Convinced

She says she wants to breastfeed her baby,
But I’m not convinced.
She says she’s going to help me breastfeed my baby,
But I’m not convinced.
She says it’s too hard and her baby doesn’t like her breasts,
But I’m not convinced.
She says, “It’s okay and we’ll try again next time,”
But I’m not convinced.
She says her nipples hurt and she’s just too tired,
But I’m not convinced.
She says that she understands and is here to support and help me breastfeed my baby,
But I’m not convinced.

What she doesn’t know is that this is the first loving touch I’ve felt in my bruised and battered life,
But I’m not convinced that she understands what I’m feeling.
Maybe if she looked more like me or came from my neighborhood or my situation I could open up to her and she would be more convinced.

But I’m convinced that my baby and I will get through this.

This poem was originally posted on January 18, 2016 as part of HealthConnect One’s MLK Day feature “Birth Work for Equality.“