Precious is Life

Dear Baby,

Today I baby sat two precious babies at Blisdom, a blogging conference at Opryland Hotel. It has been so neat to be surrounded with women who share their creativity and love with each other. I have gotten to witness their friendships and community and stories. As I was talking to one of the mothers I was sitting for, she shared a part of her life story with me. As she shared, tears rolled down my face because my spirit was pouring out the pain I felt for her, for her family. She told me of the little girl she had lost while she was carrying her in her tummy. She had a still birth. As I held her little girl River, I was overwhelmed for the loss of her sibling. As I looked into the eyes of this mother, my spirit swirled up inside my chest, clutched my heart and tugged as hard it could. My pain could not even touch the mother’s pain; it tried to reach it but fell instead. The only response I could rattle my body with was involuntary and it came in the form of salty tears.

I am learning that Motherhood is dangerous. It is scary. It is unpredictable. It can be cruel. It can be heart shattering.

I still want it though.

I still want you.

Love,

Mom

Breast Feeding

Dear baby,
Lately, it seems that breast feeding in public has gotten a lot of attention in the blogging world. I have every intention to breast feed and I hope that I am able to provide that God given gift to you! I think it is one of the most natural and beautiful things a Mother can do. It is pretty amazing, actually! However, in the day and age we are in and the cultural views America has been tainted with, it has become a social “no-no” to breast feed in public for many.

I get it. I get that breasts can make others uncomfortable. What I do not understand is the complete ignorance many have about the issue. Boobs can be sexual and thats okay but what is not okay is how awful media sexualizes everything. What I can’t understand is that it is completely acceptable for many women to walk around with their boobs about to burst through their tops but how outrageous it becomes when a mother needs to nourish her child.

Boobs are and should also be seen as life giving gifts to our babies. We should understand and make efforts to help our society view breasts in this way. When we over-sexualize everything then we are consequently blinded by it and it is no wonder why so many can only relate to breasts in a sexual way. If we were to take a quick trot around the globe to other communities and villages we would be able to witness the purity of breastfeeding and the normalcy of it. Our culture has created this negative outlook and it hasn’t always been this way.

Some women feel comfortable enough to feed their babies without covers while some prefer a cover. I do not know what I will decide to do or feel comfortable with but either way I think it is the decision of the mother. One of the mothers of a baby in my class at preschool was recently chastised for breast-feeding her sweet baby in a church lobby. Mind you, she had a cover that covered her more than her own clothes did. Three ladies came up to her individually and suggested she should move to the restroom or private nursing area- how absurd. She ended up leaving in tears made to feel like she was doing something inappropriate…all in the house of God! This is something I will not tolerate while breast-feeding you little babe.

I have heard story after story where someone has asked a mother to move to the bathroom to feed their baby in public. First off, many states have laws to protect nursing mothers and do not have to move to a bathroom and other states have gone so far to make it illegal to even ask a mother to move- amen! It boggles my mind that so many would ask a mother to move to a BATHROOM- would the person that asked the mother to move eat a meal on a toilet seat? Why should a mother expect to do this? Not to mention when you ask a mother to move it isn’t as simple as getting up and walking away- the mother would have to tote the baby, stroller, diaper bag, purse and whatever else she had to take with her all the while the baby is probably whaling because he/she has just been torn away from her milk. Then she would most likely have to sit on the gross toilet for approx. 25-30 mins. All for the purpose of making others feel more comfortable at the expense of this poor mother and child of God- it is just non tolerable.

So, baby, may you know that I will never tolerate other’s ignorance at the expense of your comfort, nutrition and health. I will definitely be a Mama Bear. The person who asks me to move to nurse you will be the most sorry individual of the hour.

You are not even born yet but I already can feel my blood boiling for you!! I love you already and would do anything and sacrifice anything for you as would your Daddy.

Love just the idea of you!

-Mommy