16 photos that show the everyday beauty of breastfeeding

What was breastfeeding like for you?

Was it easy and natural? Was your supply good and your newborn’s latch instinctual? Did you enjoy those countless hours spent with your baby at your breast, looking into her sleepy face and feeling fulfilled?

Or was it a struggle? Was it painful? Did you feel awkward and uncertain, dreading each time you had to feed your child?

Both stories are common, and both are completely normal. For most moms, their experience of breastfeeding probably falls somewhere in the middle of those two extremes. Their journeys had highs and lows, tough moments and peaceful ones.

That very broad spectrum is part of what Canadian photographer Ashley Marston loves about capturing mothers’ breastfeeding stories.

“I am a birth and lifestyle/documentary family photographer, so to me, this is another part of ‘life’ that I’m passionate about capturing,” Ashley, a mom-of-three herself, tells BabyCenter. “The bond between mothers and babies while [nursing] is really something. And it always opens a dialogue about their journey. Maybe it was tough in the beginning, maybe they are having to supplement, or perhaps the session is to celebrate two years of successful breastfeeding. Every mom has a reason for wanting to have it photographed, and I just love being able to celebrate that with them.”

What better time to celebrate that relationship than during World Breastfeeding Week? To mark the occasion, Ashley has shared some of her beautiful images with us. Take a look:

Photo by Ashley Marston Photography. Visit Ashley's web site or follow her on Facebook to see more of her birth and lifestyle photos.

My own breastfeeding story has more highs than lows. We got off to a difficult start, my daughter and I, and things never really improved. I saw a lactation consultant, I pumped, I tried very hard. And eventually I just stopped.

Despite that, I’m a very strong supporter of every mother’s right to breastfeed where, when and for however long she chooses. No woman should ever be made to feel guilty or ashamed or embarrassed or self-conscious for nurturing or feeding her child. Ever.

While advocacy efforts like World Breastfeeding Week have made strides toward normalize nursing, we still hear too many stories of breastfeeding moms being asked to leave, to cover up, to explain themselves. Ashley hopes that photos like these will help people realize how completely natural breastfeeding really is. Along with dozens of other professional photographers, Ashley is working on a Public Breastfeeding Awareness Project that criss-crosses the globe.

“It’s a wonderful project and really brings awareness to the issues and stigma with feeding your baby out in the real world,” she says. “The hope is, the more people see it, the more normal it will become…. We hope that the images these moms see on their news feeds, will empower them to go out and not feel as though they need to rush home and feed their babies.”

What was breastfeeding like for you?

Thanks to Ashley Marston for sharing her beautiful work with us. Be sure to visit her web site and follow her on Facebook to see more.

20 best breastfeeding tips from real moms: