Motherwear's Breastfeeding Carnival

Welcome, Motherwear blog Carnival of Breastfeeding readers!

My 2009 Breastfeeding Goals

Since becoming a mother 3 years ago, I have learned more than I thought possible, both about myself and who I would become as a parent. Without having a mother to turn to and ask a lot of specific questions, and only a couple girlfriends who’d had babies before me, I felt lost at times. I’m grateful that I did have a mentor in my life previous to my becoming a mom who casually told me about some of her child-raising experiences including co-sleeping, cloth diapering, child-wearing, and breastfeeding. When I finally had my first son, I knew that for me, not breastfeeding was not an option. That decision cost me a lot of tears in those first few weeks while Shea and I tried to establish a good latch and routine. Sure, I read a few books, some even with great pictures, but I didn’t feel brave enough asking for outside help.
Something magical happened around six weeks when it seemed as if Bear just “got it,” and our nursing experience became the sweet bonding time I’d heard and read about. When my second son was born, I again knew that breastfeeding would be the only way for us. Imagine my dismay when due to some glucose problems he had in the hospital, the nursery staff did not allow me to nurse him for almost our whole duration after labor. I almost gave up completely because he just would not nurse after the ease and ready milk provided by the hospital bottles. It took almost a full 24 hours with both of us frustrated before he gave in, nursed, and we successfully nursed for a year, and now I’m pregnant with my third child.
My breastfeeding goal for 2009 is just to relax and to be brave. With Bear, I discovered a few like-minded moms through AP forums and websites, and I secretly envied their ability to nurse in public with no qualms. With Bunkin, I got much braver and said “My baby comes first!” and was able to feed without too much self-consciousness. My breastfeeding advocacy has been mostly word-of-mouth, encouraging new moms of the benefits of breastfeeding, although I did join the Facebook group Hey, Facebook, Breastfeeding is Not Obscene. For me, relaxing and enjoying this new little one is paramount to what I have planned in 2009. If there are opportunities to share about my experiences, I would love to be an encouragement to any mom or mom-to-be, and encourage her to relax and be brave as well, because breastfeeding is truly a blessing. Breastfeeding is so much more than just milk, although at it's most base, at least it's about that! But thankfully it can also be about closeness, fingers entwined, baby eyelashes against baby cheeks, and that slow, steady breathing that means the world, for a while, is at peace.

(a picture of me and Bunkin when he was about 4 weeks old)


Check out some of the other breastfeeding goals (I'll update as the posts go live!)
Beautifulletdown
Hobomama
zen-mommy
Motherwear
Milkact
Breastfeeding123
Blactating
Breastfeeding123
Mamaknowsbreast
Breastfeedingmums

Being still and quiet

I remember my sweet friend Brownie and I having a conversation about nursing after our firstborns had arrived, the gist being that nursing forced us to stop for a minute, stop whatever hectic-ness might be going on around us, because that was best for Baby. And it's true. There have been times when I most certainly have NOT appreciated the brakes on a project when Bunkin needs comfort or food, but in really having to sit down and focus on this sweet act of nutrition (both physical and emotional), I am better able to enjoy my baby, enjoy my role as udder Mommy. The extra experience I now have with two has helped me appreciate how short this time lasts, although having a demanding toddler and a little one has its challenges as well. We've all been sick this week, and both boys have subsequently been extra needy and extra cuddly, giving me many moments where I've had to just BE. Be Mommy. Be hugs. Be comfort. Be food. And all of this whether I felt like it or not. I've had many chances at being still, something I struggle with sometimes. At one point, as I was nursing Bunkin and he was just holding on, I knew that no matter what, I didn't want to be anywhere else at that moment. Definitely not cleaning the dishes, folding the laundry, or even browsing the Internet. I am grateful for the built-in timer that God has given me as a mommy to stop and be still and to know that he is God, Father, for how can I not see Him in the gifts he has given me, especially as I gaze at my children? And just for the record, the breast isn't the only way to stop and bond, it's just the one I have right now. And also for the record, I do not feel as mushy-gushy about nursing when I have a little piranha biting me or keeping me awake all night!

What's in a name?

As everyone is aware, in Real Life (you know, that place I go to escape the daily grind of Blogland ;) my sons' names are not Bear and Bunkin. Shocker, I know. Bear earned his moniker honestly by growling as a teeny one, melting our hearts. However, at some point much further down the road, I also started calling him Bunkin (I have a thing for nicknames, even to the point of elongating a name if it's only one syllable). So, when Bunkin(2) was on the way, I thought and thought about the possibilities. Alas, suffering from "Mommy brain" I could not think of anything new, so he got dubbed Bunkin, and Bear reclaimed the name of his infancy. Bunkin did eventually gain a name of his own, and we like to call him "C-bug cuteness." Not sure where the animal theme comes from, but let me just tell you, I think C-bug needs a new animal. Yes, he's got as many rolls as a rolly-polly (pill bugs for anyone not raised in the South), but that just seems too easy. Tonight it hit me. Literally. As I nursed my little guy to sleep, I had the thought that there is no way I could have been any other mammal in another life and had to nurse a whole litter. The pawing and shoving and arm batting and sheer force of movement involved in feeding a 6-month-old learning how his body works is ... um, annoying, to say the least. He's positively acrobatic. Like, for instance, a monkey, only he pinches my chest and attempts to stay latched while investigating that cool sound up on the ceiling, and oh! what was that? it was Big Brother, surely that requires a look, too, but mmmm, I'm still attached to mommy! My little monkey seems to flip, swing around, and do the twist on my boobs. So, I am hereby changing his online name to Monkey. I have a feeling Monkey-see/Monkey-do will be a factor as he observes Big Brother in life, so I might as well prepare myself for that now.

Snapshots of a mommy

You know how the hypothetical question goes:if an alien were to come to Earth, what conclusions would they come up with based on a limited scenario? I laughed at the walk-away possibilities yesterday as I realized I spent the majority of my day sitting cross-legged on the couch nursing Bunkin. That alone is not all that humorous; however, the fact that I had my boob hanging out of my shirt all day is. I didn't realize how much I tend to do other things when nursing him, and so when he'd fall asleep, I just kept doing my thing....oops. Hope the aliens weren't taking pictures!
I saw a list online somewhere (wish I could link it for you, but I can't remember where I saw it) asking moms what they'd had to say goodbye to since having kids. Some of the responses were taking showers before noon, talking coherently, trim bodies and perky breasts (of which I've never know the fortunes of, believe me!), etc. Someone else then suggested what are the things you've gotten to say hello to since having a baby, and I like this line of thinking so much more, so I thought I'd share some of my favorite things since having my own two beautiful boys.
~ Learning the power housed within my own body to be able to carry and deliver a healthy child. God is amazing!
~ Smiles that can literally bring you to tears (did I mention Bunkin is smiling all the time now?!)
~ How big little hands are; Bear thinks he can do anything.... stack blocks, open the refrigerator, even grab the gallon of milk when he's thirsty, but he still needs Mommy's hand to walk down the stairs, and he still volunteers hugs when he is feeling cuddly. And Bunkin's little fingers are so tiny, but he has a GRASP!
~ While my own laguage skills have devolved, I have learned the intricate complexities of baby babbling.
~ The sweetest smell in the world: a clean baby!

What are your favorite things?