1,007 Days of Breastmilk
/By: Jessica Masaya
For 262 days I grew you.
For 7 hours and 19 minutes I labored to bring you earth side and hold you in my arms.
Our first latch was something that I will never forget. Staring at you, not knowing how to do this motherhood thing, wondering if I would be able to feed you the way I wanted to...but you latched and, my love, for 1,007 days I have nourished you.
I didn’t take nursing pictures for the first few months of your life. I tried to use a cover when we were out and worried endlessly that you weren’t eating enough. It wasn’t the case. You were thriving and we relinquished our cover very quickly. We were growing and you, my little bug, were nourishing my soul. When you were 3.5 months old I finally took a picture of you nursing to sleep though I’ve never shared it with anyone until now.
I started my journey into motherhood knowing I would nurse you but unsure of what that meant. I didn’t understand the connection and bond we would have in this relationship. I didn’t understand how much you would liberate me from the social constructs I thought I needed to adhere to. That you would propel me into being an advocate for natural term breastfeeding and nursing without a cover. That you would change me into the strong, open-minded, ever learning, feminist I am today. For those 1,007 days you nourished me too and broke open my soul. You helped me rebuild everything I thought I knew of motherhood and the world.
The pictures I have of you nursing are still some of my favorite. I look at them with both happiness and heartache now because 73 days before your 3rd birthday my milk began to dry up and 69 days before your 3rd birthday you quit asking me to nurse. On the 66th day we both cried when you tried one last time. For 1269 days my body held you and fed you and comforted you. Those were some of the most amazing days and nights of my entire life.
I’ll never forget the feeling of you drifting off to sleep. The way you’d place your hand on my chest or the sighs of complete contentment you breathed while you ate. Those quiet, calm moments where we’d reconnect and share so much love. Your little fluttering eyelashes. The way your head smelled. Trying not to kiss you awake because I missed you while you were sleeping. All of it. Every single moment is forever ingrained in my heart.
But this one. Those eyes. The look all babies give to their mothers while they feed them. This is what made all the long nursing nights, the leaking milk, the loose latch, the inability to feed you on my right side, all of the struggles...so very worth it.
This gorgeous picture that I was always too afraid to share because I thought I’d receive judgment, because I worried what people might say or think. The moment that I’ve kept to myself because I thought it showed too much. But after 1,007 days I’m no longer afraid of that because this is what breastfeeding is. It’s beautiful, and raw, and natural. It’s me feeding you with nutrients and love. So much love was shared between us in these days. When you were hurt I nursed you. When you were sad or scared. When you were tired or bored. When you just wanted to feel close to me...I nursed you.
We nursed through teething and toddler gym-nurstics. We nursed through tantrums and hard days. We nursed through colds and sickness. We nursed on sunny days and rainy days and all the days in between.
And you found calm here. You found safety and warmth. You had peace and comfort. My chest was your goodnight and your good morning. My chest was your home when my belly no longer held you. My arms and my heart held you ever so tightly but no matter how tightly you grew. But even when you grew you still came home.
In our last months of nursing you’d come and go quickly. You just had too much to do to stop for a while. I watched as you learned how to talk and walk and run. I nursed all your owies while you navigated your new found abilities. Putting breastmilk on all of them for good measure because it’s so much more than just food. When I’d hold you, you felt so big and so little at the same time. You still do. I stopped commemorating our nursing moments as much during your toddler years. There was no particular reason but now I regret it. Those moments were so special too and I had no idea they would be ending soon.
Our last nursing picture was taken 90 days before my milk was gone. We smiled and laughed. It was almost bedtime. You looked at me in that special way and my heart melted as if it was the first time.
Almost a month later we would find out that you’re going to have a sibling soon. I didn’t know I would lose my milk so quickly or that it would be this hard to say goodbye to our breastfeeding relationship. I didn’t know how much I should have counted those last moments or stopped just to enjoy them. I had no idea I would miss nursing you so much.
It’s been 37 days now since you last nursed. When my milk was gone I explained that it’s because I have a baby in my tummy. You understand and you’re excited to have a brother or sister. Just a few days ago you said that you could have “na-na’s” again once the baby was out of my tummy. That it’s your favorite. That you miss your na-na’s. You remember those moments too. I hope you always do. Once the baby is here, if you want, you can try again because breastfeeding doesn’t lose it’s benefits just because you’re almost 3. It nourished your body, heart, and soul and helped grow you into the strong willed, happy, independent little person that you are today. I’m so proud of our journey and my body. I’m so sad and so happy that you’ve done so well without your beloved na-na’s. If I had known I would have taken 1000 pictures in those last days. I would have breathed you in and tried to hold tightly again. I would have thought back to those harder nursing days and been more grateful to still be nursing you. I would have stopped everything to take in those last moments. They are gone now but I’m so grateful that we had them. Thank you my love, for 1,007 beautiful days that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
I love you.
Article 1,007 Days originally posted on Bodhi Birth Doula Services
We Love Boobs Giveaway!
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13 amazing products from Fairhaven Health & PregnancyStore.com valued at over $215 to one lucky mama!
