Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Four Years Ago - Just the First Paragraph

Four Years ago today, my first baby was 1 month and 2 days old, and this was the day, the happy happy day in which he was able to latch on and really breastfeed for the first time since his first week of life. It was only then that I was able to (in two days) to stop pumping for good. It was only then that I began to enjoy being a mother fully. This day and the month that preceded it changed my life profoundly and transformed me into a fervent lactivist. Because of my experience, I just melt into tears and feel utterly devastated just thinking about other mothers' difficulty and failure to breastfeed -- I want to help them badly, and I do try to help any new mother I know. I really wish I could become a (certified) lactation consultant,* but right now I'm happy with participating of the LLL (La Leche League).
~~~ ~~~
I wanted to share the whole story, but today it won't be possible. My husband arrived from Brazil this morning (he had a good trip). We got to spend the day together and went to lovely Longwood Gardens in the afternoon. It was heavenly! I will post pictures later, both here and in Flickr. Oh, yeah, and I never told you that we did get to go to D.C. two Sundays ago (on April 2nd) to see the Cherry Blossoms, and I owe you photos of that as well. They'll be coming, I promise. And new thoughts about Brazil and how I kind of feel like I don't really want to go back, at least not now...

But I need to rest. My nights aren't easy - the 22 month old still nurses a few times and has been waking up at 5-6 am, and it takes me a while to get him to sleep again. Today I just got up before 7, because I knew that hubby would call me anyway (he didn't call until 8:40) - and I had gone to bed almost at 1 (as I do most nights). So I'm really tired.

* Oh yeah, I could do that if I don't get the academic job :-) This is serious, though, and not a joke, I really wanted to, but I guess it would be a hassle because I'm not a nurse, or doctor, or social worker...
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4 comments:

  1. Choco PieApril 12, 2006 12:43 PM

    Lilian, I loved breastfeeding my children, and as you know, I was thrilled to be able to breastfeed my son who was born with cleft palate; we continued to nursing through multiple surgeries until he self-weaned at about two years of age.

    I just thought you'd be interested in this personal anecdote--I had my Womanly Art of Breastfeeding book with me one time and one of the dads at my kids school (back in the U.S.) got all excited and told me his mother was one of the group of breastfeeding mothers who founded LLL. I looked her up, her picture is in the book. He seemed very proud of her and he's such a nice man, a great father and stay-at-home dad.

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  2. LApril 12, 2006 1:31 PM

    This is a GREAT story, Sandra, thanks for sharing! I truly admire you for sticking to it and breastfeeding your son, even though he had a cleft palate.

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  3. JulietApril 13, 2006 9:21 AM

    I think that I am lucky because I never had any trouble nursing. My husband jokes that that is because my breasts are so huge! LOL But Seriously, I feel very fortunate. I nursed William until he was 2 1/2, and I think that it was harder for me to stop than it was for him. It's just such a wonderful, bonding time with your child, when they latch on and look at you with those wide, loving eyes. I'll never forget it.

    By the way, I tagged you in my blog.

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  4. LionessApril 16, 2006 12:19 AM

    Hi Lilian, you know,I read you too. As a matter of fact quite a few months ago I came here via Ana and you had a picture of your cat and it looked uncannily like mine, so I left a comment. But your blog didn't want me too so it didn't work. I tried it again. And again. And then I gave up and embraced lurkdom.

    Por isso, estamos quites. :)

    (I've also answered at my blog)

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