Thursday, December 15

Thankful Thursday - Breastfeeding

Last week I mentioned that this week I would be giving thanks for the wonder that is breastfeeding.  When I wrote that I truly expected that sometime over the coming week I would make the time to have the post all written in advance so that come 5am today said post would schedule post and all I would need to do is link it up with Kate.  Naturally though thad is not what happened and instead here I am Thursday morning without a post.  Since very few people actually read last week's post I did briefly consider giving thanks for something else but felt that would be a bit like cheating.
Source

If I combine the time spent feeding each child, the total is over six years.  At 20 months DD3 still feeds through the night and a couple of times through the day.  Basically whenever she feels like.  It was the same with the other two.  I can not begin to explain the thanks I give for being able to breastfeed.

As you may be aware I am all about ease and quick fixes.  Both of which breastfeeding is.  There are no bottles to wash or forget to take with you.  A boob is always clean and ready for action.  I seriously worry that if I was a bottle feeder I would forget at least on one occasion to take either the bottle or the formula with me when I went out. (Laugh not, this is the same mother who can go out and forget to take a spare nappy with her).  So lucky for me breastfeeding means one less thing I need to pack when going out.  For which I am super thankful.

When I was pregnant with DD1 the only fear I really had was that I wouldn't be able to breastfeed.  I am not sure where this stemmed from as there was no reason why I felt this way.  Within minutes after the birth however my fears were dissipated  as my newborn quickly attached herself and showed we were both naturals.  Being thankful doesn't even begin to explain how I felt.  This only grew in the coming weeks as feeding went from strength to strength and I watched my little blossom thrive on the milk I produced for her.

Being somewhat small in the chest department, breastfeeding a newborn had more benefits than just nourishment as well.  Which as you can well imagine I was pretty thankful for.  Now I am not saying I would really want to be a DD all my life but there was something nice about being one for a while.  (Especially after previously only just managing to fill a B cup)  The downside to this all though is that once feeding is well established and been happening for a while said breasts not only return to their former size but perhaps even shrink and most definitely sag.  Neither of which I can find a way to be thankful for.

What I am thankful for though is the confidence and knowledge that has come with my breastfeeding experience.  The first time round I didn't know that you could feed while laying down.  Nor did I know that you didn't have to lift your top up.  I can still clearly recall the first time I saw someone pulling the top of their shirt down.  That woman is a genius and has my endless thanks.  I cringe at all that time I spent exposing my flabby tummy rolls of post birth because I failed to see that tops can be pulled down just as easy as they can go up.

Of course over a ten year period fashion has changed somewhat.  Especially when it comes to the breastfeeding mother.  Back when I first started feeding there were none of the affordable easy access tops and singlets that today's breastfeeding mother is blessed with.  A development I am more than thankful for.  Mind you when I mentioned this to my mother her only comment was well imagine what it was like when I had you which is a pretty fair point.  I am thankful that today's breastfeeding woman has more options available to her than the mothers of years gone by.

So there you have it a few of the reasons why I am thankful for breastfeeding.  Joining in over at Kate Says Stuff who is today thankful for little things.  What are you thankful for?  Head over and join on in.