Bachelor in Paradise star Carly Waddell has recently opened up about how the reality of her postpartum experience has not met her expectations.
Waddell, who gave birth to son Charles “Charlie” Wolfe on November 12, posted an image of herself on Instagram exemplifying the pain of breastfeeding — literally. The pic showed her holding cabbage leaves over her chest to relieve the pain of engorgement.
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“I had all these hopes and dreams that postpartum would be easier this time. But I still ache. I’m healing. I’m [tired],” she wrote in the candid post.
Waddell continued in the post that her daughter, Bella, was a colicky baby. Waddell had breastfed for months because she was told that was “best,” but when she switched to formula she was a “new, happy little baby.”
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Though she hoped the experience with Charlie would be different, after struggling for a couple weeks, Waddell made the decision to switch to formula. “Within a bottle or two he was so happy. He stopped crying. He could relax. He could sleep. He smiled,” she wrote after making the switch.
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Waddell found that she was not alone. Many of her fans commented to thank her for being so honest about her experience.
“Extremely real, extremely brave,” one said.
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“Every Mom has to do what is best for them! Do not feel ashamed for not breastfeeding,” another fan wrote.
In her post, Waddell noted that there is a lot of societal pressure to breastfeed, but this time, she said, she listened to her gut and “did what was best for my child.” “He is soooo happy and that is all that matters,” she said.