I know I will not always be around. Life cycles mean we are here, we live, we thrive, then we die.
While I’m here, I am determined to provide our children with the best and be there for them when they need me - which means we rely on the breast to get us through tough times, whether it be nursing during uncertainty, stressful or scary moments.
I remember those first nights when our youngest was a newborn. She would wake me in the middle of the night with her loud shrieks.
I’m not sure if she was having a nightmare or what other traumatic thing she was experiencing, but hearing her screams was definitely traumatic for me.
Nursing helps us both calm down from startling experiences. She is able to soothe and feel secure in my arms and I feel fulfilled that I am able to attend to my child’s needs.
Another traumatic experience for the both of us is whenever she gets badly hurt.
Our youngest was an early walker (by 4 months she was mobile and by 6 months she was walking). I remember one morning the girls were asleep and I went downstairs to make my morning cup of tea.
I heard some movement from upstairs, ran to the staircase to find our 6 month old trying to take her first step down the stairs.
Of course her legs were too short so I ran up the stairs to shorten her fall.
Have you ever witnessed your child cry so hard, that they are gasping for air from the pain?
During those moments it’s difficult for me to tell where the pain is ... if she will have a lifetime injury ... so many devastating scenarios run through my head — yet I calmly picked her up, held her tight, rocked myself and nursed her.
I’ll leave you with one more situation, that took me years to realize our child may have been nursing due to trauma, and I’m glad I did not stop her.
Our first daughter spent a few hours in the NICU (newborn intensive care unit) because she was born at 36 weeks and 5 days, instead of at 37 weeks).
They required she spend 4 hours in a car seat while NICU staff allegedly watched her to make sure she could hold her head and would not cut off her our circulation. The thought of it sounds like torture and saddens me til this day.
Anyway, when they returned her to me - she latched on to my breast and would not let go ... for FOUR WHOLE HOURS.
My daughter stayed attached to me. Sadly, I'm not sure what series of tests they did to her, it was three years later after having our youngest at home, that I learned about the tests that they do on newborns in the hospital.
All I know is that she attached to me and would not let go.
In the end, breastfeeding definitely helped me (and the girls) deal with some trauma we experienced as a new family.
Can you relate?
Until next time.
Love Thyself!
Dominique
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