#lactavist

[roo-n-me]

Happy Workd Breastfeeding Week! We’re 3 years into our beautiful journey. I always wanted I to do it especially after reading up about all the benefits. I wanted to make it as easy as possible for us both to sleep and to keep our baby happy. It ended up saving his life by flushing out the polycythemia as a baby then keeping his airways open while he had sleep apnoea. The hormones that are produced while a Mother is breastfeeding help to keep her aware of her babies breathing even when asleep. The slightest change in his breathing in the sleep apnoea days and I was awake and ready to help him breathe again. So glad our wonderful NHS gave him a tonsillectomy so he could breathe properly. It’s been a long journey and breastfeeding has been there to help all the way through. We love our cuddly bonding time although now it’s mostly when he sleeps and wakes unless poorly. I originally wasn’t keen to feed a toddler as I was constantly told it was weird growing up but seeing the wonderful peer supporter feeding her toddler and chatting to her about it completely normalised it for me. We are so lucky to have such excellent groups in Cornwall. Such as @bumptobreastfalmouth and @breast_intentions_helston. (There are many more I just haven’t visited them) I would love to thank all of the many wonderful Mum’s who give up their time to support us! Just because my son isn’t a baby doesn’t mean he doesn’t still want it and need the comfort. We believe in natural term weaning so when he is ready he will stop. He has already greatly reduced and will stop in his own time. I just want to help normalise infant feeding. Our boobs are for feeding and nurturing and I love it! 🎉🤱🤱🏻🤱🏼🤱🏽🤱🏾🤱🏿🎊 #lactavist #worldbreadt#worldbreasyfeedingweek2020 #nationalbreadtfeedingweek #normalisebreastfeeding #normalizebreastfeeding #breastfeeding #breastfeedingmama #breastfeedingjourney #breastfeedingtoddler #breastfeedingtoddler #naturaltermbreastfeeding #naturaltermweaning #stemcells #comfort #nutrition #mumma #breastfeedingsupport #informedisbest #empoweringwomen #naturalparenting #attachmentparenting #cornishmum #jerseycimums #mumssupportingmums #mumsofinstagram #womensupportingwomen https://www.instagram.com/p/CDcY48LHGmr/?igshid=6pi327vo9k6d

[mamaeimi-blog]

От майка на дъщеря - родена да бъда кърмачка

Тази седмица в Англия е националната седмица на кърменето и тази година темата е ‘подкрепа за кърмене’. Идеята е да споделим истории за жените който са ни помогнали и подкрепили в кърменето - така наречените ‘breastfeeding friends’

Реших да споделя малко от моята история и да ви разкажа за човека който ми е най-голямото вдъхновение в кърменето - майка ми. Моята майка е от онези за които може да се каже че наистина е дала всичко от себе си (даже може би твърде много) на децата си. Аз и двамата ми по-малки братя не сме ходили на детска градина. Майка ми стоеше вкъщи с нас. Баща ми не взимаше много голяма заплата но намираха начин да се справят. За нея бе по-важно да е до нас от колкото да имаме много играчки или ваканции в чужбина, нещо за което винаги ще съм благодарна.

Нейната майка - баба ми - не си е кърмила децата но майка ми все пак е решила че тя иска да кърми. Когато е учила за да стане медицинска сестра е разбрала че това е най-хубавото начало в живота, което една майка може да даде на своето дете. С всяко раждане е ставала все по-опитна и продължителността на кърменето, по голяма. Най-малкият ми брат се отби на две години и четири, пет месеца. Освен трите и деца, майка ми също така е дарявала кърма на други бебета. Спомням си как цедеше от едната гърда и в същото време събираше това което капеше от другата в чаша. Едно камионче идваше у нас, събираше кърмата и я отнасяше в банката за бебета в нужда. Благодарение на всичко това, в нашето семейство кърменето бе нещо съвсем нормално, обичайна част от живота. И когато аз станах майка знаех че няма друг вариант за мен освен да кърмя. Искам да ви разкажа как ми е било писано още като новородено бебе да стана кърмачка: Когато съм била само на две седмици съм получила абсцес на едната гърда и се е наложило малка операция в болницата. На майка ми, въпреки всичката ѝ тревога, ѝ е хрумнало да пита “Ще ѝ пречи ли да кърми когато порасне?” Доктора ѝ е казал че не би трябвало да има проблем, просто ще имам едно каналче по-малко на тази гърда.

