Today has been the absolute best day!  We started the day going to the pediatrician, and the news was good.  Everything is fine, he may have some chest congestion causing him to have an upset tummy resulting in more spitting up.  Next we had some time to kill before meeting my husband for lunch.  We shopped a little, and I figured out a new trick: nursing in my ring sling.  I put him in the tummy to tummy hold with legs out, and popped my boob up a little.  Worked like a charm!  I walked about the store and shopped while he nursed.  Win Win.

Next was lunch, we went to a chinese buffet.  Fletcher behaved until close to the end, so this was great news.  Typically our eating involves a lot of crying and bouncing.  After I dropped my husband back off Fletcher was cranky.  I nursed him in my car and we danced for 15 minutes in the parking lot to Radiohead.  It was pretty fun.  

Drove home and ran into a few neighbors outside, we chatted.  One commented that I must be having the time of my life with my new son.  I was like, “yeah, I think I am!”  

So for the rest of the day I am doing my neglected domestic duties:  dishes and laundry.  After I finish I think I am going to the park.  It is too gorgeous not to.   I will try to get something useful up on here later tonight when the sun is down

Now, I believe I enjoy child birth for the miracle it is.  I can overlook the pain and damage inflicted to your body because both of those go away.  

I swore I would never baby talk.  Guess what?  It is physically impossible to be around a baby, talk to that baby, and not raise your voice 10 octaves.  I tried.  You break out in a cold sweat and begin shaking before your voice slowly climbs to a pitch only babies and dogs can hear.  If you see me moving my lips but you hear nothing, just know that my son (and any dogs that might walk by) know exactly what I am saying.  ”Gonna write that novel, get an antagonist, protagonist?…” (another quote…. Family guy this time)  Oh, and it is actually beneficial to talk in baby talk.  Just so ya know.

Breastfeed- yuck.  Those were my thoughts before getting pregnant.  I know, I know… that is what boobs are there for.  Guys love em, but so do babies.  Babies trump guys.  Once I got pregnant the idea just grew with me and I appreciated how special it was and that it was the intention of your boobs.  Now my boobs are in use many hours a day.   I love breastfeeding more than I can express (get it?) and I never want to stop.  Talk about a 180.  

I assumed incorrectly that having a baby will not affect your social life.  Your old friends do not want to hang out with parents and babies.  It is a necessity to find “mom” friends.  I will not join a mall stroller derby though, I have to draw the line somewhere. 

Finally, I never thought I would let having a baby completely change my life.  It has changed everything.  I used to wake up at noon, now I am up and running most days by 8 am.  I used to go out to eat- a lot- with my husband.  Now we are lucky to sit in a restaurant once every two weeks.  And it is always with the baby, we don’t have a sitter.  Movie nights are spent at home and a Netflix DVD.  I have not stepped foot in a theater in over 6 months.  

And despite all of those things, I love motherhood!  

For reading this I will give you a smile.

My little cowboy

Yes, I love my boobs.  I love them because they work very well.  My son loves them!  He is definitely a boobaholic, he is addicted, to boob-ahol.  (Simpsons fans, anyone?)  I do take them for granted.  If he is fussy a boob generally gets shoved in his mouth.  If I know he is sleepy I thrust a boob in there and he gets sleepy; this makes it easy for me to put him down for his nap or for bed.  Sometimes I want to catch an extra few minutes of sleep.  9 times out of 10 he wakes up at 5-6:00 am, then he gets taken to bed with me where I nurse him and we both fall back asleep until around 8 am.  This is wonderful, but should one woman hold so much power?!?!

It didn’t used to be this easy.  For mothers who have the romantic idea that the baby will come out clean and cute and then be put to your breast- and will actually latch on- be prepared!  Besides the fact that my son was not allowed to nurse immediately after delivery due to a breathing problem, when he was allowed he wasn’t having it.  ”Ummm… what is this squishy pink thing in my face?  What do want me to do with it?  Oh, I know, I am going to put a little in my mouth and make blisters on it!”  Yeah, blisters.  Bleeding.  Sore.  Ouch.  

After the lactation consultant introduced the nipple shield (Hallelujah!!!!) to get him to latch, and after I then worked weeks to wean him from the shield, he finally got it.  It took 5 weeks to be able to breast feed my son 100% successfully.  And even then there was some mild pain.  I would say 7 weeks until pain free and really getting the hang of it.  

The amazing thing is that I never gave up.  In the hospital when I was being milked manually (by a woman!) and having nurse after nurse shove my boob in his mouth telling me it needed to go deeper (not possible); I was doubting my ability to breast feed.  I never doubted my commitment.  The pediatrician gave me an out.  He said, “My wife couldn’t do it either, but she pumps.  Maybe you shouldn’t torture yourself, just pump.”  And I thought, “if his wife- a doctor’s wife- can’t breast feed then maybe some people can’t.  I should just pump.”  But I talked myself out of that quickly.  I am so glad I did.

I am now an expert.  I nurse in public- proudly.  My husband hates that I don’t use a nursing cover but my son won’t eat with one.  I can take my breast out at a moments notice.  I have nursed in a rest stop standing up, in a McDonalds, in the car more times that I can count, in the mall in various places, at friend’s houses, at the public library, at TJ Maxx, on a bench at the park while wearing rollerblades, at a restaurant, and so many other places I lose count.  I walk around my house with him attached while I pick things up.  I type while nursing-nak- for those not in the know!  My next challenge is to figure out how to nurse in a carrier.  It will be done.  Hands free nursing, the ultimate achievement!

Fletcher is coming up on 5 months.  Everything that he is has been hand crafted and built by me.  His insides and out.  I am especially proud of the rolls of fat on his thighs.  He has never had formula or solid food.  He is 100% me.  I never  I would want to breast feed up to a year.  Now I think I plan on letting him self wean.  I am going to fight the teeth and the biting.  Will I be successful?  Ask me in a few months.  

nursing

at the park