I've been thinking recently that breastfeeding is really a labor of love. I'm SO grateful that I'm able to breastfeed Nora ("breastfeeding our future baby" was on my bucket list after all:)). I think my experience last weekend truly cemented breastfeeding as one of the ultimate labors of love...
I was at the Hearts at Home Conference in Rochester. It's a conference held each year at the Mayo Civic Center that I've attended four or five times. This year, however, was my first time attending as a breastfeeding mom. I knew that babies were not welcome to attend, so I knew that I would be pumping in the provided "lactation lounge". Little did I know that the lactation lounge was nothing more than a conference room with outlets to plug in our pumps. The room was about the size of my bedroom with no privacy to speak of from the other moms using the space to pump. Now I don't know if any moms were completely turned off my this set up, but I do know that MANY moms used the room, so many that I saw a line outside the door at one point. The first time I came into the room, there were maybe four moms using it. By the time I was done, I could hardly find a path to get to the door to exit! There were literally 20 women in that room! The experience made me think that there are few things I wouldn't do for my children. I was willing to pump in a room full of other moms, with little *ahem* coverage, and made the best of the situation all in the name of providing for my baby. (Please note, I am not telling this story as a "super mom" story looking for glory. I simply found it hilarious and heartwarming what all of us mommas were willing to do for our babes:))
No doubt, a labor of love:)
Breastfeeding, while convenient in many ways, also has its draw backs in trying to accommodate baby's eating schedule. I have a wonderfully functional and beautiful nursing cover (thanks to my dear friend, Liz) to use while feeding Nora, but I also try to take others' comfort levels into consideration when I decide when and where to feed Nora. I never know if I'm a table away from someone at a restaurant who is uncomfortable with the idea of me breastfeeding in such close proximity.
Here are some of my other random thoughts on breastfeeding recently...
- I'm certainly benefiting from the calories burned by nursing. I've been doing Weight Watchers since early September and I have not been nearly as strict with myself as I have in the past, but I continue to lose!
- I also enjoy the excuse to take a break at work to head to the comfy lactation room in the building. Mayo provides clean, private (nothing like the Hearts at Home conference:)) lactation rooms that even have a hospital grade pump for our use. All we have to bring are our own attachments to use. SUCH a blessing!
- I get an excuse to take a break at home every 3-4 hours as well:) I like to be productive and sometimes I get so wrapped up in what I'm doing that I forget to take a break. But, it's not hard to remember to take a breather when I have a baby demanding to be fed!;) It is also a good reminder to slow down and enjoy the sweet baby face that I know will grow up far too quickly.
- It's FREE food for my baby. No other time in my child's life can I say that I'm providing 100% of her needs without paying a dime! It's also simply amazing how God has created our bodies as women and given us the ability to provide for our babies.
- It is a labor of love in the time it takes. Brent did the math of a 24 hour day minus being at work, sleeping, and breastfeeding time and it left me with about 4 hours. That doesn't leave much time on Mondays and Tuesdays. THANKFULLY I am blessed with a half time schedule and an amazingly supportive husband! (More props to the full-time working mommas who breastfeed!!!)
- Of course there are also health benefits, etc, etc that everyone always note when advocating breastfeeding:)
It made me giggle reading about the splendid lactation facilities at Hearts At Home....hehe
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