With my first child, I had NO clue what I was doing, I was just trying to make life right, I didn't know about our local BFSG, or anything else, I nursed a whole two weeks before caving into formula. Did that make me a bad mom? No. With my second, I nursed her a whole 3 1/2 months. We hit a growth spurt that I thought would never end, and frankly, I didn't know it was a growth spurt. I switched her to formula. Does that make me a bad mom? No. With my third, we are happily nursing 8 months and going on, and I do not plan to wean anytime soon, and will let her lead the weaning.
My second child, I was the one locking herself into the bathroom to nurse her baby. I was terrified of nursing in public. I didn't have anyone support me other than my husband, and it was very hard. This time around, I have a fantastic group of ladies who give me endless support. I nurse in public, and 99% without a cover. Does that mean I'm flashing my boobs? Of course not. I nurse modestly. My train of thought is I will not starve my baby or make my self uncomfortable this time around. Go eat your food in the bathroom while sitting on a nasty toilet and tell me your thoughts. Our breast were made to feed our babies, to give them the nutrients they deserve to grow. I know this is a "touchy" subject, but why hide it?
I wish some women would be more supportive of others, rather they decide to nurse for a day, a week, a month, a year, two years, or even three plus. I will say, personally, MY stopping point wouldn't surpass 2-2 1/2 years, but that is how I feel about it. In these days we get told gross, that baby is too old, or to cover up. Lets normalize breastfeeding, and stop all of this hatred.
Weather you chose to breastfeed, formula feed, or bottle feed you are all a good mom. Embrace it. Support others. Stop being ugly towards others.
So off my "soap box" for tonight!
I am a rather larger women, I have packed on a lovely almost 70 pounds from where I was before I ever had one kid, and now three kids down the line, I would really love to lose it. It has been a very touchy subject for a while. I am so busy, like it is 10:04, I still have to upload a gallery, sweep/mop my floors, wash dishes, and fold about two loads of laundry while drying towels, and washing diapers. My days are jammed packed, and I have no clue how you healthy folks fit working out into your schedule (and if you would be obliged to give me some info I would gladly take it!).
Saying that, I have been putting off getting any pictures of my kids and I. I know, I have heard several of my clients say that they don't want to be in pictures with their children because of weight, and I never knew how much that would impact me. I have been wanting to do a nursing session, to capture this beautiful time with my last child, but I just kept looking down on myself. Today all the images I see are of really small women, and to me, I just didn't feel equally beautiful. I know we are beautiful in our own way, and this blog is really personal, so bare with me.
Mom's set aside the second guesses. Don't for a second let your weight put you back. I look at these images that my lovely assistant Robyn took and I edited of me and the kids, and I couldn't imagine not having them. I even shed a few tears as I was editing because I was thrilled with joy and passion to have these images.
If your like me, I never take my camera with me, I am the iPhone mom. I get burnt out sometimes, that I just keep it at home, and then if I do take it with me, or even with taking shots with my iPhone, I am never in them. I do not have a single image of me and my daughter or other kids as a newborn, not professional ones, and I seriously am kicking myself in the rear. When Ella Kate (our last child) was 7 weeks old, we had professional pictures taken by Casey Kelley in Enterprise, and y'all, I cherish these images! Our only family images we have!
I follow a photographer on Facebook and I am over the moon in love with her "style" and how she pulls images from the "soul" and that is what I wanted to capture with my kids, and I hope that is what they show. I wanted pure, natural, and innocence.
I hope you enjoy them as much as I do, they will be treasured forever!
