Welcome to the March Carnival of Breastfeeding! This month's theme is 'the joys of breastfeeding.' You'll find links to other bloggers' contributions at the bottom of this one.
As I've been preparing for the June arrival of our second baby, I've been thinking a lot about what it'll be like to breastfeed again. I had such a wonderful experience with my son, and can't wait to see what it will be like this time around.
Here are some things I loved about breastfeeding my son:
Seeing how happy it made my son. My son took such joy in nursing. I'll never forget his excitement when he knew that he would get to nurse. And the times he would pull off and smile were priceless. As he got older and was able to sign and then verbalize how he felt about nursing, it got even more fun.
My growing awe as I learned how breastfeeding works. I still feel astonished sometimes when I learn more about the ways in which our bodies are able to produce a perfect food which also protects our babies from disease in so many ways.
Coming home from work and reconnecting. I worked full time and pumped for about a year, and there was no better homecoming at the end of the day than to sit down and nurse. It was a very direct way of connecting at the end of the day, and made anything stressful at work seem quite insignificant.
Watching my son grow and knowing that it was all coming from me. My son chubbed up quite quickly, and I loved knowing that I was supplying all of the calories that were building his third chin and chunky thighs. My husband was especially good at pointing this out: "Look at this baby you're growing!"
How it helped me recover from a difficult birth experience. In a way, I feel as if breastfeeding saved me. I had a rough birth experience and a difficult postpartum adjustment. Whether it was the hormones of breastfeeding or just the simplicity and quiet of the hours spent on the couch, it often felt like breastfeeding was my solace.
Don't miss these posts from other bloggers participating in the carnival (updated throughout the day):
- Hobo Mama: No need to count calories while breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding Moms Unite: Poems about the joys of breastfeeding
- Maman A Droit: A Joyful List
- Good Enough Mummy: You Don't Have To Be Crunchy To Like Breastfeeding
- Blacktating: What makes breastfeeding so great
- Life of a breastfeeding and babywearing mommy: Breastfeeding is how I connect with my little one after work
- Lucy & Ethel Have a Baby: Nursing My Little Person
- Chronicles of a Nursing Mom: Top Five Things I love About Breastfeeding
- Code Name: Mama: Milk Songs
- Little Snowflakes: The Joys of Nursing to Sleep
- Living Peacefully With Children: Nursing Haikus
