{This is a post I wrote a week or so ago that never got posted... and I added to it at the bottom...}
You knew it wouldn't be long before a breastfeeding related post came up.
As I have gotten more involved with the breastfeeding community, I've found that a lot of "lactavists" are very extreme in their beliefs. It is their way and their way only. I LOVE breastfeeding. I think it is a beautiful thing when women choose and/or are able to breastfeed their babies. It is absolutely the BEST thing for your baby. There is no debating that. It is worth the fight, BUT I went through that battle. Not to toot my own horn, but most women would have given up. So I can understand why a woman might give up. And I have no judgement against women who do not breastfeed. As a breastfeeding counselor... I see myself as simply a support person for women who do want to breastfeed their baby. I like to encourage women to at least try, and educate them on why its such an amazing thing.
That being said, I have also found that women who did not successfully breastfeed are also extreme in their feelings against breastfeeding. Maybe its jealousy. Maybe its insecurity. I don't know. And they want to discourage breastfeeding. I recently had this happen to me.
I have a new friend who did not successfully breastfeed her baby. Through some of the conversations I had with her, I mentioned weaning, Milo nursing to sleep, etc. Basically, she asked if I had weaned, I said, "No I lost my motivation for weaning." {Will explain in a minute} And she said well you can still wean without a reason... implying I should stop. She was encouraging me to wean. Why do I have a problem with this? 1. She is discouraging me from doing something that is GOOD. No. GREAT for my son.
The AAP recommends nursing to at least a year. The WHO suggests to the age of two. And the natural age of weaning for a human, based on the natural age of weaning for mammals in nature, is between 4-5 years old. Now I don't plan on nursing Milo that long... but nursing a toddler still has a LOT of benefits.
1. That wonderful bond. 2. Still wonderfully nutritious. 3. Helps baby fight infections, keeping them healthy and helps build a strong immune system. 4. Comfort, pain management.
Milo has been cutting four molars at once... two are in, two are very close. During this time, he has done a lot of nursing because it is comforting, easing the discomfort of teething. On these oh so hot days... I don't worry about Milo becoming dehydrated or not having enough water... breastmilk does the trick! And as Milo becomes more and more independent and busy... I cherish those moments of skin to skin, nursing and snuggling.
My friend is simply wrong.
To explain losing my motivation... We were seriously considering baby number two. With IVF that would require full weaning. We started some gently weaning and Milo actually did very well... he was down to only nursing once or twice in a 24 hours period. But, I had a sleepless night where I think God was just saying... Not yet. And I was so relieved when we decided to wait a while longer. With that decision... I said, "Well I'm going to keep nursing Milo then." I struggled with weaning earlier than planned or try for another baby. And I think for now, we made the right decision.
OK... Time for some hubby time. {To the person who left the last comment. Thank you.}
::
So a while back my IVF doctor told me I shouldn't nurse past a year because it was unnecessary and "a lot of milk." That really bothered me initially. But I sucked it up and got over it. Then today, because we are doing six month follow up stuff on my lung nodules, the pulmonary and cardiac specialist told me we would need to do another CT scan with contrast. I said that I was still breastfeeding and confirmed that I will need to pump and dump. His response was not, yes... you need to pump and dump. His response was, "Well home much longer are you planning to breastfeed?" I don't know. Does it matter? It just made me feel like I shouldn't be breastfeeding. It just shocked me that our nation's specialists, our highly educated medical professionals... are questioning breastfeeding beyond a year. Again. The WHO recommends breastfeeding to two! So there.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
West Virginia
We made a quick little run up to Morgantown last weekend to see Nathan's family. {My parents were also going up, on the way to PA to see some family... so we had another opportunity to have Milo with both sets of grandparents together.} Anyway, it was a wonderful trip. Milo traveled really well. We stopped probably every two hours to let him stretch a bit, but all in all he did very well.
The older Milo get's the more and more fun we have with him. He had a blast on Uncle Freddie's farm. There were chickens, dogs, a cat, a pony, his cousins! He also got to go to Aunt Lisa's house up in the mountains, which again was a blast with the four wheeler he got to sit on, Uncle Steve's stuffed trophies, and more cousins! It had been six months since he had seen his cousins, aunts, uncles, and great-grandma, but he really warmed up to everyone so quickly.
