hey mama, you got this.

what you really need to hear right now - yes, right now - is that you got this.

you really do.

i'm talking to you, you breastfeeding mama.

you may not feel like it when it's the middle of the night and you've been up for 25 nights straight and your baby just won't sleep more than two hours in a row.

you may doubt it when you go back to work you find it hard to pump (or no fun to pump, or not convenient to pump, or just beyond you to pump) and your milk supply waivers.

you may wonder when your baby won't take a bottle and you think you may never. leave. the house. again.

you may question it when you're ready to wean and your wee one thinks otherwise.

you may not be so sure if your nipples crack or you get mastitis or you get bit.

you may pretend you've got this. (don't worry, most of us do.)

you are probably good 90% of the time, but even in that 10%, when it feels a little uncertain, you still got this.

you've got liquid gold.

you've got this amazing feeding system (and still a sexy piece of womanhood) right in front of you.

you've got those beautiful cheeks. that sweet sucking noise. those little toes.

you've got calories burning.

you've got a reason to be still and to sit quietly and take it all in.

you've perhaps got a cabinet full of tea, fenugreek, oatmeal and Guinness.

you've got this growing baby. (and a giant, growing heart.)

you've probably got a whole boatload of advice.

you've got this milk stain or two.

and oh you've got support. you do, a sister who's been there, a friend who's still there, a few thousand pumpspotting pals, a few million mamas worldwide doing their thing - through it all - just like you.

you've got strength.

you've got another moment of sleeplessness in you. you've got one more ounce. you've got one more feed.

you've totally, absolutely, got this.

so go on, do your thing radiant woman. and come back whenever you forget.

because what we've got, is your back.