was one night at my parents’ where my mom had to take over just so I could sleep between feedings. But I stuck with breastfeeding, even though it was painful and stressful. There’s this weird mix of relief and discomfort when your milk comes in, and I seriously considered introducing a bottle just to give myself a break. But I hesitated because, by that point, breastfeeding felt like the most natural thing we had going. It would be tough to let go of that.
Q: How did you navigate wanting to try a bottle but also staying committed to breastfeeding?
Samara: It’s a tricky balance. We didn’t introduce the bottle until we really needed it, and by then, my supply had leveled out. I was leaking all the time—like those dramatic scenes in movies where someone spills a drink all over you. It was messy and embarrassing. But then I developed an allergy and had to take meds, which made me worry about how it would affect the milk. That’s when I seriously considered switching. We tried the bottle, and it worked surprisingly well. It was a huge relief, especially when I was too sick to nurse properly.
Q: How did you make the bottle-feeding feel natural for both of you?
Samara: I tried to keep it as close to breastfeeding as possible. I’d hold him on my chest or in the classic breastfeeding position, so it still felt familiar to him. He adjusted pretty quickly—it was honestly a lifesaver. I remember him just dozing off afterward, which was a relief for both of us.
Q: Did your boyfriend try feeding with the bottle too?
Samara: Not really. I was kind of territorial about it, honestly. I think it became a bit of an ego thing for me, like I wanted to be the one giving him the bottle, especially since breastfeeding had been such a journey. But my boyfriend was great—he handled warming the milk and helping out during those long hospital nights. And having all that milk stashed in the freezer suddenly made sense when I needed a break.
Q: So where are you now with breastfeeding? Any plans to switch things up?
Samara: I’m taking it one day at a time. I’ll probably keep going for at least a year, but I’m also easing into using bottles more. It feels more natural to have a mix as he gets older, especially since my body’s shifting again. I’ve learned to just roll with whatever feels right in the moment.
Q: How has this whole experience shifted your view on motherhood?
Samara: It’s been a huge learning curve. I was so hard on myself in the beginning, thinking I had to get it all perfect. But I’ve had to be kinder to myself and realize that breastfeeding is just one piece of the puzzle. It’s okay to need help and take breaks—I wish I’d understood that sooner.
Q: Is there anything you wish you’d known before all of this?
Samara: So much. I had no idea how intense breastfeeding would be. People talk about it, but you don’t really get it until you’re in it. It’s like this big mystery, and then suddenly, you’re thrown into it and realize how tough it actually is. The pain, the stress, the learning curve—it’s a lot more than just “getting used to it.” I wish I’d known to go easier on myself from the start.
Q: How did you handle the emotional weight of it all?
Samara: It was heavy, especially since my boyfriend couldn’t fully experience the same struggles. There were definitely moments where I felt isolated and anxious. The emotional side of breastfeeding is something you just can’t prepare for until you’re living it. It’s tough, and I had to learn to navigate that on my own.
Q: Where did you turn for advice and support?
Samara: I did a lot of research online, and there were some Instagram profiles that really helped. But it’s tricky because everyone has different advice, and you have to filter out what works for you. I got conflicting information about things like breast massage and oversupply management, so it was a lot of trial and error.
Q: What advice would you give to new or expectant parent?
Samara: Be gentle with yourself and stay open to different approaches. Every journey is unique, and there’s no one-size-fits-all. Don’t beat yourself up if things don’t go as planned, and give yourself permission to change course when you need to. The early days are hard enough without piling on extra pressure.
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Samara’s story is a refreshingly real look at the ups and downs of new motherhood. Her insights show that sometimes, the best way to navigate those early challenges is to embrace the chaos, be kind to yourself, and redefine what success looks like—on your own terms.