*The Milk Saver
*Milk Trays
*Softies Nursing Pads
*Nursing Time Tea
*Nursing Blend
*Breastmilk Storage Bags
*Nipple Nurture Balm
*Udder Cover
*Pumping in progress sign
*Nipple Nurture breast wipes
*MilkScreen Alcohol test strips
*Baby Booby Tubes
*Nursing Bracelet
How do I enter?
1.) Visit Belly To Breast; Fairhaven Health, & PregnancyStore.com, on Facebook, feel free to like their page, and let them know why you want to win & thank them for the opportunity!
2.) Comment/like/share Facebook giveaway post. The way I notify the winner is by replying directly to their comment on my giveaway post.
3.) You can earn EXTRA entry if you have twitter and Pinterest, if not, no worries they are not MANDATORY. Only mandatory entries is visiting sponsor pages, interacting on their page, and feel free to like them too.
If you're on a mobile device you may have to click on the tab right below that says, "Enter Giveaway" & it takes you directly to the form. If you are still having trouble accessing the form click HERE and try the other way.
13 Fun Things You Can Do With Your Breastmilk
/Liquid Gold AKA breastmilk is so amazing to me because the possibilities are endless! In this blog I will list some of the fun things you can do with your breastmilk! Feel free to share some of your fun ideas too!
1.) Breastmilk Lotion-
All you need is Microwave safe dish, 3.5 oz Grape seed oil, 1 tbs Beeswax, 3 oz Breast milk, Essential oil of your choice (optional), and voila you got The Breast Lotion! Full recipe (Click here)
2.) Breastmilk Soap-
What better way to get all the healing properties breastmilk offers then to bathe in it? Great recipe found here!
3.) Breastmilk Ringpop-
4.) Frozen Breastmilk in Mesh bag-
5.) Breastmilk Popcycle-
We don't give sugar, so breastmilk Popcycles it is. Kids love them.
6.) Breastmilk Chapstick-
This may seem weird, but I clean/boil/sanitize my empty chapstik containers and fill them with BM, freeze them & whip them out to rub on my kids ouchies to help heal them.
7.) Donate your extra breastmilk-
So moms are fortunate enough to make an oversupply of breastmilk. Why not use that extra milk and donate to babies in need? It's such a huge deal and there is ALWAYS gonna be a need for human milk.
8.) Medicinal purposes- There are so many ways you can use breastmilk to cure whatever you have going on! From the common cold to baby Acne! Check out a lot of the different uses below!
9.) Squirt it at people-
Okay haha, this is more of a joke , rather than an actual purpose, but I have heard plenty of moms talk about how they squirt their friends or husband from across the room.
10.) Breastmilk Icecream-
You can make homemade icecream with your breastmilk! Did you know they are selling breastmilk icecream to the general public?! See how to make it here...
11.) Breastmilk Jewelry -
Breast milk jewelry is jewelry made of a mother's breast milk as a keepsake often worn by the mother in various jewelry types such as rings, lockets, pendants and popular European style beads.
12.) Breastmilk Bath-
Does baby have a rash or sores? What about cradle cap? There is no safer, natural way to help soothe and clean baby at the same time then a breastmilk bath! Just pour a few ounces of breastmilk in fresh bath water!
13.) Breastmilk Smoothie-
This mama had breastmilk that was about to expire that she wouldn't have been able to use up in time so she made super smoothies! Blueberries, Bananas, yogurt, and two ounces of the good stuff!
7 Annoying Parenting Questions
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By: Kristy Kemp
You all know those questions people "ask" but they are more like insinuations and judgments. Here are seven of those...
1.) "Do you have a good baby?"
When what they are really asking is, "So does your baby sleep through the night, nurse when you want them to, and doesn't cry often?" We have this warped view on what makes a baby, "good" and it needs to stop.
So my reply to that would be- "If by good you mean my baby wakes through the night, constantly wants to be held. and latched onto my boob 24/7, then yes my baby is great! My baby acts the way babies are biologically wired to act."
2.) "Shouldn't that kid be on cows milk by now?"
This one gets my blood boiling. First of all, humans do not NEED cows milk, it's a preference. So to insinuate to a breastfeeding mom that she should rush through weaning before they are even ready to stop giving her child breastmilk so that said child could drink cows milk in it's place is asinine.
My reply to that is- "Considering cows milk doesn't offer anything extra breastmilk does and breastmilk offers so much more than cows milk, what exactly is the rush to wean my human child off my human milk? She has her whole life to choose cows milk if she pleases, but for now she and I would rather her have the best possible milk she could consume. In the second year breastmilk provides:
29% of energy requirements
43% of protein requirements
36% of calcium requirements
75% of vitamin A requirements
76% of folate requirements
94% of vitamin B12 requirements
60% of vitamin C requirements
That sounds a whole lot more nutritional than any udder milk."
3.) "You share a bed & nurse to sleep? You better break them off that bad habit now."
Bed sharing and breastfeeding to sleep is the biological norm which is probably why so many babies prefer it. They are used to sleeping in warm comfy womb, mothers heartbeat, so it only makes since that being close to mommy is what relaxes them and keeps them in deep slumber.
