Photo by Kelvin Bullock
Originally posted August 5, 2016
The bond it creates between mother & child. 18 months in, & I'm sure I'll be sad when Zora stops nursing.
The extraction process. Any woman that's had to hone all of her ninja warrior skills to remove her nip from a sleeping babies mouth will tell you - it's a legitimate craft that is to be respected & noted on resumes.
The effort it requires. Every woman you see nursing didn't happily waltz into an easy rhythm w/ her feeding baby. Zora latched well from the beginning. That doesn't negate the 3 painful weeks it took for my breasts to adjust or the horror stories I heard prior to that created self doubt. Never mind engorgement, blocked ducts, pumping, timing alcohol consumption, & going back to work.
The ease of whipping your nip out. It's an ode to being carefree.
Why your boob is the consistent co-star in pictures. For the first 3mo. of Zora's life, all my friends received were pictures of her head alongside its food source. They can probably identify my breasts in a lineup. Prayerfully, they'll never need to.
The consciousness you have over body shaming & the sexualizing of a natural process should you choose to nurse in public. Refer back to point 3, & understand that we earned the right to choose when, where, & how our babies would be fed. Your potential offense has no place in the equation. Note: Chris & I have had very intentional conversations about this. Though my choice is my own, I still value his input & respect his opinion. Thankfully, he doesn't have a macho complex that would equate my nursing in public w/ dishonoring him.
Why your inquiry as to when I plan to wean is, frankly, none of your damn business.
The pride a mother feels in being the source of nourishment, sustenance, & comfort for her child. Not to mention, the defeat other mothers may feel when having to supplement w/ formula or opt for formula entirely.
How in sync you feel w/ nature by being in tune with the part of yourself that is purely mammal.
Why #WorldBreastFeedingWeek exist & is worthy of recognition. (I'll also add, in good fun, why the snap back is so vicious.)