"Nursie... night night!" These three words are a plee for comfort from my son. A request to cuddle and nap. A hope of drifting back to sleep from a teeny voice in the night. They are words that create mixed emotion for me as a nursing mama.
Before my son was born I was fearful that I would not be able to nurse him. Considering the fact that my son, now pushing 19 months, has shown no desire to wean, I laugh at the notion. From the first latch I have loved breastfeeding him. But I am going to be honest, at times, it is no picnic (for me anyway!).
In honor of World Breastfeeding week I wanted to share some of my journey, the beautiful moments, the awkward ones, the moments where I have cried in frustration. I support every woman's personal decision to try to breastfeed or not but I am hopeful my words may help encourage mamas who are thinking about it, encourage their loved ones to support it and help normalize breastfeeding for those who are unsure about it. The bottom line is, the best research has informed us that there are countless health benefits of breastfeeding for both mom and baby. If you would like some resources on the nutritional benefits of breast milk I will be glad to share them, please send me a message!
A Few Things I have Learned on my Breastfeeding Journey:
- Support from family and friends is essential. During the first week of nursing my son my husband was a rockstar. He brought me nutritious food, made sure I stayed hydrated, encouraged me during times I wanted to give up and literally was by my side with hot compresses when I needed them. He took an interest in providing the best nutrition for our son and I am beyond grateful for this. We were a team. I think it's time for more significant others to step up to the challenge. Breastfeeding is NOT just about the mother.
- It is so Beautiful. I cannot even describe how amazing it is to snuggle and bond, so closely, with an adorable baby who is gazing up at you. When your little one gets older he or she will take a break, ever so briefly to grin, and I promise you you will melt.
- It Requires Patience: Nursing frequently when your babe is young is very important and normal. I often heard "he's hungry again?!" You bet! If you neglect to nurse on demand you may end up with an uncomfortable situation or mastitis. I nursed my little guy for an hour every 20 minutes for the first few weeks. I had to scramble to get a few things done in my 20 minute window.
- Pumping sucks. I hated it . So much. Finding a suitable place to pump was often a headache. I cried a few times while pumping in my car. Pumping enough milk was also a headache and I had to come to terms with supplementing some formula. But I kept going for a year reminding myself that being a mama does not come without some sacrifice!
- Unfortunately, it is not yet the "norm," I cannot even count the number of times I nursed in public and someone stopped to say they were inspired by me (mostly mamas-to- be and one father actually!) or impressed at my ability to gently wrangle and discreetly nurse a squiggling baby at the restaurant table.
- It comes in Handy: Nursing is number one in my bag of tricks for soothing an inconsolable toddler. I sometimes worry I am giving my son a dependence on it, but then I have to remind myself it is part of our relationship and how he seeks comfort from me when he is tired, upset or just bumped his head on the table! In the early days it was also very handy not to worry about packing formula everywhere we went.
- You can Still Sleep : I found the best way to handle sleep and nursing was to cosleep. I had no interest in doing the zombie shuffle a few times per night and a family bed is something that can be done safely with proper precaution. We also found an Arm's Reach cosleeper helpful. I know many mothers who still got plenty of sleep while nursing without cosleeping too.
- You never have a Break. If you are away from baby you have to pump. If your little one is older and still nurses for sleep, you will likely be thinking about them wailing and wide awake the whole time you are away. Or you may forgo date nights and outings because of this altogether. Also, too many glasses of vino? Not gonna work.
- You get to Eat More: About 500 calories more per day to be exact. And, lactation cookies are an awesome excuse to eat lots of cookies.
- It so Valuable: The biggest thing I have learned is how truly valuable every ounce of breast milk is. I took nothing for granted. In learning this I now know where the phrase "cry over spilled milk" must come from (been there...)!
All in all the journey has been absolutely worth it!
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