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sntm
11-12-2003, 03:35 PM
had some wonderful thoughts over the last few days about why i love breastfeeding so much...

first, i love looking at my son and thinking that other than a single sperm, the air he breathes, a few sips of water, and 20 oz of formula at 3 weeks when my supply dropped, every molecule in his body came from me. i grew this wonderful little person for 9 months inside me and i continue to grow him after 5 months on the outside.

second, after his first nighttime feeding last night, rather than put him right back down, i looked in his sweet sleeping face. he started with that lovely pursed lip look that he gets when he finishes nursing, then his eyelids started to twitch as he began to dream and he smiled, first softly, then this tremendous smile, then he started "sucking" and it was delicious to think about him dreaming about nursing.

it makes me so very grateful that i was able to make it through our early tough times and makes me ache for everyone who have tried so hard and can't overcome their breastfeeding problems. thank you again to everyone who has helped me in the past and for those who need help now, i say a prayer for you all and will always be here for questions/support/a shoulder.



shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

Rachels
11-12-2003, 04:01 PM
This is beautiful! Shannon, I'm so glad you made it through the tough spots to get to have a nursing relationship you enjoy and cherish. What a pleasure to read this post!

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

houseof3boys
11-12-2003, 04:56 PM
Are you trying to make me cry Shannon? I was thinking a similar thought this morning as I took my acidophilus pill and gave Ryan his daily dose of bifudus on my finger. I am so thankful that we have overcome the evil bout of thrush we had for 2.5 months and can actually enjoy breastfeeding now without pain. It really is the sweetest feeling. I think at the 4:00 am feeding you notice just how sweet it is when the world is quiet and all you can hear is the sounds they make when they are nursing. I love watching Ryan in the light of the nightlight during those times.

What a beautiful thread about our sweet babies! :)

Rachels
11-12-2003, 08:00 PM
One more thing to look forward to... Abigail is now talking, so she can ask to nurse. Lately, she comes up to me and says, "Nush you, nush you." It's just precious. Tonight she said, "Mommy, nush you a minute." Who can resist that?! It's the sweetest thing ever.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

ethansmom
11-12-2003, 08:09 PM
OK, tears in my eyes!

It's amazing how BF has enabled me to cherish the night feedings!

pritchettzoo
11-12-2003, 09:26 PM
You should put a kleenex warning on this one!

I love that expression too. I love the "ahh" and the sigh and the milk running out of the corner of her perfect little pink mouth. I have to admit that I love it a whole bunch more at say, 9 am than at a wee hour...

Thanks for your sweet, heart-touching post!

Anna
Mama to Gracie (9/16/03)

todzwife
11-12-2003, 09:56 PM
Thank you for this post. It made me all teary!

kwc
11-12-2003, 10:13 PM
Sweetest post ever!

Makes me feel a bit guilty about being mad at 3 month old DD for refusing to take a bottle, ever!

Thank you, Shannon!

Karen

parkersmama
11-12-2003, 10:14 PM
Wow! You really summed it up so well! I believe that my memories of nursing my children will be among my fondest ever. Tonight Parker wanted me to "snuggle" with him so as I was lying there holding him in his bed, I was thinking about how wonderful a little boy he is and how I "grew" him and what it was like nursing him as a baby (and he is SIX now!). I guess those sweet feelings fade a little but never really go away.

Nursing is also fun/sweet/funny with older kids in the house! Recently, Amy Grace was crying and Wesley said, "Mama, she needs some milky from those things. What do you call them? Milky Ways?" LOL! We were all rolling!

lisams
11-12-2003, 11:08 PM
What a heartwarming post. I love watching DD sleep in my arms after falling asleep nursing. It must be the most wonderful feeling to be lying there safe and secure in mommy's arms with a full tummy of warm milk. Does it get any better than that?! Sometimes I wonder what she's dreaming about. I will never forget these moments.
Lisa

jmofarrill
11-12-2003, 11:12 PM
Shannon - what a great post, thank you for sharing. It's wonderful when I remember to stop and just watch Anwyn nurse. She's so content to be in my arms and eating, and when I see her, nothing else matters anymore because she's the only thing that's important.

sophiesmom
11-13-2003, 10:33 AM
Shannon,
Your post touched me too. I'm BF my second, a little boy 6 months now, and while it's been a challenge to BF w/ having a toddler and I've had days where I think I'm ready to start weaning, I still find it an amazing experience. Like you said, it's amazing that for the past 6 months my milk has enabled him to grow... already at 19 lbs 11 oz at 6 months!
When Anthony nurses, he strokes his hand up and down, over my shirt and then to my hand, then back up again and again. It is sooo sweet. Sometimes he'll stop nursing and just look up at me, smile, then go right back! It's also a treasured moment when I'm able to nurse him, and he falls asleep, then I am able to just hold him for a while when he is sleeping (which doesn't happen much w/ #2!). While these times can be frustating w/ 2 little ones, I'm trying to cherish every moment of my children, knowing one day they'll be 'big' and I can't hold them like this anymore!

Stephanie
Sophia 8/4/01
Anthony 5/11/03 mother's day baby

calebsmama03
11-13-2003, 12:26 PM
Shannon~
What a great post, and very timely since today has been one of those "remind me WHY I wanted to be a mommy" days for me. DS has been cranky for nearly 2 MONTHS and has just not been "himself" and I was starting to tire of the constant whining and crying to be picked up, and when I pick him up to be nursed. Your post reminded me why I want to be a mommy and why I love breastfeeding - even if it is frustrating and the blissful moments seem few and far between lately. That sweet sleepy face is priceless!
Thank you.
Lynne
Mommy to Caleb 3/3/03

hez
11-13-2003, 04:03 PM
Thanks for posting this... I'm almost to the point where I absolutely love breastfeeding (our tough times were a little longer than I expected!). Your post (and everyone else's) reminded me of all the good times to look forward to, and makes me glad I was so stubborn to stick it out at the beginning.

Melanie
11-13-2003, 06:15 PM
aaaahhh...I miss those days of the sleepy-suck. Thanks for reminding me & sharing.

Momof3Labs
11-13-2003, 07:49 PM
Thanks for a wonderful post, Shannon, and for reminding us why we do this. And showing new moms why it is worth working through the tough times at the beginning. I've always felt that our struggle made me appreciate nursing a lot more - even now, I prefer to sit and savor the time rather than just "getting it over with."

barbarhow
11-14-2003, 09:12 AM
Okay-so I'm at work and I'm all teary-How beautiful and how true. I totally love bfing. And I, too feel so lucky to have made it through those tough early days of thrush and latch problems. at 6 weeks I was ready to quit. We are now almost 8 months and going strong. I don't mind our middle of the night feeds. There is something so precious about them. He cries, I pick him up cuddle him, feed him-he strokes whatever I happen to be wearing-he pulls off and has that dribble of milk going down his chin...His newest trick is to moan while he is nursing. We were out to dinner for FILs birthday the other night and there I am NIPing and he is moaning up a storm-Everyone at our table got a kick out of it. Thank goodness it is a horrible restaurant (although FIL's favorite) and was not crowded. I love to imagine what his moaning means in words. "Oh yeah, this is the yummiest stuff I have ever tasted. Mmmmmmm. I think I'll have some mousse for dessert. Oh yeah, this is the life."
Thanks Shannon!
Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03
Edited to add-another post that didn't want to post.....

mum1day
11-14-2003, 09:29 AM
Oh-I can't wait to have these experiences with my sweat pea! I'm really looking forward to breastfeeding!