For those of you who know me as baRbi..heres a bit of humor for you - but really, is it funny? or sad that ddolls all come with bottles.

People asked me my whole pregnancy if I was going to breastfeed. I think because I have huge boobs to begin with they thought it would be too difficult or something. Maybe they were wondering if they should buy me bottles? Or maybe they were just nosey? Whatever ther reason they asked... I always said emphatically "Of course!". It never entered my mind that I wouldn't. If for some medical reason I couldn't I probably would have been very disappointed.

Breastmilk is the  natural choice for feeding a baby. There are so many nutrients in breastmilk that the scientists can't even list them all. Breastmilk naturally protects and immunizes baby. Breastfeeding promotes bonding between mother and child (dads and siblings can bond in other ways and they do!).   Top Ten Reasons Why Breast is Best

I nursed Chelsey till she was 10 months old and succumbed to societies pressure to wean. Well, that and the fact that she bit me and I gave up too easily.  Zoey is exclusivey breastfed I hope she will be until SHE is no longer interested in breast milk - at least till she's a year old. Many AP parents go much longer, into the toddler years..i don't know if thats for me, but you never know, right? I do know that I won't be coerced by the baby food manufacturers into starting her on solids until she's at least 6 months old - she doesn't need it, and why take her away from breastmilk which is the best thing for her!

I love knowing that my babys rolls of fat are from what my husband calls "healthy moms milk". I love knowing my baby isn't getting chemicals other than what I consciously put into my own body and have control over. I love knowing that my milk is always the right temperature. I love that my baby never has to cry because she's waiting for me to fix a bottle - she lets me know she is hungry  and she immediately eats. I love that I can go anywhere at any time and not have to worry about preparing a bottle, keeping it cold, then warming it up, pouring out what isn't used, cleaning the bottles, sterilizing nipples and so on and so on and so on. And I'm thrilled that I don't have to worry about the cost of feeding my baby. Breastmilk is free.
Zoey nursing for the 1st time

Zoey nurses on demand. That means sometimes she'll eat every 3 hours, and sometimes its every 45 minutes. It means that she nurses not only for nutrition, but for comfort as well. (sometimes she's not hungry but just wants to be close to me, have a snack and fall asleep). It means that I'm available for her whenever she needs me. I love that feeling.

I love watching her "drunk on the boob" (as my husband calls it) when her eyes roll back into her head in pure ecstasy as she drinks her lunch. I love when she looks up at me and smiles, letting my nipple fall out of her mouth and milk run out the corner of her lips and then laughs as she tries to get it back into her mouth again.I believe that breastfeeding is slowly becoming more accepted by our society.

This is a wonderful note on public nursing I'd like to share. 

Thank you for nursing your baby in public.
You are not only nourishing your child,
but the hearts and minds of everyone here.
When nursing in Canada/U.S. is more
common and understood, the credit will go
to women like you. I thank you on behalf
of my grandmother who had never
heard of breastfeeding. I thank you on behalf of
my mother, who hadn't a single soul to support her
nurturing instinct. I thank you on behalf of my
daughters and granddaughters, may
they never think twice when their children
thirst. May they never search for a "secluded
corner," a dressing room, or a restroom. I thank you on
behalf of every woman who ever was
or ever will be. Have a beautiful day.

copyright 1999, Lisa Russell

There are so many wonderful breastfeeding support pages on the net. Heres just a few of my favorites.

 Breastfeeding.com
 La Leche League
 The American Academy of Pediatrics Breastfeeding Resources
 

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