Make Way for Milk!

Ok, I KNOW it's been forever since my last post, but I had a pretty good excuse! Jake and I have been in the throws of parenthood for the last 3 months, and are SO. AMAZINGLY. UNABASHEDLY. In LOVE with this little boy of ours!! I know every parent feels this way (or should, at least), but for whatever reason, in all my years of working with babies, I really think we hit the jackpot with this one! Not to say it's been without its challenges...challenges that you don't always hear about beforehand. So, I figured I'd list some amazing blessings we've experienced so far, as well as some challenges we've been dealing with, and what they've taught us! Let's start with....

BREASTFEEDING!!!
To be quite honest, I haven't had as many issues with this as a lot of women I know, and for that I am SO thankful! My milk came in almost immediately while we were still at the hospital, and Eli's been eating really well ever since. In fact, I never even needed to bottle feed him until close to the 3 month mark, and very rarely still. I really felt passionate about nursing as much as possible for the 1st 12 months, so we prayed about it leading up to Eli's arrival. God really came through. Not only has he been eating well, but it hasn't been nearly as painful as I expected (though that first week or 2 of engorgement is another story!). I absolutely LOVE looking down at those bright blue eyes and feeling his little hands move against my skin while he chows down. He also likes to affectionately grip the center of my shirt or my fingers while he eats. All of which makes me feel SO fulfilled, like I'm doing exactly what I was created to do to keep this precious little person alive and growing strong. It's quite a feeling!

HOWEVER...there have been some rather unexpected bumps in the road that I thought ya'll might either want to know about, or at least be mildly entertained by. Here are some details I'd have loved to know ahead of time (DISCLAIMER - you may NOT want to know all these details, in which case I'd advise you to stop reading):

1. Ever wondered what it would feel like to have breast augmentation surgery? Welcome to the first 1-2 weeks post-partum. Your ta-tas will swell up like rock-hard cantaloupes and you should be prepared to twinge in pain at even the *thought* of anything coming within arm's reach of them. Luckily, as awkward and uncomfortable as nursing may seem during that time, it actually provides some relief from the engorgement, which motivates you to keep going. On a side note, your husband may not mind this cantaloupe stage quite as much as you do..."look but don't touch" was our agreed-upon policy.

2. I don't care WHAT you do or how high your pain tolerance is. Your nipples are going to hurt in the beginning. Thank goodness this only lasts for a little while until you get used to it (provided the baby is latching properly). The first thing you'll grab is some lanolin breast cream - but TAKE NOTE!! Smearing it all over your entire boob because it hurts is NOT effective, nor does it make for a very happy baby at meal-time. Apparently you're just supposed to dab the very tip of your nipple with it. Who knew.

3. There's this little thing called the "milk letdown reflex" that I was generally aware of before becoming a mom. I had heard that it was kind of "tingly" and that it would happen when you heard a baby cry, etc. I did not know, however, that it would feel like some combination of twisting, getting electrocuted, and being hit by a dodgeball...all on those already-sensitive cantaloupe melons. Mind you, this isn't necessarily a typical experience; I must just be one of the "lucky" ones.

4. Last but not least, when the aforementioned milk letdown occurs, be prepared for some pretty interesting phenomena down there. I of course knew about "leaking" and expected some sort of drippy-faucet thing, which happens on occasion. What I wasn't expecting is a constant stream with enough pressure to shoot out almost a foot from my body in various directions. (I warned you to stop reading if you didn't want to hear the details) Yeah. Imagine holding your thumb over the spout of a hose. Not only is this kind of awkward when you're (hypothetically) showering with your husband and facing his direction, but imagine what your BABY goes through in the beginning of each feeding! I've finally developed a technique of pulling him off right before it happens and grabbing a burp cloth instead to prevent drowning!

Now for the important part. Clearly the blessing of breastfeeding comes with its challenges (and I haven't even had to deal with mastitis, infection, cracked nipples, or difficulty with latching!). BUT I don't want this to discourage anyone from doing it! Mostly I want to point out that even in these obstacles, God is teaching me valuable things about not just parenthood, but His love for us. First and foremost, breastfeeding is teaching me about patience and sacrifice. It's not always convenient or comfortable, but it's SO rewarding, and SO worth it! In fact, the sacrifice involved only lends more value to my unconditional love for Eli. It's such an enjoyable sacrifice because I was MADE to love and sacrifice is the most significant expression of love. Secondly, my nipples might hurt, but imagine how Eli's chapped little lips and mouth must be feeling! I might be awkwardly spewing milk all over the place, but that little baby has to deal with choking and potentially drowning each time he tries to eat...to SURVIVE! The other important thing I'm learning is how selfish it is to focus on myself and all MY difficulties with this. For thousands of years, breastfeeding has been every helpless little infants' lifeline; it's probably not always easy for them either, but what choice do they have? Plus, it provides for an awesome bonding experience. It is a GIFT that I really shouldn't complain about or take for granted! And God is faithful in reminding me of this every time my sweet Eli gets his fill and looks up with those bright blue eyes and a heart-warming smile. It's All. TOTALLY. WORTH EVERY SECOND! <3