Ashley Greene’s breastfeeding journey didn’t exactly begin as she expected.
Speaking to PEOPLE about her partnership withTommee Tippee, theTwilightstar gets candid about her experience with the fourth trimester and nursing daughterKingsley Rainn, 5 months, sharing that the journey has been “emotionally draining.”
“I’m very big on preparing, and I kind of had everything figured out up until she was born. And then everything that came after was a rude awakening for me,” says Greene. “Until you experience it, it’s hard to really prepare yourself for it. And I think it’s not spoken about a ton.”
The actress, 36, who shares her daughter with husband Paul Khoury, admits nursing Kingsley was “one of the worst experiences in the beginning.”
“I thought breastfeeding was a natural part of the progression of having a child. I just assumed things would kick in, and it really didn’t,” she explains. “It was mentally such a struggle. We want nothing more than to have this blissful, beautiful connection with your child through breastfeeding. And when that doesn’t happen, it’s very difficult not to blame yourself.”
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While Greene says she initially pulled back from sharing her challenges in the fourth trimester, she hopes that being open about her experience now will help others going through similar struggles.
“I’m excited to be able to share [my experience] because I think it is important that people know the way. I’ve made it through to the other side and it will be okay,” she says.
“It’s incredible the amount of love that they have for you. All of a sudden, I feel like everything that used to be so stressful just doesn’t matter,” she adds. “There’s such a bigger picture now.”
Helping Greene through the fourth trimester is Tommee Tippee’s newMade For Me In-Bra Wearable Breast Pump, which the actress calls “magical” as it allows her to “have the freedom to navigate and multitask while creating life for my child.”
Greene also tells PEOPLE about some of her favorite moments with Kingsley, including the “little nighttime routine” she has with the infant.
“My husband and I have, since she was born, sang to her,” she shares. “And so now as one of her mechanisms to kind of self sooth and put herself to sleep, she’ll sing too. She’ll sing along with us and it’s the sweetest thing.”
“Being a mom is difficult, but she looks into my eyes and it’s incredible,” she adds.
For more on Ashley Greene’s breastfeeding journey, pick up the new issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere Friday.
source: people.com
