Breastfeeding and Self-Care Breastfeeding is the loveliest, snuggliest, warm, connecting time. It is very stilling and deeply enjoyable because you know you don’t have to do anything but just be with you and with your baby. Except for when it is not – when it can be painful, tiring, irritating or frustrating. What constitutes these two very different experiences? The first one is representative of being in connection to ourselves, and our babies. The second one is representative of a disconnection that occurs. The latter is worth exploring and breaking down. How does the disconnection occur? Is it possible that it can stem from simple moments of not taking the time to honour ourselves? Do we honour the fact that our bodies work hard to produce the sole supply of life sustaining food for our babies during their early months of life? Do we honour each feeding time with all the care we deserve? What if, when we hear and feel those early signs that feeding time is approaching, we begin to prepare a space for ourselves. A comfortable chair where we can sit with great posture, propped up with pillows and cushions, perhaps with a footstool to rest our feet on, a glass of water sitting within arms reach and if we have other people present, asking them to pass the baby to us once we have taken that time to get comfortable. What if we took the time to prepare for each and every feed. Even when we are not at home…do we look for the most comfortable place to breastfeed and honour that space, do we ask others for support with this? Do we allow ourselves to make the most comfortable space even in another persons home? Do we claim our right as women to breastfeed in public or do we honour where and how we actually want to breastfeed in that moment, eg we may want privacy or a quiet space away from our social activity. Having been a breastfeeding mother I can certainly recognise the different qualities in when I responded to the needs of the baby before preparing myself, and when I really took the time to prepare myself first. It is possible that you can be sitting for 20-40 mins and in some cases up to an hour in the early days of breastfeeding your baby. Imagine how soon after starting, an irritation can begin to occur if you are sitting uncomfortably for an extended period of time.
Posted on: Sun, 26 Jan 2014 10:24:13 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015