Motherhood Chats Unfiltered: Cheyenne Traficante


Welcome to our space here! We're so excited to share Cheyenne's motherhood journey as she fought through challenges of teen pregnancy and lack of support and embraced both the difficulties and beauty of motherhood! We hope that her words inspire you onward in your journey!
What was one of your greatest challenges in motherhood?

For me being 17 when I got pregnant was a challenge. Being a child myself, raising a child. I didn’t have family to help. Thankfully my now husband’s grandma was there and she took me under her wing as her own. I still struggled a lot. Postpartum depression, my body changing in ways I didn’t even know were possible, and taking care of a tiny human who literally depended on me. It was all a challenge but it has made me such an amazing mother and person. I’ve grown so much since then and I believe everything happens for a reason, even if i don’t know that reason.


What was one of your greatest joys?

My greatest joy was watching my sweet girl grow up, watching her become a sibling, and watching her flourish into the amazing 8 year old she is now. She taught me more about myself than I could ever imagine. She’s truly a miracle in itself and my greatest joy.


Tell us about your postpartum journey. What caught you by surprise? What was your greatest struggle and how did you work towards overcoming it?

POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION. It was so unexpected. People don’t really talk about it or tell you what to look for- the signs. So having it but not knowing was hard. Thinking to myself, why do I feel like this? I just had the greatest gift God could give and I feel so low? Once I realized I had postpartum depression it was easier, not easy, but easier to overcome. It didn’t happen overnight but just knowing I had it and wasn’t crazy was a start. Becoming a parent, we often lose ourselves and I think in order to stay somewhat sane in this crazy journey called parenthood, we have to remember who we were before children. Never lose sight of US.


Tell us about your breastfeeding journey. Something you learned, something you struggled through, something you loved?

Breastfeeding... wow. It’s hard no doubt about that. When my daughter was born, I was so uneducated, which was really hard for me because I so badly wanted to breastfeed. Being uneducated, not having that support, and not knowing where to go for support was hard and it still breaks my heart to this day. All in all she’s healthy and she’s thriving and that’s what matters. FED is best.

With my son, I was determined, I was way more educated, I somewhat knew what I was doing and I knew where to look for support. It was still such a struggle and some days I wanted to give up, but I didn’t. He had a lip/tongue tie and I cried for weeks, months, after he was born because it hurt so bad. My nipples we’re cracked, bleeding, sore, and every time he’d latch I’d just cry. I kept going because I knew this was my story and I’d be so disappointed in myself if I gave up. He got it revised at a few months old and the change was almost immediately after. From there it was easier, but it was still hard. I mean, having a toddler plus breastfeeding a newborn was difficult, but oh so worth it. He’s 3 1/2 now and I’m pregnant with my 3rd and he’s still breastfeeding. My piece of advice is don’t give up! Find support, find help, you are capable and you can do this!

Have you heard of the benefits of breast massage and did you give it a try in your breastfeeding journey?

I’ve never heard of it but it sounds like something I wish had! (Learn More)


What one piece of advice would you give to new moms?

Nobody is perfect. Nobody has a handbook on being a parent. We all just do what we think is best for our babies. Don’t let anyone tell you any different. Don’t feel guilty if something doesn’t go right because as a parent, more times than not, it doesn't. Always remember you are amazing and your babies love you regardless. They just need your love, your time, and your energy. The rest will all fall into place. Some days you’ll cry, some days you’ll feel like a failure, some days, heck you’ll even want to crawl in a corner and hide, but it’s okay to have bad days. Just get up and keep going because those littles look up to you.
Join Cheyenne on Instagram: @babybumpsandmombuns_

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