Mother opens up about the painful reality of breastfeeding

'I cannot hide the struggle'

The mother's brutally honest post was welcomed by other mums around the world

A woman’s message about the harsh reality of breastfeeding has gone viral after resonating with mums all over the world.

If you’re a mother, chances are in the early days you heard a lot about what it’s like to breastfeed. How it’s such an incredible bonding experience and provides your little one with all the nutrition they need.

But while that’s definitely true, the blissful images we see plastered across social media don’t typically represent most women’s nursing experience.

As such, mum and photographer, Angela Burzo, took to Instagram to tell it how it is sharing a tear-stained ‘brelfie.’

In the image, Burzo can be seen breastfeeding her tiny baby Aylee who she gave birth to three weeks ago looking exhausted and with tears streaming down her face.

“I love seeing all these beautiful women in their beautiful nursing clothes smiling down at their babes as they lovingly look up back at them hand in hand while breastfeeding away,’ she wrote on Instagram.

“That is not my reality.

“This is real & as much as I want to stay strong and be the soldier I feel I can be I cannot hide the struggle that is BREASTFEEDING.”

The mother goes on to explain how she is often plagued with worry about not producing enough milk, whether her nipples might not be adequate, or whether or not her daughter is latching on properly.

“Today has been full of no naps, sucking and not eating, crying and frustrated parents.

“This photo depicts my reality of this breastfeeding journey so far & that first latch & the pain I endure. Keeping it real.”

Her brutally honest post clearly struck a chord with other mums being shared more than 7,000 times and flooded with supportive comments.

“Thank you for sharing your experience. As a new mum myself, I’ve had so many challenges for which I was not prepared,” one person wrote.

Another agreed adding, “I have experienced the same problems. Thank you for your honesty and courage to keep it real.

“You are not alone.”