Breastfeeding Gifts

Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (December). For this month, we want to honor breastfeeding for having enriched our lives and blessed us, may be even empowered us, in a way that only breastfeeding can. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants.

Breastfeeding had been a pre-planned pursuit at the onset of my pregnancy. Having known and read the importance and good benefits of breastfeeding makes me yearn for the day when I can finally do it. When my daughter was placed in my arms for feeding after recovery from my C-section, I realized that it was not an easy task to do after all. I did not attend breastfeeding classes nor asked for guidance of some expert. All I did was some reading online on whatever possible information I can get. And I thought I was ready...The nurse taught me to just place my baby on my breast and she will eventually seek my breast  and suck, that's what I did...everything went as natural as it was supposed to be and that was the start of my breastfeeding journey.

One of the initial and MAJOR problem I have encountered is wrong latch, because of my ignorance as to how properly do it, I thought it was also going to be the end of it all. I suffered from sore nipples until there was a time that I feel as if breastfeeding is like another form of masochism, a means of hurting myself.  Despite these dilemma, I survived and here I am still breastfeeding my 11-month old daughter and enjoying it as a bonding time for both of us.

Breastfeeding gifts

Aside from the fact that I triumphed over the hardships I encountered in the early days of breastfeeding, it also reaffirmed my worth as a woman, as a person. The fact and idea that there'll be no other person who can nurture my child is a big esteem booster for me. Honestly, I have felt low during the first few weeks after giving birth, not having my husband with me when I gave birth added to my desolation. But breastfeeding no matter how it hurt me at first became the sole refuge I turned to, an affirmation that I am a woman and I am capable. More than the monetary worth (let's face it we really save a lot because of breastfeeding) it enhanced my self worth and made me feel the true essence of being a mother. I have nothing against moms who chose not to breastfeed, I believe we all have a choice on the path we take towards motherhood and this is the one I chose to take. I get encouragement from people who praise my undertaking and consider some people as challenges-those who don't understand and mistakenly think that the only reason why I am doing this is to save up financially. But no matter what other people may think, I know that breastfeeding has been the best intangible gift I have given my child and at the same time a great gift given to me as well. More than anything else it serve the purpose of the set of tits placed in front of my body and with that I cannot be more than happy.

Please do check out other moms and their posts who joined this Carnival : 

Shaps- Beyond Being Thin

Gretchen - Breastfeeding Gifts for Christmas

Carol - The Gift of Miracle

Jenny O.- The 

Gifts of Breastfeeding

Anne - The Gift

of Breastfeeding

Nats - We Wish

You Merry Nursing

Jenny R. - If the Magi Were

Queens

Em - The "Breast" Gift

Isis- Got Milk?

Armi - Breastfeeding

Gifts

Liv - My Breastfeeding

Journey

Laya - Time in a Drop of

Milk

Mec - The Gift of a Changed Man

Marnellie - From a Donee to a Donor