Update

I've been hesitant to blog about this particular topic since I had hoped (in the back of my mind) that it was just a fluke. About a month ago Boogie turned 18 months old, at that time she had, by then, started sleeping in her toddler bed, sleeping through the night.... and the big event? She stopped asking for milk. I say milk as in breast milk. I had high hopes that despite my pregnancy that my milk supply would stay up and that she'd continue until she was at least two, but in those last few weeks of nursing she'd nurse less and less and less! So eventually my supply just completely dried up. Part of me is completely relieved that because of Boogie's big girl decision to stop nursing, Bubby will be able to nurse without having to fight his big sister for "mommy milk", lol! The other part of me is devastated that she weaned so early. YOU may not think it's early, but I do.

Despite all that, once Bubby is here and he becomes a pro at nursing and my supply is well established I will start pumping and offering it to Boogie in her cup. The benefits of breast milk are never ending so she will reap the benefits for as long as I can possibly share milk with her (and her brother). 

Other than that huge milestone, Boogie is just growing up before our eyes. In these past few months she has started talking in almost complete sentences, she never ceases to shock us... "come on, want walk!" "movie mommy? watch movie?" "outside? play outside?" "c'mon maggie, sit down!" etc etc etc.... I could make a book of the phrases she is saying now! It's incredible! She also has a new little "playground" at Mawmaw and Pawpaw's house... we were given some Little Tike's play toys from my cousin who's son has outgrown them. She has a big slide, a small jungle gym with a small slide, a sand box, and a playhouse thing (it's like a boat really). The first day she needed help on the slide and climbing.... now she can do it alllllll by herself! She has a blast!

As for Bubby, he's moving more and more although I am only able to feel him very low down. I'm getting a little frustrated with this because I feel like my placenta isn't moving up like it did with Boogie (I had an anterior placenta with her as well). I'm going to ask my midwife about it next week, I'm not WORRIED about it, just frustrated that I'm not able to feel him as often as Boogie at this stage. Other than that we are pretty much ready for him to be here. It stinks that we don't have a 3rd bedroom to decorate for him (even though either way he'd be in our room in the beginning), but we hope to change that come spring. His crib, changing table and everything are set up in our room, his newborn clothing is put away, his newborn dipes are prepped and put away... everything is ready. There are a few small things here and there we need to get, but if I was 40 weeks pregnant today and he came... I'd have no worries :)

Last, but not least.... we are officially a two-car family again! Hallelujah! We've been discussing this FOREVER. Really, since Boogie was a few months old, we just were too afraid to go to the bank and start the process (with school loans and our car payment.... we never thought they'd approve another loan, even though we can afford it!). I would prefer not to have two car payments, but in all honesty we were pretty desperate for another vehicle. With J's hours, Boogie and I were stranded at home relying on Mawmaw and Nana to pick us up or waiting on J to bring the car to us so we could make it to appointments and such. With Bubby on his way, and the thought of how cramped we would all be in our one car... we decided to jump. We found a 2004 Dodge Caravan at the dealership we purchased our Kia and everything just fell into place. I'm so thankful... so relieved... and THRILLED to have my freedom back. Our van is so roomy and so comfortable. Now we just need to install Bubby's car seat and we're set! (this pic is of the type of van we bought.... same color but this is not our van lol)

Why Such A Stigma?

Something I never really thought about prior to deciding that I truly wanted to be a mother was breastfeeding. Growing up, anytime (although this was rare) I would see a woman nursing her child, it never embarrassed me or bothered me. I always thought it was natural, and I remember my own mother nursing my brother. I don't know how long she did, but the main reason I remember her doing so was because of one particular time when my grandmother came over and she kept walking into my mom's room... let's just say mom didn't appreciate that so much! LOL! When Justin and I started trying to get pregnant I started thinking about how I wanted to raise my children, and one of the first things that came to mind was that I wanted to nurse my children and avoid formula if at all possible. Frankly... if I'm being perfectly honest, I didn't have a clue about the nutritional values of breastmilk at this point... my MAIN reasoning behind it (and this was several years ago) was because of how formula smells.... BLECH! Now, however, that is not my only reason for nursing, thank goodness!
I am not the type of person who is going to just throw my opinions at you and then not respect your views on them as well. If you formula fed or still formula feed your child/children, if that's the path you have chosen.. then great! Your child is being nourished, fed, and they are growing! For me personally, I believe that breastmilk is best for my daughter, but I'm not going to judge you or put you down because you don't believe the same. So there's my little disclaimer before the rest of my post :)

Something I've been wondering since I started nursing Elah is why there is such a stigma when it comes to breastfeeding. Why, when it's the most natural thing I have ever experienced... it didn't feel strange or foreign to put my daughter to my breast to nourish her. I think the thing that bothers me the most, however, is how uncomfortable people are with mothers nursing their babies in public. I wear a cover or a blanket over my daughter while she nurses... not necessarily because I am uncomfortable nursing in public, but because I'm nervous of how OTHER people will respond to me nursing my child. I hate feeling that way! Breasts have become sexualized in this country, and I'm even nervous to just nurse my daughter in public without a cover because I don't want people to look at me and see it as a sexual thing.... when it really is a beautiful, natural way of life.

Over the past couple of weeks I've been doing some research on nursing and breastfeeding throughout history and I wanted to share a couple of links with you. Another blogger posted a blog about this very topic, she even posted a timeline of the history of formula! Please click HERE to be redirected to her post. It is very informative! I also found a facebook page full of historical photos, paintings, and prints of women nursing. What I found most phenomenal was how many women in these photos are nursing older children... and I'll talk about that in a minute as well. Please click HERE to be redirected to that facebook page. What is interesting is that there was this huge controversy about facebook banning photographs on mothers nursing their children... I wonder why that never happened with this page?


Now... something even more controversial than nursing in public is extended nursing. Meaning, nursing a child past a year old. After nursing my daughter and discovering how much of a truly amazing experience it is, I have a better understanding of why a mother might choose to nurse past her child turning a year old. A friend of mine has nursed her child for two years now, and I really respect her for doing so. I don't know if I will nurse Elah for much longer than a year, I do not plan on just cutting her off the moment she turns one, but I may try to wean her if I think she is ready. But really... what is the big deal? Why is it so taboo to nurse a toddler? Now, I am a little weary about nursing a child with teeth... just the thought of that makes me cringe a little, but why do people judge women who choose to do so? I don't think it should be the only source of nourishment obviously... but what's wrong with giving your child a substance that has so many nutrients? My plan is that once Elah is weaned that I will continute to pump until I am no longer able to or if I have another child (because then I will want to exclusively nurse that child) and give Elah breastmilk until I feel she no longer needs it. Whether it ends up going in a bottle or a sippy cup... who cares.

I guess all this rambling really just comes down to one thing.... why has something that used to be completely natural and a way of life for mothers been turned into something that is unnatural and taboo? Why have I been made to feel uncomfortable nursing my daughter in public without something to cover my breasts? I think it's something worth thinking about.