Parenting

Melissa Rycroft Has Heartbreaking Breastfeeding Story

ParentingPublished Jun 30, 2011
By Lindsay Mannering
baby bottle

Melissa Rycroft from Dancing With the Stars and Bachelor fame opened up to Celebrity Baby Scoop about her 5-month-old daughter Ava Grace. The dancer and new mom, 28, says that she loves being a mother (duh!) and that she loves watching her husband Tye Strickland bond with their baby girl (aaw!).

While everything seems perfect on the outside, there's one thing she could change about her life if she could. Melissa admits that she isn't breastfeeding, despite her best efforts.

Melissa, an accomplished dancer, had breast reduction surgery at the age of 19. She knew that the reduction might ruin her chances at breastfeeding, but was optimistic.

I would sit and pump for hours and hours and hours and produced nothing. Not even a drop would come out. It was a tough decision to give up trying. I really wanted to give it a shot and I really wanted to bond with her that way.

I can understand Melissa's frustration and I admire her for trying. Breastfeeding seems like a natural way to feed your child and to bond with them in a special way, so I'm sure it was very tough for her to realize that she would never be able to do so.

Obviously, breastfeeding is the No. 1 thing you can do for your child, and when it's not an option, it's hard. But I had to come to terms with the fact that I just can't do it. She's thriving, she's happy, and she's healthy and she did that without mom's help

While Melissa has the right attitude about what she can and can't do, it makes me scared to think that what I do now could affect what kind of mother I could be in the future. Most of my fears about pregnancy are exaggerated, but Melissa's story is a reminder that decisions I think I'm making for myself, and only myself, could affect my unborn child.

I'm not scheduled for any surgeries, and my biggest health concern is likely the one or two Diet Cokes I have a week, but who knows what I'm doing that could be harmful to fertility or a baby. I mean, I doubt resting my laptop on my stomach to watch movies in bed is a good idea ... stuff like that.

Great, now I'm getting freaked out again! Sheesh.

Was there anything you did pre-pregnancy that affected the things you wanted to do when the baby arrived?

Photo via narissa's ring/Flickr

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