Breastfeeding: Beyond Beautiful

A dear friend asked me some questions about breastfeeding this week and what I replied was: I guess what I'm learning is that once you go down that breastfeeding journey go and encourage others to do likewise; to support their babies in the ways they can, for as long as it is mutually enjoyable.

I will admit, I wasn't always a big fan myself. Even though I am a very organic person, in every sense of the word, for some unknown reasons it seemed very overwhelming before my first child was born. I think I assumed we would try for a little while, but only because it was nutritious. It seemed so awkward, so demanding, so confining. I was positive I would always be uncomfortable. I would hate it. In fact, I was more afraid of breastfeeding then of actually giving birth naturally! I thought once you introduce solid foods that that is the end of the journey. (In the same way I thought I could just have a baby and go back to work 8-12 weeks later like it was no big deal). And I'm pretty sure I looked with outward raised eyebrows and inward condemnation at those who had toddlers (or older!) dangling from under their blouses like little pink hogs or coming to ask for it like little trained puppies. I've heard the rumblings about people who breastfeed too long being overprotective, clingy, smothering, or the all time worst:abusive.

Turns out I was wrong. About everything.

Turns out breastmilk is a living substance with indistinguishable and completely non-duplicatable enzymes and microbes. Breastfeeding enables infants to best thrive in every sense of the word. You can (and will!) do it in your sleep. Turns out that my breastfeeding journey lasted for 26 months with one child and 33 months with the next.

However, it is -at times- "like wrestling a bobcat in a mailsack"; exhausting, encompassing. You may still be forced to pump or feed in crappy places. You may be late to meetings, leak at inopportune times, feel like you have a deluxe vacuum cleaner strapped to your areolas. But hey- at least you will finally be able to beat your partner at target practice!

But, if you can get off to a good start and surround yourself with supportive people, you will probably feel like breastfeeding was totally worth everything. 

So when that doctor tries to tell you that formula is no big deal-tell him he's wrong. When he says this medicine could compromise your milk-demand alternatives. When your boss says you are taking to much time to feed or pump. Remind her she's breaking the law and threaten to file a grievance- then consider obscenities. When someone asks you to go somewhere else- ask them if to take their lunch on the toilet.

New mothers, when someone attempts to encourage you to breastfeed or breastfeed longer know they are not judging you or suggesting your choices are inferior, they are merely trying to express a joy they had which has no words- and they wish you could have likewise. When people scoff at you or make you feel dirty by looking disdainfully at you they are saying the only plane of experience for comparison is sensuality, and that makes them uncomfortable.  When they ask you to cover up, secretly they may be afraid of being moved to tears in public. They are intimidated by you. You undo them. Remember, as my four year old friend understands, mothers are gods-they create things; they give life. And people are dumbfounded around holiness.

When you breastfeed you are powerful. We are powerful. After being oppressed, repressed, objects of the obsessed, sex-essed, we deserve some power! To rephrase the character Denise in the movie P.S. I Love You, "let me be clear. After centuries of men looking at my tits instead of my eyes and pinching [/oogling] my ass instead of shaking my hand, I now have the divine right to..." fling my breasts to sustain a baby in public with enamored rapturous appreciation if I want to!

And I hope you have the resources to do and support likewise.