 I have to admit, when my wife Meghen declared that she planned
on breastfeeding our daughter, I was secretly uncomfortable about the whole idea. A
childhood image of a family friend came back to me. You see, she was very open about
breastfeeding her child, and I had been raised in a family of bottom-feeders (Oops! Excuse
me... bottle-feeders). I remember feeling very awkward when it was time to feed the baby.
The very idea of a child receiving sustenance directly from her mother was
an alien thought. I was familiar with bottles and nipples, Gerber and pacifiers. Believe
it or not, breastfeeding seemed very UN-natural to me! I seem to recall hearing that my
mother had tried to breastfeed me, but "I didn't like it," so she stopped, and
never tried it again with any of my siblings.
Would my life have been different had Mom not given up so early? Would I be more athletic,
or more self-assured? I don't know. What I DO know is, my daughter is a very happy child,
and very outgoing. She amazes me daily, and I attribute that to Meghen's persistence in
pursuing and mastering the art of breastfeeding. Our child knows that she is loved and cherished because her mother chose
to develop the special bond that only breastfed children know with their mothers. I know
I'm singing to the choir when I say how easy the world makes it to give up and give in to
the "ease" of bottles and
formula. HA HA!!!
You'll all be pleased to know that today I'm okay, too. I'm no longer uncomfortable around
nursing mothers. In fact, I privately cheered a new mother feeding her child in the open
(not banished to the restroom) of a crowded restaurant tonight. I know that child will be
happy and healthy because Mom knew to give HER very best to baby!
|
Breastfeeding
The
Lighter Side
