World Breastfeeding Week

Not in a million years would I think that I would be writing a post on World Breastfeeding Week when my baby is over a year old. I thought our breastfeeding story would be long done. World Breastfeeding is taking place Aug 1-7, 2014. Their slogan and theme this year is Breastfeeding- A Winning Goal for Life! Part of winning the goal for life  is support. Supporting the mother and baby especially those early days and weeks when breastfeeding is stressful, overwhelming and often painful. Finding those people who were honest with how hard it is makes a difference.  With both kids I had times when breastfeeding was pure torture. With Princess Peach I tortured both of us for 7 weeks and no matter how much support I had from everyone, she just couldn’t latch and wasn’t gaining enough weight. So our breastfeeding experience was very short-lived.

breastfeeding

It’s crazy for me to think that Little Dude is 12.5 months old and I’m still breastfeeding him. Initially, I was planning to make it to three months. Then that turned into 6 and now we are still at it after a year later. Now, he is pretty much weaned but I breastfeed him first thing in the morning and right before bed. Our story is different from Princess Peach. During my pregnancy with Little Dude I was really indifferent to breastfeeding. If it worked out, than great. But if not, than great also. My attitude is that my kids need to eat, so whatever way I can feed them best, I will do without making us miserable. Then Little Dude was born and he latched immediately. That ignited something within me to breastfeed Little Dude no matter what.  That kept me going those few weeks when my nipples were raw and gushing blood. When I went to the ER in a small town and the ER doctor recommendation was to give up and give him a bottle. When I found out he had a tongue tie and would need it clipped. When my boobs were each the size of watermelons and I thought he would be smothered during each feed! But we persevered. We did it. But I couldn’t have done it without the support that I received at the beginning from trained professionals. They really made the world of difference in our journey.

I don’t really feel any more connected to Little Dude than I did to Princess Peach as he was breastfed and she was not. Sometimes I felt it was more of a hindrance than anything because I HATE pumping and I couldn’t leave him with anyone for the fear that he would suddenly become hungry and wouldn’t take a bottle. But when we would snuggle together, all those negative feelings about breastfeeding melted away.

Now that we are weaning, it’s bittersweet. I love that I will have my boobs and body back sooner than later but I will miss all the special 1-to-1 time we have had over the past year. Most days we would fall asleep together after a feed on the couch and snuggle. Now we are still falling asleep snuggling, it is just different. And different is ok. Because to me, breastfeeding was and is my never-ending battle. And I 100% won this battle. I was able to feed my son myself for an entire year. I accomplished what I thought I could never do. It was more of a feat than the actual act of feeding my son. I guess my own selfish need to be able to breastfeed. But I did it! And now, happily we are at the end of our journey and I feel fabulous about it. I would  not have wanted it any other way.

 

Comments

  1. Stopping by from SITS Facebook group today, man I do remember those breast feeding days! For some reason both my kids thought it would be cute to bite me during! Still, I do sometimes miss those moments!

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