18/12/2016
As I expected, there has been a backlash against the breastfeeding photos that have gone crazy viral over social media recently. Women LOVE to be unkind to other women. Women LOVE to feel "offended" and "hurt" by other women. Women LOVE to play the roll of the victim and claim that other women are beating them down and being mean to them. "What about the bottle fed babies?"...
Is it so wrong that breastfeeding women feel a beautiful bond with their breastfeeding children? Is it so wrong that this tree of life breastfeeding pictures from is going viral with millions of women sharing their special breastfeeding photos? Why would you then make it about you and the fact that you are feeding your baby with a bottle? We don't do this because we think we are better than you. We don't do this because we think you have not tried hard enough or are not bonded in the same way.
We do this because we are proud. We are exhausted, yet smiling. We feel overwhelmed but feel so happy. We have been through mastitis, thrush, low supply, over-supply, tongue-ties, exclusive pumping, syringe feeding, breastfeeding with a supplemental nursing system (SNS), breastfeeding premature babies, babies with special needs and breastfeeding multiples. We have been sad, scared, happy, mad, sick of breastfeeding, missing breastfeeding, feeling "touched out", feeling confused...
And then we look at our little ones as they silently breastfeed, their eyes rolling back as they relax and fall asleep. Their bodies going limp and their breathing slowing down...and we feel at peace. We feel complete. We feel relieved that all of what we went through in the beginning is now a memory of what was, and we know that the time will come when their last breastfeed happens and they wander off on their own. This is about mothering through breastfeeding.
We are celebrating the roots that we have formed. From our breasts, to their hearts. And we are proud. ❤️ '
