“There I was pregnant, nursing my daughter, super anxious, excited, scared about nursing a new baby along with her. Will she be jealous? Will she wean? Will she still love me? [Read more…]
Hannah’s Triumph
“I just wanted to share my breastfeeding journey with my second son and I hope this to be an encouragement to other NICU moms. I went into premature labor when I was 35 weeks pregnant. I had to have an emergency c section and when he was delivered we waited as the doctor kept trying to get him to cry. Finally we heard a few cries but the pediatrician had to rush him to the nursery. As she walked by I got a short glance. Hours after he was delivered the transport team brought him to see me in an incubator (due to being intubated) and I got to touch his little fingers but that would be all I saw of him for two more days as we were at two different facilities. I started pumping in hopes my milk would come in but I was getting very little out. Once I finally got released and could visit with him again I would pump every three hours in the pump rooms in the nicu and at the hotel we were staying at by the hospital. Slowly but surely my milk started coming in. Once he was finally able to try and drink milk his bottles were supplies fully by me. As his intake increases the amount I was able to pump increased. It was amazing. We were discharged after a week. About fifteen days postpartum I developed a serious infection at my incision and had to go on an antibiotic that forced me to pump and dump. I pumped every three hours on the dot after I fed him a bottle. It broke my heart after he was finally able to nurse straight from me instead of bottles and now it was me who was our road block. I ended up pumping and dumping for a little over a month because I kept getting infections at my incision. When it came time for me to be able to nurse again I was concerned he wouldn’t take because he had been on bottles; however, he latched perfectly and to this day refused a bottle anytime he is offered. I know it is hard to make yourself wake up and pump or pump and dump every three hours for weeks on end, but please please trust me it is so worth it! I would love to be an encouragement to anyone who is going through this!
First picture was the day he was born and the second picture is now!”
-Hannah
Is Breastfeeding a Feminist Issue?
“Abby, why are you steady blowing up my newsfeed with feminist posts? This is a breastfeeding page, I don’t need to hear about all this. Stop trying to make breastfeeding a feminist issue!”
The Year Breastfeeding Goes Mainstream
It’s happening. The exposure that women have given to their breastfeeding harassment is climaxing. Women have had enough of being verbally abused, called “disgusting,” and being kicked out of restaurants, doctors’ offices, court rooms, playrooms, public pools and stores. We are sick of being bullied by businesses, having photos deemed pornographic, being told that we should expect to be abused if we are going to do “that” in public/without a cover/near children/near husbands/past infancy/etc. Breastfeeders all over the world are shedding the cover and coming out of hiding. The world is feeling our power.
Photo by Ivette Ivens
40 is the New Badass
Happy birthday to me! Today I turn 40. Such an epic milestone. I could have told you with great certainty at every year of my life what I would be doing at age 40 and it would never have included breastfeeding an almost 5-year-old and a 2-year-old, being a stay-at-home mom and mommy blogging. [Read more…]
Women Are Human Beings
The most revolting thing about being a woman is how we are constantly picked apart. We are evaluated, ranked and classified based on what we wear, say, think, feel, do. Yet this is so deeply ingrained in our culture that we rarely notice when it is happening and even do it to ourselves and each other. [Read more…]
Breastfeeding Grows With Him
We live in a culture where we are constantly pressured to push our kids to “grow up.” This is often the argument for weaning, “They need to grow up sometime!” I’ve even got feedback for the vocabulary I use to describe my kids, “baby versus toddler versus small child.” And anyone who is not pushing their child to grow up is trying to “keep” them young. What is the big rush? They are going to grow up. Seriously, you don’t need to push them. Actually pushing too hard can cause anxiety and distrust in the world. They will just grow. It’s nature. I will not wean my child simply because he breastfeeds at an older age than makes you comfortable. It works for us, it is what I believe he needs and he likes it! I am not “keeping” him breastfeeding. He likes it, he initiates it and, even after hard work to establish boundaries to keep me sane nursing 2 kids, he keeps coming back. I do not force it to continue and I will not force it to end. He won’t breastfeed when he is in college, not that you really need to care about what my child does. Of all the things going on with kids and in the world at large, people trip about this. I don’t get it. How can anyone look at this and think it is wrong?
Breastfeeding Critics
My Dear Critic,
I posted this photo on Instagram, that social media platform with the reputation of being drama-free. I received comments such as, “that’s disgusting,” “so gross,” “you’re sick,” etc. Nothing we haven’t heard before on social media, where people can comment without [Read more…]
This is Exley
This is Exley. He is 20 months old. He breastfeeds a lot. Like 7,582 times during the day and 10,498 times during the night. We share a bed so he wakes up, latches on and goes back to sleep. He nurses to sleep, to wake up, for comfort, before he eats, after he eats, when he’s resting and all other times too. He is loud. His voice booms in your chest and pierces your ears. He likes to follow his big brother around. Exley thinks he can do everything his big brother can do and falling on his head never holds him back. People often wonder if I get criticized for breastfeeding both Exley and his big brother, Jack (4.5 years old). I do online, but not in my real life. I wouldn’t keep critics in my life anyway. My close friends and family support my decision. Extended family and acquaintances seem to keep comments to themselves if they have any. I plan to breastfeed both of them as long as they want. It’s not always fun, but it works for us. It’s far more than food; it’s comfort, security, attachment, bonding and nurturance. I believe that allowing them to wean in their own time will lead to independence, high self-esteem, health and a sense of connection to their family and the world. I don’t think nursing Jack takes anything away from Exley. I think Exley gains a unique relationship with his brother along with all the other “perks” of breastfeeding.
This is Jack
This is Jack. He’s 4.5 years old. He nurses to sleep and for comfort, a couple times a day, but if it were up to him it would be 75 times a day! He likes to be worn in a toddler carrier if we are in a new or loud place. He likes trucks, Rescue Bots and telling stories. He has ideas for books and plays. He loves to run. He’s sensitive, talkative and funny. Breastfeeding has given him nothing but milk, love, nurturance, security, comfort, safety and attachment which will lead to independence, courage, health, self esteem and emotional security.
