This year I have signed on to be a host for The Big Latch-On!
The Big Latch-On is a global wide event that brings together breastfeeding mothers and those who support breastfeeding to raise awareness on how great, beneficial, and normal breastfeeding should be and attempts to break last year's record of most women breastfeeding simultaneously.
This year I was lucky that they are having it on August 3rd & 4th. I heard about the event and was bummed I wouldn't be able to participate because I already had a midwife appt. scheduled.
I already missed out on the Big Cloth Diaper Change because of something we had going on, I know lots of BIG things, right? So when I found out it was pretty easy to host I figured I'd do it on my own!
[If you are on Oahu & would like to join us either to be latched on, take pictures, or help with registrations we would love your support!]
As a budding birth doula and hopefully, one day, midwifery student, I figured anywhere I could raise awareness on the beautiful, natural and God given blessings of being a woman and Mother I should.
With Lily & Jonas I had a much harder, shorter breastfeeding journey. I had little support with both and had an epidural during each labor which made the initial breastfeeding a little harder.
With Lily I had intense pain when I would feed her, knowing now, that it was just a bad latch and something I could have easily fixed. I also supplemented with formula from the very beginning not quite understanding why breastfeeding is so important and not really giving it as much effort as I could have. It saddens me to think that I missed out on an incredible bond with her because I just didn't know how to get help.
With Jonas it was a little easier but I still used formula early on and didn't understand the concept of nipple confusion, etc. With both I made it to about 7-8 months both breast and formula feeding. Sometimes it's hard reading things that tell you about how great breastfeeding vs. bottle feeding is when I know I didn't give my first two babies my very best. I know part of it is Mother's guilt, added to my Catholic guilt I just end up feeling guilty 99% of the time. But I try to let go of that, to know I as a Mother can only learn and grow. I am happy for those that "know better" before they even have kids. To make it a point to research, know facts and have a set parenting path before they even get pregnant. But for us it was more of a learn as we go situation. We're still learning and nowhere near knowing it all, although I won't tell my kids that.
[One of my favorite BF pictures. Oliver nursing at the water park while I'm 22 weeks pregnant. :]
Which brings me to Oliver, my breastfeeding pride and joy! At 29 weeks pregnant [myself] and 19 months old [Oliver] we still have a good nursing relationship. It was painful for a period, when my milk dried up during pregnancy, and at times it can be cumbersome and annoying, when it feels like 100 degrees already without a 20 pound toddler strapped to my chest. But the bond I have with him and the pride in myself can't be beat. I hope we can keep nursing at least long enough to last until the Big Latch-On, less than 3 weeks away! But I don't have a set time frame, I think we'll both know when the time has come. And I can tell I've really become "crunchy" when my dreams include being able to tandem nurse my babies. Something I didn't even think about just 6 years ago.
I've been on both sides of the fence. I understand it's not that easy for some women, I just hope to be able to give other women the support, care, and knowledge that would have helped me in my early days. Along with being pregnant & giving birth it is just such an amazing gift God gave to women.
We are nurturers and made so perfectly for our roles it amazes me.
Which brings me to Oliver, my breastfeeding pride and joy! At 29 weeks pregnant [myself] and 19 months old [Oliver] we still have a good nursing relationship. It was painful for a period, when my milk dried up during pregnancy, and at times it can be cumbersome and annoying, when it feels like 100 degrees already without a 20 pound toddler strapped to my chest. But the bond I have with him and the pride in myself can't be beat. I hope we can keep nursing at least long enough to last until the Big Latch-On, less than 3 weeks away! But I don't have a set time frame, I think we'll both know when the time has come. And I can tell I've really become "crunchy" when my dreams include being able to tandem nurse my babies. Something I didn't even think about just 6 years ago.
I've been on both sides of the fence. I understand it's not that easy for some women, I just hope to be able to give other women the support, care, and knowledge that would have helped me in my early days. Along with being pregnant & giving birth it is just such an amazing gift God gave to women.
We are nurturers and made so perfectly for our roles it amazes me.
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