Carnival of Natural Mothering: My Natural New Year’s Resolutions



Mama’s Mission welcomes you to the December 2013 Carnival of Natural Mothering!

When I gave birth to my son I was young and naive. When I had my daughter 15 years later I was nervous and afraid. I attempted it but only part time. Seems like baby number 3 has really brought out the natural mother in me.

Maybe it’s because I knew I HAD to. Maybe because the other option was potentially having someone else doing it. What am I talking about? The most natural thing a mother can do, breastfeed. You see with baby 3 being a preemie, it was uber important that she receive breast milk.

The nurses in the NICU were very encouraging, even at first when only a few drops would come out during pumping. With each added milliliter of breast milk I was able to provide my cheerleaders, the nurses, cheered louder and my baby grew bigger.

Requesting donor breast milk was just not an option for me. I say this only because I had to do it myself, for me and especially for my preemie. Even when it was offered I politely told the nurses that I would discuss it with my hubby but never did. I knew I could do this so there was nothing to discuss.

Within just a few weeks my milk was coming in like an active volcano. I started storing milk in the freezer, filling one shelf at a time. Day after day, long night after long night, for 2 months I pumped and pumped while my preemie was in the NICU.

Now that she’s finally home I am able to feed her directly. I still pump a few times a day so hubby can bond with her during feedings and to provide me with some overnight feeding relief. Currently she is bottle fed twice a day with extra calories to ensure weight gain. Hopefully next month we will be able to eliminate those two feedings so that she can be exclusively breast fed.

What things do you do to mother naturally? Let me know below in the comments section.

It’s amazing how our natural instincts kick into high gear when needed. While doctors and nurses are trained in their fields, mother knows best. Sometimes that’s breast.

This article is a part of the Carnival of Natural Mothering hosted by GrowingSlower, Every Breath I Take, I Thought I Knew Mama, African Babies Don’t Cry, and Adventures of Captain Destructo. This month’s topic is Natural New Year’s Resolutions. Be sure to check out all of the participants’ posts through the links at the bottom of this page.

Mama E

Multitasking mama to 3 living in Miami. Blogging about parenting, lifestyle, cooking and traveling. Covering everything from diapers to dorm rooms. Ask me anything, I've done it all.

Comments (2)

  • Isn’t it amazing how our Sweet Peas inspire us to learn more and do more? So glad to read that your baby is home from the NICU and that you are doing well with breastfeeding.

    Reply
  • Breastfeeding has been on of my very favorite experiences as a mother. I am so happy it is working out for you. Keep going, you are doing great!

    Reply

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