Yesterday, we, the success corps members, attended one day of the fall institute! The morning involved attending two breakout sessions and then lunch. The sessions i attended was on fetal alcohol syndrome and then 4-h and the resources they have to offer! After a nice steak lunch, we went upstairs for our breastfeeding class by our MIHOW training coordinator. I loved it! I am def. a breastfeeding advocate and will continue to pass along the information. I am even going to look into also getting certified as a lactation consultant while at midwifery school! I can remember when my mom was breastfeeding i was always interested in what she was doing and how it helped the baby. While she would feed my siblings, i would get a doll and pretend to feed my doll as she would my sister.
We did a little activity during the session and here are the results!
Obviously, the chart is showing how breastmilk is better for the baby and the mom! This is my inspiration for my next brochure for babes and tots! If any of those brochures makes an impact on someone, i hope that this one will leave the biggest! I must say that i really appreciate my moms openness with children with me and giving me the opportunities she did. She would let me help change diapers, bathe, hold, and even "help" and watch breastfeed my siblings. By help, i mean just sit there and make sure the baby was doing ok and then maybe burp her/him! She wanted to make sure that i felt like i was helping and being a big sister. I was changing diapers by the age of 4! haha. I feel as if she wasn't as open with everything, i would feel different about babies and breastfeeding! It was great. The lady training us had her 10 year old son with her helping with the computer and pass out papers. But i was so happy that she was open and honest with him about breastfeeding and wasn't like don't look you are too young to be looking at breasts etc. I loved how she taught him breastfeeding is a natural thing and that is what breasts were made for. We all were talking about breastmilk and how it leaks, doesn't leak, and if it leaks how much. But then she commented on how if you hmmmm, it squirts out. The girl she was talking to didn't get it and she came out and said orgasm in front of her 10 year old boy. He didn't question her at that time but might have later on. I don't know if he really knew what we were talking about or not, but he was completely ok with everything. Not a funny face or a questioning look. If he did ask about, (which he may not have because 1. she might have taught him what it was or 2. because he just thought it was part of feeding a baby) how would you explain it? I look up to her openness and not hiding things from her children. They will encounter it at some point in time and why lie to them or try to cover it up. Granted, i don't have children so i really don't know if that is the best choice. But looking on it from the perspective of a curious child and what i was told about things, i think that honestly is the best choice!
One day my dad was drawing a picture and i had asked to look at it. It was a pair of breasts. At first i thought it was weird and eghhhh gross. I asked him why he drew those and he said that "they are your mommies, they are beautiful! They were made for you and your siblings." Not knowing it at that point, my dad taught me that a women's body is beautiful because of what it's capable of and because of what it does, it looks beautiful! I think that this is why i find pregnancy such a beautiful thing. It's because he showed me how beautiful he thought my mom was/is and how pregnancy is an amazing thing in life! I find it truly amazing that we are capable of creating and carrying such a miracle! One of the best things ever was one day when he asked me to go to the store with him one night! I was 9 at the time and excited to have some alone dad time. We got there and went to the cake section and got a cake with the number 4 written in frosting. I asked him why and he said "It's for mom. What do you think?" I thought and thought and finally figured it out! She was going to have a baby! It was great! I felt so special because no one knew that she was pregnant except me, my mom, and my dad. We took the cake home and surprised her and the rest of the family! Everyone was so excited! It was a great celebration! From then on my mom being pregnant was the best thing ever and everyone was very excited! I must say, when my mom was pregnant she gave off this great glow, i still remember it to this day! I remember her fluffy hair, a big smile, a humbling laugh, and a pregnant belly! I will never forget! When rach was born, i brought her in for show in tell! haha. I still laugh to this day about it! I wonder if she knows that? Well, now she does! I still remember how my dad looked at each of my younger siblings and the joy in his eyes and heart! I remember the soft voice he was speak with and the way they would interact with him. I wouldn't forget that for a moment. We were all very special to him and held a special happy place in a heart filled with hurt and pain.
It's weird, but at times, i still get that "i just want my mommy feeling." There is nothing like my mom taking care of me while i am sick or a mothers hug! I am guilty of playing up my sickness so she would devote a little extra time to just me and give me that extra sympathy! But who doesn't want a little extra special mom only time? I even miss those days of cuddling up in her bed right before she wakes up to find me right next to her. When i was little she used to smile and hug me close, now she is like "what do you want and why are you in my bed," haha. The more and more i explore my relationships with my parents the more i realize the impact they have had on me and how it continues to change. It impacts how I look at life and my future relationships!
I hope one day, I will be as open with my children as my mom and dad were with me! I hope that my future husband shows them the beauty of life and women as my dad did to me! I hope i can be as fortunate as my parents and have 4 amazing, healthy, children who continue to grow into amazing adults and continue their journey through life!
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