Something I Never Thought I'd Blog About...

I have had several conversations recently with friends who are pregnant or thinking about starting a family:  To Breastfeed or Not to Breastfeed, that is their question.  And it's a question I faced, too.  I have been on every conceivable side of that fence in the last 15+ years.  As a teenager, I thought, "NEVER!  THAT'S SO WEIRD!"  And yes, it is a little weird.  As a young adult, I thought, "I guess it's OK for some people, but I don't want to do it."  And when I saw a woman in England breastfeeding her son in church I was secretly mortified that she would do something like that in public.  (Granted, there was no cover involved... she just hung herself out there for the world to see... in church... during the sermon.  Greg Pampell, you remember that???  You were preaching!)  And as a married woman, I thought, "I guess I can see the benefits of it, but it's SO weird... I don't think I could ever do that."  Then I got pregnant.

After I knew I was having the baby, my thoughts all changed.  Oh, I still thought it was weird and was still secretly somewhat mortified when women nursed in public without covers (when they were covered I found, to my surprise, it didn't bother me so much), and definitely still questioned whether it was for me.  But I found myself thinking long and hard about the benefits for my baby - I couldn't escape the facts.  And for the first time in my life I found myself not exactly wanting to breastfeed, but thinking I could at least give it a try.  So I made up my mind:  I would try to breastfeed for at least the first month.  I read books, I searched forums, I messaged friends who had breastfed their kids, I talked with anyone I knew who wouldn't get awkward about it, and I signed up for a class to teach you how to do it!  Even after all that preparation, I was still apprehensive.  Then I had the baby.

I will never forget the feeling when they laid my daughter in my arms the first time.  I had a somewhat emergency C-Section so she was a couple hours old before I could actually hold her (my husband was the first) - but my first Mommy-Katelyn snuggle left me with no doubts, no questions about it... I would breastfeed if at all possible.  She was just so perfect, so beautiful, so amazing.  I wanted to do the very best thing for her I could do, and I was lucky enough to be able to breastfeed.*  So, for my own benefit, and for any who may be interested in the reasons I chose the path I chose... here are the...

THINGS I LOVE MOST ABOUT BREASTFEEDING:

1. You can do it ANYWHERE!
2. Easy Packing:  When packing the bag to go out for the day (much less a week - it takes us three extra bags just for her food!), you just throw your cover in - and you're done!
3. Frees up more space in the top rack of your dishwasher - no need for bottle baskets and bottles!
4. Economy-Proof:  The feeling that even if the economy tanks and we lose everything we own, I can still provide the best possible nutrition for my child!
5. The Given:  The health benefits for my child.  (Check out this article for details)
6. Snuggle Time:  The bonding time I had with Katelyn was amazing!
7. Cheapskate:  It's free!

There are so many good reasons, the list could go on and on but for the sake of time and space I'll stop here.  So, how did it work out with my first child?  I breastfed for the first four months, supplementing with formula when she needed it or when breastfeeding wasn't possible.  She is now 7 months old, healthy and beautiful and the joy of our lives.  Needless to say, if given the chance, I will breastfeed any and all future children.  I love it!  Yay for God when He thought up this brilliant system we have - I feel very grateful to have been able to be part of it all.


*NOTE:  I understand that for some women, it's not possible either because of physical, mental, emotional, or lifestyle reasons - and I truly believe the important thing is to do the best POSSIBLE thing for your child... I'm not one of those hardcore "you've gotta breastfeed or you're a bad mom" people... trust me, I met enough of them - I don't want to be one.  This is just my experience.