I had the opportunity to watch a 2 month old, sweet, little boy overnight on Monday. I'll admit, I was pretty nervous, but I felt it was the right thing to do, to help out a friend. I was most nervous about how Reid would handle not getting the attention or him not sleeping. I also didn't think the baby would sleep well since Reid got up about 6 times a night when he was that age.
Why do I worry so much about sleep? I do not do well on little sleep. I need 7-8 hours of sleep a night to be a normal person, good mom, and good wife. If not, I become
The experience also gave me a glimpse of what life will be like when we decide to have another little person join us. Reid was such a horrible sleeper, that I'm very afraid of going through it again. He didn't sleep through the night until he was 10.5 months and in fact, didn't sleep more than 3 hours at a time until then. But, its not just sleep... its me afraid I won't be able to give enough. How do I give enough attention, love, and affection to two little people who each need a ton? How do I ever get the house clean, laundry done, or cook dinner? I know people do it all the time. I know people have many children and survive. I guess I will just have to give up a little bit of my OCD with having everything at home be put together and embrace the chaos.
Enough of me worrying... Let's talk about breastfeeding! This happens to be World Breastfeeding Week! Let's celebrate! I promised to share on this important topic.
If you don't want to hear about nursing, quit reading!
I am VERY passionate about the importance of breastfeeding. I share my beliefs with anyone who will listen. I made nursing a priority in my life. I am thinking of becoming a lactation consultant so that I can help mothers enjoy this wonderful gift. I would really like to be able to be a resource for those people who struggle with nursing. I would also like to try to help people overcome a broken belief system about nursing. Breastfeeding had become almost a taboo topic... people tend not to discuss it because it can cause huge arguments between mothers. People tend to judge people for nursing and judge others for not. It is a huge issue, especially in this country, that needs to be addressed.
I am an extended nurser. Yes, I still nurse Reid 3 times every day. Yes, he has a mouth full of teeth. No, it doesn't hurt. Nope, he's never had any formula. When do I plan to stop? I don't know. However, I don't tell that many people about it because I worry they'll judge me. People think it's gross, he's too old, etc. Most people don't know that in most cultures, children are breastfeed for AT LEAST two years. The US has one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world.
So, in order to raise awareness here are some breastfeeding facts:
-The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that babies are exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life, and continue to breastfeed until at least 18 months. Read AAP Breastfeeding Article Here
-Breastfeeding reduces the risks of SIDS, ear infections, allergies, and much more
-Breastfeeding saves you a TON of money! $3.6 billion could be saved each year if 50% of mothers breast-fed their babies for six months Read Article Here
-Reduced mother's risk for breast, ovarian, and uterine cancer
A lot of mothers quit breastfeeding early because "it doesn't work" for them. This is so sad for the mom and baby and makes the mother feel like a failure. This is why I'm contemplating becoming a Lactation consultant. I think that if there were more resources available for new moms, both immediately after birth and for weeks and months afterward, there would be more success.
Want more info? Breastfeeding is Normal Article
Enough of that for today. If you can't tell... I am really passionate about this and want to share the love :)
Have a great day!
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