As an inexperienced mother, I took great pride in breastfeeding my first born son for 3 1/2 years. I felt a great power and satisfaction in that I am all my son needs to sustain himself the first few months of life. It really became to me a point where I feel confident about being his mother and happy about the options I took.
With this choice of breastfeeding, I run into a whole host of other problems. People who need to constantly offer and give their unsolicited advice. They give you advice about how much to carry your child, about what to feed him, about what to what to what…frankly after a while it all blends in, and nothing makes sense. What does make sense is that this is your child and you are responsible for their nutrition, their clothing, their emotional well being and a whole host of other things that comes with parenting. And what makes it horrible about the advice is that given with all the best intentions of the world, it may be incorrect.
My son was inconsolable. I felt I wasn’t making enough milk. I couldn’t put him down. I reached out to La Leche and someone suggested that I should not drink milk, it could be affecting the baby. At first I said to myself, get rid of milk, that’s probably the only nutritious thing I can eat on a regular basis. Wrong! I thought about my friend was on a diet where she lost tons of weight, by getting rid of exactly that milk. When I began to read and saw that this was actually a good option, I chose to do so but for a different reason. At every chance I get, I think of ways that I can include other foods in my diet that are natural and animal free.
I love natural things. I like things that come from nature. I like things that make me feel good. Breastfeeding is natural and it makes me feel good. For some reason, other people don’t like it. They don’t understand it, they don’t want to see you doing it, they think that it’s inferior and wrong. I have select to not give into other people desires. I read all the information. I pack myself with support from other people that are doing the same thing. I do what I want and what makes sense to me.
I planned a natural birth. I wanted to push, and say no to the epidural. The story changed, at about 34 weeks gestation, I was diagnosed with oligo hydromanus (low amniotic fluid). I was induced for vaginal birth, but after twelve hours of horrifying and painful labor, my son's heart rate began to drop. They suggested that he might be in distress and said that I need a ceasarian section. Shortly after my son was born, and fortunately he only spent seven days in the NICU and continued thriving and growing. Naturally, next time, I prepared for a VBAC!
It doesn’t work all the time! Things are not perfect! You know what! It’s going to have to work. As the good old saying goes, "if there is a will there is a way." It’s going to have to take its toll, happiness, fairness and honesty will demand it's place and that all I want. By the grace of God, I will continue to do what I can to be the best, live each day the best I can, and do what is best for us, for my children and I.
Learning to LOVE
To Nicolas
I was the size of a needle one day
began to nourish myself in your space
working to change your ordinary taste
your guitar body and your tiny waist
to taking up all of your time
to waking you up every night
Yes, Mom, enjoy the moments of sleep
inside I will be very brief,
I will be falling asleep in your arms
outside of your womb, I will charm
to rousing you up every night
to captivating all your time
I had a full set of hair at birth
my tiny person had perfect health
Mommy, I need you to feed me colostrum
comfort me, hold me, build my bones strong
help me combat the bacteria with milk
my little tongue and slobber will speak
to the nipple to formulate the antibodies that kill
those exact germs that can possibly make me ill
Bear in mind, my tiny hands will grab,
catching a grip of your sweet, sensitive heart
when I rolled up into this intimidating world,
at your affectionate breast I radiate and bond,
to waking you up every single night
to taking up all your central time
Making you fall in love with me
with every shrieking goo and ooh and eee
kindhearted smiles, squeals, laughs, chants
Now, seventeen pounds of humanity
to waking you up with a gentle shove
screaming in delight and learning to LOVE
by Boriquita
January 26, 2005
Now for my favorite breastfeeding sites to visit:
Breastfeeding Support & Information
La Leche ...Your local support Breastfeeding group! Tienes la opcion de verlo en Español!
http://www.lactivist.com ... A warehouse of Breastfeeding Information
Dr. Sear's Breast is Best Info
http://www.kellymom.com ... The Extended Breastfeeding Fact Sheet
Breastfeeding and WIC in NJ
They provide pumps and increased food stipends for nursing moms!
http://www.state.nj.us/health/fhs/wic/breastfeedingpromsupp.shtml
Nursing Clothes
Motherwear ... This site sells cool nursing clothes...
Co-Nursingwear ... More nursing clothes
My Nursingwear ...Nursing has never been so beautiful, according to Lori Bailie
The Dangers of Not Breastfeeding
International Baby Food Action Network ... This site talks about how breastfeeding is undermined, and the international code!
You have a choice of Languages here! Puedes leer informacion en esta pagina en Español!
Not Milk ... An index of tons of websites...Why you should not drink or feed your baby cow's milk!
Milk Sucks ... More info about the danger's of cow's milk!
En Español
Propiedades de La Leche Materna
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