Breast feeding and beyond ...

A year or so before I got pregnant I was talking to a friend with a beautiful baby girl and breast feeding came up.  She told me that she breast fed her baby until she was a little over two years old.  My friend was actually disappointed because she didn't nurse for longer...  I have to admit that my first reaction was shock - I was taken back by the length of breast feeding and thought to myself that that was weird and unnecessary.  I meaningfully joined in the school of thought that believes that once a baby can walk or talk they are far to old to continue to breast feed. 

After I became pregnant and started to research breast feeding I had a slight change of heart, at least understanding the science behind the benefits of breast feeding your baby as long as possible.  But I was still sort of weirded out by the concept.  I knew I wanted to breast feed for at least 6 months and hopefully a year for health benefits - but I couldn't imagine what it would be like, nor was I particularly interested in learning about it.  About a month before I was due I figured I better suck it up and get informed.  During this crash course on breast feeding and a second Bradley class dedicated to the subject I started to get a little excited about being able to provide everything my baby would need!  The science behind breast milk is really amazing and interesting!

24 weeks later I have made it easily to the 6 month mark and happily look forward to another 6 months or more of breast feeding.  It has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life.  I had it easy, the only struggle we had was that it took 24 hours longer than expected for my milk to come in.  Raymond had been so easy to nurse and I haven't struggled with supply (knock on wood).  I know many women who have struggled and either moved on to formula because it works for them or who have spent countless frustrating days and weeks making breast feeding work.  It is a lifestyle choice that requires determination and dedication.  I feel blessed to have had this experience!

People comment that breast feeding is an amazing time to "bond with your baby."  And that is totally true.  I don't feel like that phrase even begins to cover it.  In some ways I feel like it is a totally primal experience - when your body and your baby's instincts meet without thought or reason and nourish you both.  The baby get everything it needs and your body releases hormones that help you relax.  I might even call it primal meditation.

Now Raymond is starting to move into eating "solid" foods.  He has had rice cereal, sweet potatoes, squash, hummus, sweet peas and avocado.  The more I read about the introduction of food into the diet I realize that there are two schools of thought - one is that you start to ween the baby off of breast milk through the other foods and the other that you are introducing the solids to give the baby an opportunity to develop a taste for foods at a young age.  When we started preparing to introduce the food it did not even occur to me that we would be weening him - and it still doesn't.  My approach to all of this is that he will make the right choices for his body when he is ready.  We are just providing exposure.

I have really enjoyed planning and making the baby food as well.  It is a pretty amazing concept, to give your child their first flavors and tastes of food.  And I continue to breast feed on demand.  I think it may have dropped off a bit but was are not on any kind of schedule nor have I kept track since the first month passed. 

We will see how long I breast feed - I am confident that it will easily be at least a year.  Maybe longer.  Maybe two.