My first three obsessions were breastfeeding, cloth diapering, and baby wearing. There are others, but since I'm a new mom, I'll have to do this in parts.
My first obsession (even before Emmalyn was born) was breastfeeding. I knew I wanted to breastfeed from the very beginning, but since I had never done it before I wanted to make sure I was fully informed and that I set us up to be successful. So I read everything I could get my hands on and went to a breastfeeding class. I also talked to my friends who had breastfed their babies. I soon discovered there are TONS of resources for breastfeeding mothers! The La Leche League is apparently the best place to find any and all information about breastfeeding. My wonderful friend gave me her book, The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, and it is a wonderfully comprehensive book for both mothers AND fathers!
I never thought something so simple could be so satisfying! There is nothing like the bond I feel with my daughter or knowing that I am giving her the very best thing I possibly can for her health! Plus, I love not having to take bottles and such with me everywhere I go. Everything I need is already in perfect form and ready to go! I DO often take a cover with me (I'm all about women breastfeeding in public, but not so sure I would want one of my students to see me at the mall or something) but I don't often find it necessary to use it. However, now that Em will be going to the sitter in about a month (SOOOO sad!!), we are using occasional bottles of pumped breastmilk at home so she will get used to the idea (and she is NOT a fan!). I know things are going to get MUCH harder when I go back to work... with having to pump and refrigerate/freeze... but I am determined to do it! My goal is to exclusively breastfeed for the first 6 months, then continue breastfeeding for her first year of life, even after we introduce solid (or mushed-up) foods.
As wonderful as breastfeeding is, it can be really hard if you don't have people to support you. Luckily my family and friends have been AMAZING! They all love me and Emmalyn and want the very best for her, so they have encouraged me to do what I need to do! It is amazing how much easier it is to do something like this with a good support system! Thank you to all my wonderful friends and family!
While discovering the bliss of breastfeeding, I have also discovered that there is a whole other side of this topic I never even knew existed! Apparently there is a portion of the (mostly American) public who think that breastfeeding is unnatural and gross. While I cannot understand their reasoning, I refuse to engage in debate with these people. Don't get me wrong, I have friends who chose not to breastfeed, and I am totally okay with their making that choice (how can I not be? It is THEIR choice!) But because of this discovery, I am making a point to tell everyone I can about the benefits of breastfeeding, the joys of breastfeeding, and to share the resources I have found so that women can make INFORMED decisions about breastfeeding and are not fed the old wives tales and "solutions" to breastfeeding problems. Here are some of the resources I have found helpful:
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding: http://store.llli.org/public/profile/201
La Leche League International: http://www.llli.org/
Best For Babes: http://www.bestforbabes.org/
The next obsession: Cloth Diapering... to come when I have more time because this one is a doozie!!
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