World Breastfeeding Week

OK so I know I have been MIA (super busy summer here).  And of course I am behind on breastfeeding week too (which was this past week) but in honor of the occasion I put my breastfeeding stats on facebook and figured I may as well blog about them too!

 Me nursing 13mo old Thrace in Yellowstone, June 2010

OK, so here are my Breastfeeding Stats . . . . 

• I started nursing with my first child in 2000
• I have been nursing for almost 10 years non-stop
• I have been tandem nursing (nursing 2) for over 8 years non-stop
• I have nursed through 4 pregnancies
• I have tandem nursed through 3 pregnancies
• I have nursed 3 kids for a total of a year (6mo after #3 was born, 6mo after #4 was born)
• I have nursed a child to sleep every night for almost 10 yrs straight (and almost every day for nap)
• I have nursed 2 kids to sleep (for bed and nap) for 8 yrs straight
• So far, my 3 kids who have weaned did so at 4.6, 5, and 4.8 yrs old
• I am currently nursing my 1 and 3 yr old (to bed and for nap ;0)
• I started pumping to donate milk after #4 and 5 and have pumped 1000's of oz
• All of my kids nursed exclusively for a min of 6mo (till they insisted on eating table food)
• None of my kids has ever had a drop of formula 
• None of my kids has ever had a bottle, not even of expressed milk (nor a paci)
• And I am very grateful that I, or my babies, have never had any 'issues' or problems nursing, other than the occasional 'episode' of mastitis, ugh.

So I suppose all of this makes me 'special' or some amazing person right?  Uh no!! LOL!!  There is nothing amazing or special about me.  I just do what I have to do and what I feel is best.  What is amazing and special is the fact that God created our bodies so wonderfully and perfectly!  That we can make the most perfect food for our babies!  That breastfeeding has a host of benefits not just for baby but for mom too!

I happen to feel very strongly about nursing, and I also happen to be pretty stubborn and determined and idealistic about some things too.  No it is not always easy (especially when you are 9mo pg nursing a toddler and just barely being able to tolerate it) but I am just so convinced that allowing them to nurse as long as they need to is not only the most natural choice, but it is also so beneficial to them, that any 'issues' I may have are simply minor inconveniences and I can suck it up and deal with it (even if it means I spend over an hour every night nursing kids to sleep, LOL).  It becomes normal, it becomes natural and it is like second nature.

It is life with little ones and I wouldn't change a thing!