breastfeeding

i am well aware that not everyone can breastfeed their baby. circumstances may not allow, your body may not allow, your baby may not take... but i was blessed to be able to breastfeed maddie exclusively to six months of age before introducing solids. i am not going to lie, in the beginning i was highly unimpressed with just how much it hurt, what with my split and cracked nipples and a baby that seemed to want to do nothing but feed, especially when they hurt the most! eep! but we got there. 

at 5 weeks in i actually said to doug that i didn't think i could do it and that i was going to have to put her on the bottle and he was as supportive as ever and said that he would be fine with whatever i decided... but i was determined to get there and kept going on demand - then it clicked and one day just stopped hurting. thank goodness. my mum always said to me that the best thing about breast feeding was the amount of time it allows you to spend with your baby and it's true, i know so many people who have bottle fed who have people (kindly) offer to feed the baby and miss out on that time snuggling and bonding. but all i have to say is thank goodness for my phone and the pinterest app without which during night time feeds i may not have been able to stay awake (or sane!)

when i returned to work i managed to wean maddie back to just two feeds a day, which she kept up until a few months ago when she started going down to bed without one... and then having dougs parents here last week, and with all the excitement of christmas she just forgot altogether for two days, then had a drink, then forgot again... although she still plays with my shirt, she doesn't seem as determined to get into it! so i think sadly, we are done.

i am so grateful for the opportunity i had to feed and to just to be able to do so. what a blessing! to be able to nourish a child with your own body and be so close to them. i'm not at the stage where i will go and parade in the street for breastfeeding women's rights, but i certainly would recommend it to others and will certainly be doing it for the rest of my kids whenever they choose to arrive.