My reply would be, "My baby is only this little once and I will do whatever I need to so that my baby's needs are meant. I'm good with bed sharing and breastfeeding so I wouldn't call it a "bad habit" I would call it a parenting choice and a damn good one if you ask me. It works for us!"
4.) "Do you ever put your baby down?"
Many babies need constant attention and reassurance and wearing them/holding them is a great way to give them that. There is absolutely nothing wrong with holding your baby all the time.
My reply, "Nope, but hopefully she learns to walk before college because that would really put a strain on my back!"
5.) "You know picking your baby up every single time she cries will spoil her."
Newborns cry because they have basic needs — to be fed, held, comforted, and loved. Their needs are actually the same as their wants at this age. And it is your job to listen to your instincts and respond to those needs and wants as best you can. When you respond to your newborn’s cries and try to meet her needs, you’re teaching her to feel secure and confident. And that security and confidence will result in less crying and more independence in the long run.
My reply is simple, "Babies don't spoil."
6.) "Are you nursing again? Couldn't you put that in a cup/bottle?"
There is absolutely no need to pump your milk if you don't have to. Breastfeeding isn't just about the milk either so someone suggesting that you could just pump and cup/bottle feed is them maybe unintentionally telling you that you should be ripping away their main comfort source. Many people view breastfeeding as a food source and they are half correct as it is definitely the best source of nutrition, but it goes way deeper than that. It's comfort, it's bonding, and it's a special connection between mom and child.
A good response to that is, "Breastfeeding isn't just about the milk so pumping and cup/bottle feeding wouldn't make sense for us. The World Health Organization promotes breastfeeding all the way until the age of two OR beyond they don't even have a cut off age. She will wean eventually, but it's something I'd rather not rush her into."
13 Reasons Why Breastfeeding Isn't Just About Milk...
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Breastfeeding provides nourishment , yes, but it provides so much more than that. Breastfeeding is the natural method of feeding a baby , but does so much more than that. Breastfeeding is special and it's a shame people don't understand what breastfeeding does for a child. People say things like, "Just pump and bottle feed" implying all babies get out of breastfeeding is milk and that is so not true. I have listed plenty of reasons showing you why breastfeeding is so much more than milk.
1.) Comfort
Babies have the natural urge to suckle it only makes sense that a baby would turn to breast and suckle until their hearts content , even when milk might not be coming out.
2.) Pain reliever
When a baby is in pain be it teething, shots, earache, etc. Breastfeeding provides comfort and pain relief.
3.) Quenches thirst
Breastmilk contains a lot of water so they may not be hungry , but they could be thirsty, Breastmilk wets their whistles and hydrates them.
4.) Natural medicine
When a baby is sick they may have the urge to eat more because their body tells them to. Now get ready for this, the baby's saliva communicates with the breast and tells it exactly what kind of milk to make and it's antibodies out the wazoo!
5.) Relaxing
Sometimes babies get over stimulated or scared and breastfeeding helps to relax baby.
6.) Sleep aid
Fun fact- Breastmilk contains higher levels of melatonin at night , which works as a natural sleeping aid. Probably the reason most breastfed babies want/need boob to fall asleep.
7.) Easily digestible
Unlike with formula where you have to go by the clock to determine when to feed you don't have to worry about clocks with breastfed babies, they can feed on demand . I know , I know , but how does that have to do with breastfeeding not just being about milk? Well it shows that you can't overfeed a breastfed baby so there is no measuring milk, mixing it, or warming it up. Unlike with formula, where it's only about the milk, so you can over feed them and it's not digested as quickly.
8.) Frozen Breastmilk
Although this isn't necessarily about breastfeeding it has to do with Breastmilk. You can freeze Breastmilk and make fun things like Breastmilk pops for a fun snack or give them something to knaw on while teething. You can also use Breastmilk for things like pink eye, eczema, psoriasis, and more. The possibilities are endless.
9.) Milk supply
Every single time a baby latches on and suckles directly, it creates a demand for your body to make milk. Don't you understand? Breastfeeding is a process, so skipping feeds can potentially cause a dip in supply. So it's important that a baby be able to nurse whenever they want.
10.) Bonding
There is something about a baby on a breast that is so beautiful . When a baby breastfeeds it releases a hormone called oxytocin known as the love hormone. True fact, every time a mom breastfeeds her baby they fall more in love with each other every time.
11.) It's free
Why pay for things like bottles , pumps, bags, etc... If you don't have to or even want to? Free milk? I'm in!
12.) Perfect Temperature
Breastmilk straight out of the breast is always at the perfect temperature. Which means no freezing , defrosting, or heating up of any kind!
13.) Sleep
Believe it or not most breastfeeding moms say they get more sleep even though they may not get any help with the feedings. Reason being they don't have to get out of bed, make bottles, and warm up , which can be time consuming throughout the night. Breastfeeding moms especially those who bed share can stick a boob in their mouth before baby fully wakes , which means falling back asleep faster, which also means mom gets back to sleep too.
