Breastfeeding

When I was still pregnant I made the decision to breastfeed my son. I read about breastfeedingto equip me into doing a great job. I bought things to help me with task and to make things easy for me and my son. I also asked my friends and sister for advice but nothing could've prepared me for the challenging task of breastfeeding.

I started breastfeeding Timmy in the hospital when he was just two days old. The doctor said to start asap to stimulate your body to produce milk. For the first day close to none came out (which is perfectly normal) and as days passed the milk production increased. This was still easy since I did not breastfeed the whole day. Things changed when we brought home Timmy and started breastfeeding full time.

Nobody told me that a newborn (at least this one) eats every hour regardless if it's daytime or nighttime. He poops almost every after feeding and after you feed and change nappies you have to lull him to sleep. On top of this I just gave birth with episiotomy and endured 12 hours of labor. I was a zombie. I was tired and cranky. I almost gave in to giving him formula in exchange for some sleep. This went on for more than a month. You learn things along the way that makes it easier. You get to know your baby and become sensitive and intuitive to his needs. You just keep on learning new things about your baby and yourself.

I'm going on my third month of breastfeeding and I've no regrets. I see Timmy growing bigger everyday. He's smiling a lot now and I love it when he does his happy dance after feeding.

What have I been learning from this experience?

• Breastmilk is really best for babies. God blessed us mothers with the ability to produce milk for our babies and it would be a waste if we did not use it.
  
• Sacrifice. It takes a lot to be a parent. Good health and nutrition for your baby in exchange for sleep and doing what you want.
• To value this time I have with my son. They're only babies once. This is the time they need us the most. Babies will grow up and then you have to let them go and grow. Plus the fact that life is short. You never know when the Lord will take you.
• Selflessness

Breastfeeding is a decision one must make. It is a commitment. It is so easy to quit and take the easy route but are you ready to miss out on things that you cannot take back?