This post is about to get weird. You have been warned.
Not weird in the way a good portion of the Internet is weird. But weird in the way that I am about to talk about something people don't spend much time talking about.
Breasts, medically speaking.
Yes, it's weird. I don't know why it's weird, but I'll get to that later.
Okay, here's the point of the post: I love breastfeeding. Seriously, absolutely no joke, I adore it.
Time to make a list (I make a lot of those)
Why I Love Breastfeeding:
1. I'll start with the motivation I had behind breastfeeding. Before there was ever a baby or a need to feed him, I wanted to breastfeed because of the medical benefits. Hopefully, most people are at least somewhat aware of them. I think the best argument for why breastfeeding is best can be found on every container of infant formula. It says, and I quote: "Experts agree, breastfeeding is best for baby." If the #1 competition for breastfeeding conceded that breastfeeding is best, it must certainly be so. But, to convince you further, here are some more detailed arguments:
*Even after one feeding, your baby's levels of immunoglobulins (the building blocks of the immune system) skyrocket to exactly what they need. A breastfeeding mother gives her baby her very own immune system. A formula fed child takes two years to reach those same levels. Breast milk contains antibodies for illnesses that the mother is current battling, protecting her child from the contagions that he would be exposed to anyway.
*Breast milk changes over the course of a babies life to suit the needs of a baby at the very specific point in the development they need it.
*Breast milk contains agents that scientists have not been able to identify and formula does not contain, because we do not know how to replicate them.
*Babies who are formula-fed have higher incidences of ear infections, eczema, food allergies, asthma, gastrointestinal infections that cause vomiting and diarrhea, pneumonia and other respiratory diseases, obesity in adolescence and adulthood, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, childhood leukemia and lymphoma, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). (This info is from the American Academy of Pediatrics guide to breastfeeding.)
Every health organization across the world recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. So, yeah, breastfeeding is awesome.
2. Now, for the unexpected benefits. The best one by far is the closeness. Holding that baby close to you, his little hands resting on you, his little eyes glancing up at you. Ugh, I can't even handle it. It is one of the best feelings in the world. It is, of course, related to the skin-to-skin contact that is so beneficial for babies health and mom's psychological health. It also has to do with the rush of oxytocin the bodies generates while breastfeeding. Nothing like a hormonal boost of good feelings to make you associate positivity with something you are doing.
3. Feeling like a champion because every single ounce and inch that the baby has grown is 100% because of me. What kind of a rock star am I when I single-handed grew that baby (inside and outside the womb)! I obviously feel pretty cool about myself when I look at how big his head is getting or how much longer he is now and think that, for his first six months, that was all because of my efforts.
4. Once he started becoming the wiggle-meister that he currently is, being able to hold him and have him lie (mostly) still was a nice feeling. I, for one, loved having a little cuddly newborn, and miss that in itself quite a lot. Breastfeeding is the closest I get to having my newborn back.
Now, to clarify, breastfeeding is NOT easy, in the beginning. For some people, it is never easy. I totally understand the "why am I doing this?" feeling. I, fortunately, just never even considered the option that I was going to try formula feeding instead. It was like my brain did not permit that kind of thought. After, 5 weeks, things got considerably easier. I was able to say, yes, I can make it to six months. That is reasonable. And after about three months, I began to really love it. (It helps that it takes him much less time to each, so it is basically like a 10 minute cuddle now, whereas before it was an hour long ordeal.)
Two things I need to say. I do not intend to attack anyone or insult anyone who did not breastfeed their child. I understand that there are a multiplicity of reasons for not breastfeeding. Sometimes the body is just physically not capable of doing it. Sometimes it is a ridiculously hard trial and it never seems to get easier. I get that.
I did want to say this so that if someone reads this who is contemplating quitting might be able to try it a little bit longer. I also wanted to post this to hopefully change someone's mind who is like, "I'm just going to formula feed, it seems easier." At least try! It's almost selfish to not even try!
Lastly, I hope that someone who hates it might be able to endure it long enough to have this wonderful positively experience that I have been so blessed to have. I am 100% sure that I am going to cry the day James is completely weaned. I will miss this wonderfully fulfilling and meaningful experience. One of my greatest achievements is that I stuck with it long enough to have this kind of wonderful experience with my baby. I am so grateful for that.
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