Boob-olution

It is World Breastfeeding Week and Breastfeeding Awareness Month!

34! That there is the total number of months I have spent breastfeeding my babies. 13 for Landen, 15 for Lana, and almost 6 for Leya (and of course that number will increase for my littlest babe).

Up until I was pregnant with Landen, I had never in my life thought about breastfeeding. I come from a family where not many women have breastfed so I was never around someone nursing. But remember how many pregnancy/baby books I read? About a dozen. All within my first trimester...all encouraging breastfeeding and about the bond it creates between mother and child. Between the undeniable evidence of how much better breast milk is for baby and my husband's encouragement, I decided to give it a try. Nursing Landen was a learning experience. He didn't latch on right away. No surprise...neither he nor I knew what we were doing. But with the help of some very hands on lactation consultants (my modesty had flown out the window during Landen's delivery already so why not) we got him to latch on when he was about 20 hours old and there he camped out for hours and hours. Lana and Leya both went straight to the breast like pros after birth. Lana was a total boob-snob...bottles were just not working for her. And Leya has been the exact same way. She actually shimmied her minutes-old self over to my breast and latched on herself. And now it's mommy or nothing. Scratch that. It's mommy or screaming on the top of her lungs until she gets me. Smart girl.

So I'm one of those women. The ones you see nursing everywhere. Everywhere. I won't even try to list the various places I have nursed. Just know that I've nursed everywhere I've ever gone. And why shouldn't I? My child is hungry so I feed my child. Almost always under a blanket because I'm generally a modest gal. Obviously no need for a blanket around a select few at home. And some of the places I nurse, even while covered, I guess some may find inappropriate. Yes, I've gotten the stink eye. But I don't care all that much. I mean, I don't give a stink eye to someone giving their baby a bottle of formula. That's their choice and we each have the right to decide what is best for our baby and lifestyle. So cut me some slack, we are doing the same thing just with different packaging. Plus, I would have an otherwise screaming unhappy hungry baby which would also elicit stink eyes so I choose to nurse wherever I am. And if someone does not like it then they can go ahead and put a blanket over their head too.

And while nursing is certainly best, it is by no means the easiest. As a nursing mom whose children have thought the bottle to be a torture device, I am in charge of all night time feedings. Every single one. Super tired mother, table for one! I've also been "blessed" with overactive let down. So when my baby is hungry, or sometimes when I hear a really cute baby cry, my milk starts flowing and it hurts. Hurts like hell on Day 1 of nursing, and still hurts when I'm ready to wean my baby. Same with all three children and there's nothing I can do about it. But to me, and the benefits breast milk has for the kids, it's worth the sacrifice of the short moments of discomfort. And then there's the "new mom perfume." Sniff sniff. What's that? Oh that's milk. In the early days most breastfeeding moms smell like it all the time. You see, we leak. Often. And hopefully when it happens we are wearing nursing pads...little circular diapers for you boobs. Fun times, right? Then you enter the stage where they know where the milk is. That means pulled down shirts, exposing strangers when the child rips the blanket away, and if you get a baby like Landen, head bumps to the chest as a request to nurse. Let's also not forget biting. Oh the joys!

But to be able to know I'm giving my children exactly what they need. Exactly what is best for them, (did you know there are over 400 nutrients in breast milk not found in formula?!) and then to hold them so so close during every feeding....It's so worth it! The instant calm given by the breast, even the big sigh/eyes rolled back combo from milk induced comfort...heavenly bliss. The bright baby eyes looking up to your own in gratitude, the sweet sleepy smiles while they slip into a "milk-coma" and the connection to your baby nursing brings...I wouldn't give up this special time for anything. It's too precious. Plus I don't have to wake up and mix bottles for my babe. It's open bar around here all the time for Leya and the drink is pre-made, always the right temp, and in good supply. Plus it's free!

I am woman hear me Roar! My boobs nurture life! What do yours do?

So to anyone reading that has breastfed, is breastfeeding, or will breastfeed, I would like to bow down to your awesomeness. We are slowly becoming the majority and I know all of those babies are grateful.

And just FYI, half of this was typed one-handedly while I nursed Leya. That's talent.

"I once had a girl, or should I say, she once had me." The Beatles