by Sarah Gabel Seifert

If there’s one topic that deserves far more attention in conversations around women’s health, postpartum wellness, and infant development, it’s breastfeeding.

Honestly, breastfeeding should be one of the headline topics in every health magazine.

Why?

Because few things offer such profound benefits for both mom and baby — physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually.

As a mom of two and the founder of EveryLife, breastfeeding has been one of the most transformative parts of my motherhood journey.

But I’ll be honest: it didn’t come easily at first.

With my first daughter, breastfeeding came with challenges. It required persistence, humility, asking for help, and a lot of prayer. There were difficult moments early on, but I felt deeply convicted to keep going because I believed in the bond it could create and the nourishment it could provide.

And I’m so grateful I did.

I’ll never forget the first time it truly clicked — the moment my daughter latched well and nursed efficiently. I remember sitting there with tears in my eyes, making eye contact with her, watching her little body relax as she filled up and drifted into that sweet post-feed satisfaction they call being “milk drunk.”

After all the effort it took to get there, that moment felt unforgettable.

I went on to breastfeed my first daughter until she was ready to wean.

I chose to continue because I knew my milk was continuing to adapt to her needs, providing antibodies, immune support, and nutrients specifically designed for her growing body. Science tells us that breast milk is dynamic — changing composition to support a baby’s development and even adapting when they’re fighting illness.

That reality still amazes me.

The female body is extraordinary.

And the benefits extend far beyond nutrition.

For me, breastfeeding became a daily invitation to slow down.

As a working mom building EveryLife, life is often full — responsibilities, decisions, meetings, constant motion. Breastfeeding created intentional pauses throughout my day where I had no choice but to stop, sit still, and be fully present.

Those moments became sacred.

I would sit in my nursing chair, hold my daughter close, thank God for her life, pray over her future, and reflect on the gift of being her mother.

And every single time I stood up, I felt renewed.

More grounded. More focused. More alive.

In a world that constantly tells mothers to move faster and do more, breastfeeding became an invitation to resist that pace. It gave me permission to be still, reject the world’s striving, and remember my “why” — my family.

It also shifted how I viewed my postpartum body.

We live in a culture that pressures women to “bounce back” almost immediately after birth. There’s this expectation that moms should quickly return to looking and feeling like they did before pregnancy.

But breastfeeding reminded me that postpartum isn’t a season to rush through.

Your body is doing extraordinary work.

Producing breast milk requires immense energy — burning significant calories as your body continuously creates nourishment for your baby. It supports postpartum healing and is associated with meaningful long-term health benefits for mothers, including reduced risks of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

Breastfeeding doesn’t just nourish babies.

It supports mothers, too.

And for babies, the benefits are remarkable.

Breast milk contains antibodies that help protect against infections, supports immune development, and has been associated with lower rates of ear infections, respiratory illnesses, and gastrointestinal infections. It is nourishment uniquely designed for that child in that exact season of life.

That’s incredible.

But if I’m being honest, the greatest benefit for me has always been the connection.

There is something impossible to fully describe about the bond created in those quiet feeding moments — the closeness, the trust, the exchange of comfort and nourishment.

Yes, breastfeeding can be demanding.

It takes time.

It requires sacrifice.

There are moments when it can feel restrictive or exhausting, and I understand why some women feel intimidated by it.

But I’ve found that when you stop viewing breastfeeding as something that limits you and begin seeing it as something that grounds you, everything changes.

What can feel confining becomes freeing.

What feels inconvenient becomes deeply meaningful.

Now, with my second baby — who is nine months old and still breastfeeding — the experience has come even more naturally.

And I know that’s because of everything I learned the first time.

The challenges I worked through with my first daughter equipped me for this season. Looking back, I’m so thankful I stayed the course.

Breastfeeding has strengthened my bond with both of my children, supported my own health and wellbeing, and reminded me again and again of the beauty and brilliance of God’s design for motherhood.

I believe we need to normalize breastfeeding more boldly in our culture.

Mothers should feel supported feeding their babies wherever they are.

When we create a culture that honors motherhood, supports breastfeeding, and celebrates these natural rhythms instead of making women feel hidden or ashamed, families thrive.

And in a time when so many mothers are struggling with isolation and postpartum mental health challenges, I believe embracing and supporting practices that foster connection matters deeply.

To every mom in the early days wondering if it’s worth it:

Ask for help.

Give yourself grace.

Stay patient.

Pray through the hard moments.

Sometimes the most beautiful parts of motherhood are the ones we have to fight for.

And for me, breastfeeding has been one of them.

Sarah Gabel Seifert is the Founder & CEO of EveryLife, America’s only pro-life diaper company, and a mother of two who believes every child is a gift from God worthy of celebrating and protecting. She is the creator of the ReThink Pregnancy campaign, a joint initiative between EveryLife and AAPLOG (American Academy of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists) dedicated to giving women the full, scientifically accurate, and beautifully true picture of what pregnancy is and does. Learn more at rethinkpregnancy.com.

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
2. CDC — About Breastfeeding
3. CDC — Infant and Toddler Nutrition: Breastfeeding
4. CDC — Breastfeeding Frequently Asked Questions
5. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
6. American Academy of Pediatrics — Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk
7. World Health Organization — Breastfeeding
8. Office on Women’s Health (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services)
9. Recent Research on Breastfeeding and Long-Term Breast Cancer Protection