И ето ме, тридесет и две години по късно, с тъничък, бял белег на дясната ми ареола и двама прекрасни, кърмени сина. С малкия продължаваме, надявам се поне до две години. Опитвам се да предам и моя скромен опит на други майки които имат нужда. Благодаря на майка ми че винаги ми е дала съвет, подкрепа и кураж и че ми е дала най-чудесния пример за всеотдайна, кърмеща майка.

Ще се радвам да чуя вашите истории за жените който са ви подкрепили в кърменето - може да ползвате хаштаг #bffriend17

[tattybon-blog]

For the boobie mamas out there.... (Link to #etsyshop in profile bio). #popculturepins #etsy #etsyseller #breastfeeding #lactavist #proudlactivist #pin #pinbadge #crafts #craftersofinstagram #glasgow #pinsofig #pinsofinstagram #pingame #pincollection #shrinkplastic #boobiefeeding #parenting #mother #speechbubble

[satanssuburbanmilf-blog]

London Rose Crowe. 💘

[aftonapple-blog]

La Leche league

Going to my first La Leche league meeting tonight. Anybody else attend these? I'm looking forward to meeting other breastfeeding moms in my city...Ill post about it later tonight.

[mamaeimi-blog]

World Breastfeeding Week 2017 - 5 things I love about breastfeeding!

We all know that breastfeeding is usually the healthiest choice for both mum and baby but there are loads of other reasons to breastfeed that you might not have thought about. To celebrate world breastfeeding week I’m sharing with you five of the things I love about breastfeeding…

1. It ALWAYS calms my baby.

It doesn’t matter whether he’s hungry, tired, teething or grumpy for some unknown reason - one thing’s for sure - suckling makes him calmer and happier, at least temporarily anyway! I find this especially useful when caring for a toddler who’s constantly falling over and bumping himself. It’s a quick, easy and effective way of making the pain go away. 

 Also it’s been proven that breastfeeding produces pain-reducing chemicals in the mother’s body too!

2. It burns fat.

I, like many women, got fatter during the early months of breastfeeding (the body builds up fat stores, just in case.) However, as my babies got older I found that the extra kilos started dropping off at lightning speed! When my first son was six months old I quickly went back to my pre-pregnancy weight, without dieting and with no other exercise apart from pushing the buggy! With baby number two the process was a bit slower but the same thing happened again. Just after my son’s first birthday I managed to squeeze back into my old jeans - magic!

3. It gives me closeness with my baby.

I’ve written about the special bond before but it’s worth mentioning again and it’s probably my favourite thing about breastfeeding. Breastfeeding makes me irreplaceable to my baby and helps to create an unique bond which I find hard to describe. Yes, it’s physically demanding and yes, it ties me to my baby, giving me less freedom, but I’ve come to embrace and even enjoy this period of my life, seeing it as the fulfillment of my role as a woman and mother. After all, it’s only one or two years out of what I hope will be at least another 40-50! 

I also have to admit that I’ll miss using the “I can’t, I’m feeding” excuse when there’s washing up or tidying to be done!

If you’d like to read more of my thoughts on the subject, have a look at these  previous posts: The Irreplaceable Bond

The Fleeting Moment

4. It leads me to make healthier choices.

Breastfeeding gives me a great excuse to say no to that second cup of coffee or second glass of wine - making me just that bit healthier.

I’m also more cautious about how much medication I take and which foods I eat. Becoming a mother has made me much more aware of what is actually in our food and I now read every label meticulously before buying anything, thus the whole family eats less rubbish!

Having said this, breastfeeding is not nearly as limiting as many people like to believe. There are no foods which are necessary to avoid completely and many medications are, in fact, safe to take.

Check out this brilliant website for checking which medicines are safe to take while breastfeeding:

e-lactancia

And click here for more information on what to eat while breastfeeding:

Breastfeeding and diet

5. It’s good for the planet!

Not only is breastfeeding completely free, it’s also  completely green!

WABA says: "Breastfeeding entails less energy when compared to formula production industries... Formula production implies dairy farming that often puts pressure on natural resources and contributes to carbon emissions and climate change."  source - http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org

Adding this to such a long list of reasons to breastfeed makes me happy in the knowledge that not only am I doing what’s best for my baby but also what’s best for the environment.

Tell me what your favourite things are about breastfeeding - I’d love to hear from you!