My Saturday Rant…I’m a Total Lactivist!

So recently I’ve been surrounded by expectant mothers at my work, non the less.  It actually has been pretty cool and fun.  We can all joke about the, ‘don’t drink the water’ that we all hear when there’s a plethora of expectant parents at once.

But what goes on in my mind the most is what I’m really passionate about – breastfeeding.  Where I work they are very adaptable when it comes to needing to take nursing breaks to pump.  There’s even a separate area with a fridge and locker space too!  It really is awesome and I can’t complain compared to what some must overcome in order to pump during their work hours.

If anything I just want these moms to know what would really help going into birthing a child, then feeding them your milk, and beyond.  If I hadn’t found the support I had right after my son was born I doubt I would be able to say the same things I can today – that he was breastfed for the first two years of his life.

That experience was my son and I’s first lesson learned together and it was the most amazing, most worth it experience ever!  And 95% plus moms can do it, if they really have the determination and support they need in order to succeed!

Just like they say, it takes a village to raise a family, this is so very true.  Check out my friends post over at Whole Family Parenting about this concept and how to find your own. 🙂

Support

When I knew I was going to nurse my son from the very beginning I had this idea in the back of my mind that there’s always a bottle back up. But after having a c-section and really struggling with my son latching, I found a breastfeeding support group that met at the children’s hospital next door once a week.  At the time when I was at the hospital they unfortunately didn’t have a lactation specialist but the nurses tried their best to help me.  Each time he needed to nurse, I could only use the football hold because of my own healing incisions.  But I was determined and because of that determination and stubbornness on my own part, I never gave in and my son and I learned to work together.

It was the best feeling ever but I wasn’t fully confident yet. So my loving mom brought me to this breastfeeding support group days after we were released from the hospital.  I had the youngest baby there and was so filled with emotions from all the hormones that I just broke down crying.  It was so life-changing in that moment, in that class, it all clicked for me!  I got the help I thought I needed, even though it wasn’t help I needed it was encouragement knowing I was doing it right, just had to make a few adjustments.  After that hour, I felt SO motivated and inspired to nurse my son.  I’m sure it had a little to do with the oxytocin releasing in my brain but that’s what it’s there for. :”)

There’s something like connecting with a group of women who are experiencing similar issues and relating that really helps lift the spirit.  I continued this support group once a week for about six months or more and I recommend anyone who’s wanting to breastfeed to find something similar.

We all must stick together and encourage each other through such a journey.  Without such support, most will not succeed as long as they planned.

Now, I must digress here for a moment because I don’t want anyone to think that if they failed at this that they failed as a mother.  They certainly haven’t!  I just want to share how such support can really, truly go a long way!  I gained a wonderful group of female friends whom all ended up creating an online private support group.  From there it was endless; we had playdates all the time, shared best practices, vented, you name it. It truly was a saving grace!  Especially because I didn’t know anyone else going through what I was, so without this support I would have been SO lost.  I don’t have close relatives like most do when raising children so it makes it a whole different scope to deal with.  But no matter what your village contains in the end, as long as there’s a little t-pee of a village to help, you’ll be more than grateful for it! I don’t recommend anyone trying to raise a family without a little help from friends and villages 🙂

We all must stick together – share together – cry together – whatever it may be.  Without each other’s help we’re all just strangers living parallel in this crazy universe together.  Why not help out when others need help?  Why not share when you have nothing else to lose?  When we all stick together and help each other out, this world seems a little less stranger and larger than it needs to feel!

And at that, I end my rant but I just really felt like expressing this and I thank anyone who took their own time to read it.  Please share with others and be kind to one another 🙂

FYI – I have decided to not proof read this and just share this time…forgive any errors. Thanks!