World Breastfeeding Week (Aug 1-7, 2010)
>> Sunday, August 1, 2010
it is the best choice for every baby." Amy Spangler
Breastfeeding is a subject near and dear to my heart. I remember the struggles I had trying to get Piper to latch correctly. How when I was visiting a lactation consultant she would nurse but we would completely fall apart when at home alone. That LC made me feel so inadequate. I felt like it was something that I should know how to do b/c I was a woman and now a mother. Feeding my child should come naturally. It doesn't always work that way for a lot of new mamas and my journey to breastfeeding ended 2 weeks later and I attached myself to a pump for the next 12 months rather than my daughter. My milk had gone away substantially at that time b/c I was 3 months pregnant with our Violet so I threw in the towel. Over the course of that pregnancy I was determined to make breastfeeding work no matter what. Since this was basically my first time as a nursing mama I saw lactation for 2 weeks after she arrived. We worked hard and I happily breastfed our Violet for the next 21 months. Suddenly I am not a person who believes that you magically don't need breast milk anymore when your babe turns a year old. Ruby is still nursing strong at 16 months. When will she stop? I don't know but why fix what isn't broken?
I love that there is a World Breastfeeding Week. Over the course of the next week I will happily visit other mama's blogs from all over the world who are celebrating the week as I am. Breastfeeding is a beautiful thing and I love sharing my story with other ladies that maybe, like me, had a bad experience. I want to encourage them b/c it can be a very beautiful and fulfilling time in their lives, at least it has been for me.
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6 comments:
I had to quit breastfeeding after 8 weeks because I had to start taking meds that would be excreted in breastmilk. That failure was really tough on me. It took me a solid three years to get over it.
I hope this week brings awareness to the benefits without overlooking how tough the task truly is.
I had a few periods where I had some pain, probably due to the babies not latching on properly. That was hard to work through, but I did it. I think I nursed about 9 months for each of my kids and then I moved them directly to the cup, no bottle. :)
With my son, whom I breastfed for 18 months, I never "fully" got into it. I was pumping and I was supplementing with formula. But with my daughter, I was determined to exclusively breastfeed at least for at least a month, which turned to 3, then 6... now she's 3yo and I still nurse her at night. She's not ready to give that up yet, although she says that once she starts kindergarten this fall, she will stop. We'll see. :)
This is fabulous! Breastfeeding is so important. I really wish that I had more support when I was trying to breastfeed with Aiyana. I gave up and had to deal with a lot of mommy guilt for it.
The photo, wow. Look at that eye contact. I miss that so much with Raya now that she's weaned. And you know, here at 28 months, she still occasionally asks to nurse...
I had a really hard time and difficult experience with Bryce. I wanted to breastfeed him, but imagined that it would "just happen". I didn't know it was something you had to work at, and sadly, I gave up on it with him. Funny how something like that can stick with you.
so sweet... i still wish i was nursing owen... but do know my decision to stop was what was best... i still remember those cries he had from starving... and my not producing hardly anything... i mean we almost put him through the torture of having a tube up his lil wee wee to see if his plumbing worked! because he only pee'd once a day for almost 2 weeks :(
hes so content and happy now... but I do still cherish those times we did have... and will try again a 4th time when that comes :)
So glad its going well for you. such a blessing.
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