Nursing

If you know me, you know that I am a big breastfeeding advocate. I nursed my son, Danny, for ten months before he quit on his own. I wasn't devastated that he self weaned before a year, pumping was hard and I was going to school at odd hours, so my supply was always confused. I would have liked to get him to the magical year mark, but I knew that since he stopped on his own it was his time to stop.

I can't write about my nursing experience without giving credit to my wonderful cousin, Kathryn. She is a labor and delivery nurse, and she gave me so much support before my son was born, and after. I had a very, VERY hard time nursing in the beginning, and I can say with complete honesty (and no shame), that I would have quit after the first week had Kathryn not shamed me into continuing no matter how hard it was. She, after all, nursed her first child even though she had a much, much rougher delivery and recovery than I had. I knew I couldn't face seeing her at the annual family reunion if I was giving Danny a bottle of formula. I am so thankful for her encouragement and support, because I know how good BFing was for Danny. Nursing Danny helped keep him well even though he was seeing three different babysitters a week, and I was bringing home germs from my college campus. It really was our liquid gold.

If you really know me, then you know that I had to listen to a lot of static about my decision to nurse my son. I had people pushing formula on me, telling me how gross it was that I nursed, how weird my boobs looked, how my baby (at 8 weeks old) was "too big for that." I even had people in my own family show how appalled they were when I would nurse at family gatherings.

All of these naysayers really put a damper on my experience as a new mom. I didn't know how to stand up for myself, and I was so shocked by some of the things that were said to me that I couldn't even muster up words of response.

I have been thinking about this a lot lately. My due date is at the end of next month, I know I'll be nursing around a lot of the same people who gave me hell when I nursed Danny. All I can say is those people might want to watch what they say. I am a seasoned mom now, I am not too shocked by any of the rude things people say to me to come up with a response now, and I am very much ready to stick up for myself and my choice to breastfeed my daughter. I am certainly not looking for a fight, but I am not going to take any of the abuse that I took last time.

I know that the female body wasn't designed the way it was to be looked at and admired, although it is a beautiful thing. We were designed to grow babies and nurse them through infancy. It angers me when people, especially other women, act as if breasts were meant to be decorations, and nursing your child from them is gross, obscene or inappropriate. If you see me nursing my daughter, know that I am only doing what my body was designed for, and giving my daughter the absolute best nutrition that she needs.

Happy World Breastfeeding week!