Woman who suffered severe fire burn breastfeeds child despite pain, says she want to encourage other young mums

 

34 year old Schamica Stevenson was badly burned at the age of two, in a house fire in the US state of Michigan.

She didn't breastfeed her first child but decided to try this time.

"I wanted to share my story to help others not give up like I did when I was 20," she's told Newsbeat from her home in America.

"As long as their breasts work they should be used the way nature intended them to be."

She's been having skin grafts for most of her life and says she was worried getting pregnant for the first time at the age of 20 because of the scars on her stomach.

Anaesthesiologists also couldn't give the 34-year-old an epidural for her pain because of the scarring. see more pictures below

Mimi, who now works as a medical assistant, says that the first time round she didn't have time to breastfeed but wanted to try this time.

She also says she wanted to try because she'd watched her sister-in-law and cousin breastfeed all their children.

 

 

US photographer Ivette Ivens shared the photo of Mimi on her Facebook page, calling her a "Mother of two. Fire survivor. Warrior. Breastfeeder".

With 14 years between pregnancies, as well as two miscarriages, Mimi says it was incredibly hard to breastfeed her son Josia.

She says she had low milk supply and had to feed her baby with a pump and syringe to start with.

"The lactation nurses helped me out a lot at the hospital," she says.

"I remember she said, 'This is not going to feel good,' as she tugged and pulled at my breasts.

"It killed but I was determined to have that breastfeeding bond with my son.

"I even pumped every three hours after each feeding while still at the hospital but noticed I wasn't getting much out."

 

Despite having burn marks, Mimi says she hopes her photos will inspire other mothers to have confidence in their own bodies.

"It breaks my heart that people feel suicidal over their image," she says. "Then there's me - not a care in the world - walking around as if I look like Beyonce or Tamar Braxton.

"I didn't get my confidence overnight obviously, but I'm so glad I have it now.

"There are days I get down because I'm human, but I bounce right back and thank God for my life and my beautiful babies I was able to birth and now nurse."

credit: bbc newsbeat