Lately there's been a whole lot of boo boo (nursing) and not enough nite nite (sleep). This makes for a very tired and cranky Mommy.
When I first considered nursing I never thought it would last. There were so many things about it I didn't understand and I wasn't even aware of all of the health benefits. I decided to give it a try because Allen asked me to. He really wanted Samuel to be breastfed.
I had a pretty rough start with a lot of pain and discomfort, so from the beginning I set little goals for myself as encouragement. Initially, I just wanted to get through the first 3 weeks; then 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and finally 1 year. As I went along it got much easier. I read a ton of books and articles about all of the advantages, not only for Samuel but also for me, so I became more determined to stick it out. Also, we naturally started Attachment Parenting and breastfeeding fit right in to that parenting style.
I'm very proud that I've stuck to it and worked through all the problems I had. There were many times when I could have given up and wanted to. I never thought I would make it this far and, honestly, now I don't want to stop! The connection I have with Samuel is so amazing. I can't imagine feeling any closer to him than when he is snuggled up in the crook of my arm nursing.
There are great benefits to nursing other than just the emotional connection, IQ boost, nutrients, antibodies, reduced risk of diseases, straighter and healthier teeth, vision enhancement and less gastrointestinal problems. Breast milk is also like magic sleepy juice and I have used that to my full advantage.
Because I literally cannot hear Samuel cry for even a minute, and out of pure laziness, we have never followed any of the advice about how to get a baby to sleep. Therefore, Samuel has always nursed to sleep and throughout the night. The times when we have tried to get him to sleep without the boo boo he just cries and cries so I give in and nurse him. Now I'm not sure if he will ever be weaned with out some severe sleep deprivation (child and parents)!
So if you see me nursing a 6-year-old someday you will know why.... it's because I really, really just want us both to get some sleep.
