it does NOT have to be perfect to exclusively breastfeed your baby.
Before you get giddy and dive head-first into a cheesecake, take a deep breath. Your diet
should include enough calories to sustain your body and enough liquid to keep you hydrated. You
should try to eat well (you know, choose an apple over a brownie every so often, include a variety of whole foods, healthy fats), but we should
all try to eat well, breastfeeding or not. While our bodies do a pretty good job at getting our milk's nutritional content balanced, a healthy diet will positively impact every aspect of your life!
For a long time, I felt frustrated, ashamed and defensive about not nursing my first baby as long as I hoped I would - my initial goal was a year and we made it three months. I had read a little bit about breastfeeding before he was born...