Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (December). For this month, we want to honor breastfeeding for having enriched our lives and blessed us, maybe even empowered us, in a way that only breastfeeding can. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants.
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In this season of yule, I reflect on the many gifts I received this year. Along the way I realized that a lot of changes, influences and opportunities in my life happened because of breastfeeding.
Counting my breastfeeding blessings, there are thirteen (13) significant ones:
1. The blessing of a deeper and more meaningful friendship
I had a very hard start in my nursing career. In fact, I was crying and panicing for almost three (3) days because my son would always cry and everytime I will feel that I am a failure becuase I thought could not satisfy my son's hunger.
During these three (3) crucial days, my boss sent me a text message. Since before my maternity leave we were actually talking about breastfeeding and my deepest desire to do so, she naturally asked me how am I doing. I poured my frustration and she patiently encouraged me to continue and she even said that she will not allow me to fail with my 1st baby as she did. She actually inspired me and gave me the gift of real friendship. Even if she is no longer my boss now, I try to make an effort to connect with her from time to time. We have lasting bond because of our nursing experiences we were able to pull thru because of our friendship.
2. The blessing of being a friend
Doing a good turn daily is part of a girl scouts' honor and being one, I try my best to help other friends, relatives and even acquaintances to their journey towards nursing their babies the way my boss did.
3. The blessing of friendship even if I haven't met personally
In my nursing journey, I had a lt of on line help. Somehow, I consider them as my friends because they share a piece of themselves in what they write and share to their readers. I came across fabulous mommies who have supported me --from bloggers, momtrepreneurs and baker of lactation treats!
4. The blessing of becoming a blessing to others
I have always wanted to donate blood to Red Cross but everytime there is an opportunity, my frail body is not ready.
Little did I know, my body was created to do better! I have excess milk that I donate to sick babies -even until now that my son is past 1 year old. I share milk to mommies as far as Palawan and Davao
5. The blessing of deeper sisterhood
I am an only daugther and with that, I have thirst for a sister. Luckily, when I got married, my husband has a sister. We shared breastfeeding stories and parenting & wife role ''strategies''. This sharing opened doors for a more trusting sister relationship.
6. The blessing of a supportive mom
My mother has always wanted to be a control and makes sure that she gets what she wants. But becuase of this also, her determination to help me succeed in my nursing career, I was able again appreciate her character and how she believes that I can do it.
7. The blessing of better body
I have always been physically unappealling --tall, big hips, no butt and boobs. Luckily I don't easily get fat so I eat what I like.
When I learned that I was pregnant, I started eating right and avoiding my favorite things-starbucks frap, piattos cheese, chocolate ice cream, coke, fresh japanese dishes etc. I was discipline myself because of two(2) things:
1) I don't want my son to be so big that I would have to be sliced to get him out!
2) I am afraid to be soooo big postpartum
(I read that excess calories goes to arms and legs)
Reading about breastfeeding, I learned that I should eat healthy and basically continue my pregnant diet (except that I can already eat sushi!) --I followed this with my lola's advice of not taking cold drinks, I easily lost my preggy weight and got into my college jeans six (6) weeks after giving birth!
So thanks to breastfeeding, I have curves back and a chest nearly proportionate to my hips!
8. The blessing of having a ''lactationally-liberal-minded'' husband
My husband is probably the most conservative guy you'll ever meet but beastfeeding changed him. I think he already appreciates the main purpose of the mamary glands since he doesn't mind that I nurse in public --even in church!
9. The blessing of falling in love with my husband again
If Ninoy fell in love with Cory for many times, so do I with my husband. My husband's selflessness made sharing my body with my son effortless to the both of us. He also respects the moments that my son's prefer being with me when he wants to nurse.
10. The blessing of ''better'' and deeper mommy-hood
Indeed, moms who breastfeed and moms who choose to bottlefeed their babies love thier children equally. But in my case, I believe that breastfeeding allowed me to be attached to my son in a deeper manner and made me a better mommy for him. I think, if we were bottlefeeding, I would have deligated most activities with him to his caregiver and I would just went on enjoying my work. Also, breastfeeding removed the guilty feeling when I leave him for work. Pumping milk for him while I am at work is my way of being with him.
11. The blessing of my son's good health
Since he was born, my son was never sick in a major way. If he gets sick, he easily bounces back with barely any medicine. Even when he is sick, he is still jolly, playfull and active.
12. The blessing of achieving milestones ahead of his time
I learned that unlike formula, breastmilk can be treated like a bottomless drink --you can give it to baby as much as he wants without worrying about obesity.
Because of this, my son has always had a lean body --not too fat and not too thin. His weight is just right for his height so he was able to develop motor skills ahead of time --crawling at 5 months, walking at 10.5 months and running by his 11th month! His confidence on motor skills had a positive effect on his overall self confidence that he bravely feeds his curiousity on many things including his ability to speak! He started uttering 3 syllable words at 15 months -a bit ahead for a boy.
13. Lastly, experiencing the miracle of life-beyond giving birth.
John Mayer's song describes the female body as a wonderland--it carries a baby and can provide milk up to two (2) years and beyond!
Do take the time to check out all the posts in this month's carnival:
Shaps- Beyond Being Thin
Gretchen - Breastfeeding Gifts for Christmas
Carol - The Gift of Miracle
Jenny O.- The Gifts of Breastfeeding
Anne - The Gift of Breastfeeding
Nats - We Wish You Merry Nursing
Jenny R. - If the Magi Were Queens
Em - The "Breast" Gift
Isis- Got Milk?
Armi - Breastfeeding Gifts
Liv - My Breastfeeding Journey
Laya - Time in a Drop of Milk
Mec - The Gift of a Changed Man
Armi - http://the-newbie-wife.blogspot.com/2011/12/breastfeeding-gifts.html
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