Its really amazing how our kids personalities are evident so early on. Milo is proving to be very warm and loving. But in a more deep way. Nathan's Uncle Chip is usually intimidating to most people. His mom said that they were in a store, and the clerk asked his mom if he needed any help instead of directly asking him. I think its the long beard and biker look (he is really a biker, and looks the part for sure.) While Milo wouldn't have any reason to understand why that would be intimidating, I think a lot of kids would still be a little stand-off-ish. Not Milo. He instead tickled Uncle Chip's feet.
But the most heart warming thing to see was the way Milo and his great-grandma interacted together. She adores him. I mean... adores him. I'm pretty certain he's the first thing she thought of when she'd wake up and the last thing she'd think about when she went to sleep. And while her dementia induced temperament is normally, less than chipper, Nathan's mom says she is a different person when Milo is there. He brings her so much joy. And he really seems to sense that. While she'd have her feet propped up in the recliner, he'd walk over and put his head on her legs, or tickle... even kiss her feet. When she'd nod off, he'd sneak over beside her and stare at her. Within a couple seconds, I think Susie would sense he was there, and wake up with a giant grin on her face. Knowing that they get to have that special little relationship is
so neat. But at the same time, we have several other grandparents who we really wish had gotten to meet our sweet little boy.
And of course, Milo LOVES all four of his grandparents. He has started saying grandma and grandpa which again warms my heart, because he's definitely remembering them thanks to Skype and living two hours away.
We also go to meet our newest Morgan cousin, Levi. Boy oh boy is he a sweetie. Milo got to hold him too. And again, my loving little boy couldn't stop kissing him and pointing to his nose. {That is how I wake up EVERY morning. Milo pokes my nose and says, "Nose."} Levi also has two older brothers who have a TON of the coolest toys a boy could every imagine. =) Getting back to visit family is bittersweet. Its wonderful, but at the same time, we wish we lived closer to everyone.
Speaking of the body parts... Milo can name them all. Eyes, ears, nose, hair, eye brow, mouth, teeth, head, belly, belly button, hands, feet, toes, butt, penis {Yes... its important to teach your children the correct names for ALL parts... in a way that is just as normal as feet or nose.} I think that is it. Oh and nipples. He knows his nipples. LOL
Other Milo updates... his language is really starting to take off. Verbal and non. Very, very rarely does he say something that I don't know what he is trying to communicate. At the same time, he is starting to test the limits. And throw tantrums. Yep, we've got that lovely throw-your-head-back-drop-to-the-floor thing going on. Love that. But we expected those to come early.
And just this evening, I discovered Milo has two top molars in. Like, in. In. I hadn't felt back there in quite a while... and there they are. So that's been today's excitement.
It looks like I might get back into blogging. I can think of a million other things I could blog about, but I'll save some for another day. Hope you are all surviving the Heat Wave. After three years in Michigan... I'm not complaining.
The older Milo get's the more and more fun we have with him. He had a blast on Uncle Freddie's farm. There were chickens, dogs, a cat, a pony, his cousins! He also got to go to Aunt Lisa's house up in the mountains, which again was a blast with the four wheeler he got to sit on, Uncle Steve's stuffed trophies, and more cousins! It had been six months since he had seen his cousins, aunts, uncles, and great-grandma, but he really warmed up to everyone so quickly.
Its really amazing how our kids personalities are evident so early on. Milo is proving to be very warm and loving. But in a more deep way. Nathan's Uncle Chip is usually intimidating to most people. His mom said that they were in a store, and the clerk asked his mom if he needed any help instead of directly asking him. I think its the long beard and biker look (he is really a biker, and looks the part for sure.) While Milo wouldn't have any reason to understand why that would be intimidating, I think a lot of kids would still be a little stand-off-ish. Not Milo. He instead tickled Uncle Chip's feet.
But the most heart warming thing to see was the way Milo and his great-grandma interacted together. She adores him. I mean... adores him. I'm pretty certain he's the first thing she thought of when she'd wake up and the last thing she'd think about when she went to sleep. And while her dementia induced temperament is normally, less than chipper, Nathan's mom says she is a different person when Milo is there. He brings her so much joy. And he really seems to sense that. While she'd have her feet propped up in the recliner, he'd walk over and put his head on her legs, or tickle... even kiss her feet. When she'd nod off, he'd sneak over beside her and stare at her. Within a couple seconds, I think Susie would sense he was there, and wake up with a giant grin on her face. Knowing that they get to have that special little relationship is
so neat. But at the same time, we have several other grandparents who we really wish had gotten to meet our sweet little boy.
