I must admit I am addicted to breastfeeding. Some say I go over board but if I had to go back and do it all again I would do it all the same or more! My first experience with my first born son (April 13, 1979) started off a little rocky. After a beautiful home birth experience I had an ignorant pediatrician tell me I had "breastmilk jaundice" when in fact it was probably the more typical "not enough breastmilk jaundice"! I dutifully put him in the hospital under belli lights and let them give him formula while I tried to pump. I would never have done that today but we make the best decisions we can with the information we have at the time. Through that experience I was spurred on to learn a tremendous amount about jaundice and I have been able to save many other babies from the same fate!
Just a couple months before my first daughter was born my son tapered off nursing and I didn't know much about encouraging it longer or about tandem nursing. That lesson came with daughter #2 as the girls nursed 18 months together. Four months before my fourth was born my daughter weaned herself abruptly - she moved up to the "star" class in primary at church and didn't need "nummies" any more. She was 5 1/2 by then and made the decision totally on her own. We had 3 more boys all two years apart. The first one nursed through both pregnancies and continued nursing for a year together with the other two. He would sit so patiently and wait for the other to get through and settle in for the last drops as he would fall off to sleep! All 3 boys nursed until about their 5th birthdays and gradually weaned themselves.
Besides those couple months off that ranged a period of 17 1/2 years of continuous breastfeeding! The best parts were:
LOTS more sleep than most new moms get
I could knock them out at night 2 at a time and still have my snuggle time with them
I could eat all that I wanted and not gain weight
I just never saw the sibling rivalry that I saw in so many other family situations - they got a new baby in their lap but it did not mean losing mom's cuddle with them!
I never had to deal with bottles - I never gave any of them one!
My chance of breast cancer is greatly reduced!
I could go on an on but you get the idea. I wanted all other mothers to enjoy the same experience that breatfeeding can provide so I have dedicated my life to helping others! I help moms by leading 2 La Leche League groups (leader since 1980), I consult individually as a Lactation Consultant (since 1987) and have a whole store full of breastfeeding products (since 1987) www.birthandbaby.com.
Any questions?
