A little post in honor of World Breastfeeding Week.
I wrote this post about our breastfeeding experience when Isaac was 6 weeks old and never really updated on the subject much, other than a mention that we were still nursing at 3 months.
Those early weeks are still seared into my mind. I'm sure they will never leave me, and I wouldn't want them to. Breastfeeding is absolutely the toughest thing I have ever endured. The physical pain that went on for so long combined with the heartache I faced day after day far outweighs the pain of laboring for 17 hours and bringing my boy into the world without drugs. Enduring breastfeeding taught me that I really can face anything this life decides to bring my way. So many moms choose not to breastfeed, and I really do get it. It's tough business! To some people it comes naturally as it should, but to most, breastfeeding is an art that has to be learned.
I've been nursing my little love for five months now and I'm happy with where we are. I don't really have my eyes set on a goal of how far we want to get any longer, I'm just so thankful that we have made it here. With my pregnant friends and family members, I've learned lately that it's more important to encourage just getting through those oh so threatening early weeks, and then nursing as long as you are able to.
So my little man still has lip tie, we don't have any plans to have it clipped. Possibly when he's older if it needs to be, but not any time soon. Yes, if we had it done now it would most likely make breastfeeding much more comfortable for me, but I've sort of just become accustomed to the discomfort it sometimes brings. It's not unbearable, and as he grows I'm thinking it will continue to be less and less of a problem.
I'm not a completely crazy breastfeeding advocate, maybe I should be? But I'm not. Most likely because I know what our experience was like and how challenging it can be. So I really just want to give a little encouragement, my goal isn't to make any mom who makes different choices feel ashamed of those choices. Just know that it truly does get easier. It does.
I remember thinking every single day that I couldn't possibly get through another feeding because of the pain I was in, but somehow one feeding at a time passed us by. I remember the day it finally came down to choosing between formula or trying to pump for the next feeding, and crying uncontrollably when I accidentally spilt the .5 ounces I had spent an hour pumping.
While I was pregnant I had such high expectations for the bond that breastfeeding would bring us, along with the great health benefits for the both of us. So even though it took enduring brutally exhausting pain, breastfeeding remained the only option I was ever really willing to accept for my boy. I would say that it's better not to place those expectations on yourself, but for myself I'm thankful because if I hadn't I know that we wouldn't still be nursing today.
Breastfeeding my little boy is the most rewarding thing I've ever done. I love being the source that soothes his hungry belly. I love knowing that I'm giving him the best nutrition available to him. I love having this bond that's just between him and I, because I know he will be grown and Independent far too soon. If you are pregnant and hoping to breastfeed, prepare yourself in every way that you can before the birth. I didn't do this! I just assumed that it would be as natural as my body giving birth on it's own, but that isn't always the case!
Happy World Breastfeeding Week!
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