Moments to cherish forever
Our body is amazing, how it grows and nurtures a little human. I will never forget all the special moments I’ve had on my “milky” journeys.
Closeness sounds: When I heard their little gulping in the middle of the night, snuggling up with me on a feeding chair in the dark. It was our soother, our comforter. I remember how nice it was just to sit down, take a breath, and feed.
Magic pain relief: When my children got hit by a nasty sickness – all they wanted was my milk to keep them hydrated. It was always there and always available. For stuffy noses, conjunctivitis (even my own), fever and more…
Cute habits: My older one loved to spin around and cuddle a cloth nappy (she still looks for cloth nappies for comfort at times) and my younger loved to hum a gentle soothing “song” from three-months of age while she was feeding. It was so relaxing for both of us, somehow it always calmed my mama being. She also loved to stroke my neck while she was feeding, and she was a master of grabbing the other nipple…ouch!
Last but not least: When you’re feeding and you look down into their sparkly little eyes and get lost in the galaxy of their being – wow, all these moments are ones I will cherish forever.
Preserving the breastfeeding journey
Now my second girl is 27 months old and my body is giving me messages that it’s time to finish soon. My supply is drying up, and I’m feeling agitated every time I try to feed.
I wanted to preserve this special time in a unique way – to celebrate my body and our journey together. I got a beautiful DIY kit from Baby bee hummingbirds and I crafted a forever jewellery piece using some of my breastmilk as part of my “letting go” ceremony.
This piece of jewellery represents us. The little flowers are my girls’ favourite colours, and each of them contains some of my preserved breastmilk.
I would love to say a heartfelt thank you to Kimberley Rich Photography for the stunning photos she took as a part our sacred closing. Just like my bonding memories, I will treasure these images forever.
Márta Willis is the owner of LunaBloom, Tauranga’s only pregnancy and postpartum health specialized sanctuary. She’s passionate about pregnancy, birthing and motherhood and has spent the last 17 years working as a massage therapist, but is also a qualified midwife, hypnobirthing instructor, reiki practitioner (and more!). Marta specialises in pre- and post-natal massage therapy, holistic childbirth preparation, postpartum doula support, postpartum mother honouring, and sacred sealing ceremonies for new mothers.