And of course, Milo LOVES all four of his grandparents. He has started saying grandma and grandpa which again warms my heart, because he's definitely remembering them thanks to Skype and living two hours away.
We also go to meet our newest Morgan cousin, Levi. Boy oh boy is he a sweetie. Milo got to hold him too. And again, my loving little boy couldn't stop kissing him and pointing to his nose. {That is how I wake up EVERY morning. Milo pokes my nose and says, "Nose."} Levi also has two older brothers who have a TON of the coolest toys a boy could every imagine. =) Getting back to visit family is bittersweet. Its wonderful, but at the same time, we wish we lived closer to everyone.
Speaking of the body parts... Milo can name them all. Eyes, ears, nose, hair, eye brow, mouth, teeth, head, belly, belly button, hands, feet, toes, butt, penis {Yes... its important to teach your children the correct names for ALL parts... in a way that is just as normal as feet or nose.} I think that is it. Oh and nipples. He knows his nipples. LOL
Other Milo updates... his language is really starting to take off. Verbal and non. Very, very rarely does he say something that I don't know what he is trying to communicate. At the same time, he is starting to test the limits. And throw tantrums. Yep, we've got that lovely throw-your-head-back-drop-to-the-floor thing going on. Love that. But we expected those to come early.
And just this evening, I discovered Milo has two top molars in. Like, in. In. I hadn't felt back there in quite a while... and there they are. So that's been today's excitement.
It looks like I might get back into blogging. I can think of a million other things I could blog about, but I'll save some for another day. Hope you are all surviving the Heat Wave. After three years in Michigan... I'm not complaining.
Finding Focus
Do you every doubt God? Not doubt God's existence. I've seen God work too many times to doubt his existence or that He is GOD. Maybe forget is more of the word I am looking for, forget that He is in control. Of course. I know we all do that. Or at least, I think we all do as some time or another. I get caught up in regret. I regret not making better use of my time, pre Milo, in terms of education. We regret Nathan didn't choose a career that made lots of money. So on and so forth.
But then, God gives me that moment of clarity. Where He reminds me, that back in 2003, he put WKU on our radar through my college advisor. Even further back, he reminds me that He gave Nathan a true talent. He orchestrated a lot of events and opportunities for Nathan. God wouldn't do that if He didn't have a plan, a plan that would support his family. And same thing with me. I do wish had made better use of my time in college, BUT I also know that the He put this passion for supporting new mom's in my heart. And I would not have known about this calling until I went through the experience I did.
I, briefly, stopped trusting that God will use me to support new mom's in a way that blesses women, but also contributes to providing for our family. Oh that moment of clarity is so sweet. Raising my family is job number one in my life. A job, that doesn't come with financial reward, but instead with financial sacrifice. But I am doing so in obedience of God, because that is what He is laid on my heart, heavily long before Milo was here. And for that, I know God will provide for our family. Another great thing about my second passion, breastfeeding, that is so great is that its a job that I can do while being a WAHM (work at home mom.)
So while I spent the majority of today having a little pity party, God came through to remind me that He is in control, and to trust in Him. I will do just that.
But then, God gives me that moment of clarity. Where He reminds me, that back in 2003, he put WKU on our radar through my college advisor. Even further back, he reminds me that He gave Nathan a true talent. He orchestrated a lot of events and opportunities for Nathan. God wouldn't do that if He didn't have a plan, a plan that would support his family. And same thing with me. I do wish had made better use of my time in college, BUT I also know that the He put this passion for supporting new mom's in my heart. And I would not have known about this calling until I went through the experience I did.
I, briefly, stopped trusting that God will use me to support new mom's in a way that blesses women, but also contributes to providing for our family. Oh that moment of clarity is so sweet. Raising my family is job number one in my life. A job, that doesn't come with financial reward, but instead with financial sacrifice. But I am doing so in obedience of God, because that is what He is laid on my heart, heavily long before Milo was here. And for that, I know God will provide for our family. Another great thing about my second passion, breastfeeding, that is so great is that its a job that I can do while being a WAHM (work at home mom.)
So while I spent the majority of today having a little pity party, God came through to remind me that He is in control, and to trust in Him. I will do just that.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)