Breastfeeding.
A means to providing your little one with liquid gold as they call it. Who knew it could be such a love/hate relationship. I sure didn’t.
There’s not much I hate about breastfeeding now, my little one and I have made it 6 months. She’s been exclusively feeding at the breast and would never take a bottle. It was a completely different story in the beginning though.
I loved…
how she latched right away and really had no issues in that department.
I hated the pain.
Those first few days, even weeks, were pure agony. My body was just recovering from major surgery and every time she ate {which was literally every hour at first} was incredibly uncomfortable. And let’s not talk about clogged milk ducts – holy crappo – it felt as though your boob was bruised. Thankfully I never had to experience mastitis because I can’t imagine anything worse than the duct pain.
I loved holding…
this tiny little creature that my love and I created. Her body molding perfectly against mine. She would wrap her delicate and tiny hand around my one finger – Pure sweetness!
I hated the limitations…
on what I could eat. When I was pregnant with her I ate cereal almost every night the last month until she was born. Now that she was here and we were establishing this breastfeeding relationship I wised up quick to what foods to avoid.
For if I didn’t, I had one hurting and screaming baby on my hands! Milk, unfortunately, was on that list – along with onions, beans, cabbage, broccoli – I even discovered some types of pizza bothered her.
I loved the convenience…
of being able to feed her no matter where we were! No fuss with bottles, and warmers and sterilizing! I was all she needed.
I think, all in all, that is what I love most of all when it comes to breastfeeding, her needing me. The feeling of accomplishment providing all the nutritional needs to sustain your baby. Breastfeeding is most certainly a dance. A dance that with time you and your little one figure out.
In the beginning it’s awkward, uncomfortable and you feel as though you’ll never learn the rhythm. But sure enough when you keep on keeping on – you discover the two of you have figured it out and it feels so incredibly good.
Breastmilk: the gift that keeps on giving.
Did you have any challenges with breastfeeding?
