By Sally Saint
My son will be 10 in a few days and I have revelled in these last few weeks hugging him and saying to him every day, “Good morning my 9-year-old son”. For the time from baby to double figures, boy has flown by.
As breastfeeding is being highlighted this month, I remember the journey all too well and the feeling of being able to give this growing being all that he needed. The look of love they shine up at you from the curve of your arm, cradled in the arms of love, receiving pure love from my breast milk and giving me access to the most divine love as he gazed at me. His small hand would be touching my skin and the connection and contact were like nothing else I had experienced.
I had mastitis twice in my breastfeeding journey, so I had that to contend with. The first time it caught me unawares; my son had been sleeping longer through the night.
Then one morning, I woke after one of these long nights without him feeding and my head was so spaced, I couldn’t think straight. I was shaky and felt hot, I vomited a couple of times and was seen by a doctor.
With the understanding of this first experience, I was able to catch the symptoms sooner the next time and prevent it getting to that level.
Yet that for me was the only painful part of breastfeeding. I became an expert at managing drinks, eating and walking whilst feeding my son. On-demand, whenever he needed it, I just listened to him and that is also what breastfeeding gave me: the deep understanding of his needs, of the listening ear.
To the most subtle of cues, I was able to carry this baby through his younger years and, in me, it brought out the gentlest of gifts.
To this day, I know my journey was shaped by the deep bond that breastfeeding created.
I know there are various studies that will show the statistics of why it’s important and what it can prevent in later life. I show a lest documented list of benefits.
For myself and my son it gave us the greatest base of all. There were many life situations I was dealing with at the time, but with this link was an energetic bubble of absolute love around us, so that gave me the courage and him the constant bond he needed.
