MÜTTER STILLEN & ELTERN

Last night I was watching an old episode of Law & Order from 2000, named Mother's Milk.  They addressed the concepts of inexperienced motherhood, breastfeeding, lactation consultants and the dreaded "failure to thrive".  I found it very interesting that almost 15 years later some of the same concepts are today affecting mothers we speak to about breastfeeding.

This hectic time of year reminds me of my awkward moments in breast pumping.  The most awkward was answering the front door to our mailman Kevin (who has three kids my sons' ages).  He held out the holiday packages very gingerly, never lost eye contact, and rushed away from the porch before I could yell "Happy Holidays" or "Don't forget your cookies in the mailbox".  I closed my door and looked down - my shirt was unbuttoned, nursing bra was undone on both sides because I had been nursing and pumping at the same time:  I had flashed my poor mailman because I put the pump and baby down to run to answer the door.  Poor Kevin.  I made a normal moment for me a very awkward moment for him.

My last and third child turns 7 this month. I still have my pregnancy pouch, stretch marks and a belly. I was not blessed with my mom’s stretch mark free genes as she likes to point out. I have never dwelled on them or cried over it. They have always been there since my first child.  But I am what you would refer to as a thick woman. I grew up chubby and I still I am. I have struggled with my own self-image since it was first pointed out to me. I was in second grade when we had to get in line to be weighed and after weighing in at 100 pounds, the kids around me laughed. Growing up I did sports, everything from basketball, track and even power lifting (I was never fast or agile but I had strength so guess which sport I was good at?). So I was losing inches by this point and gaining muscle.

I live next door to wonderful people.  Mr. and Mrs. D have been happily married for almost fifty years and raised three children in a small house.  They came over to meet each of my sons within hours of us arriving home from the hospital with them.  They're great people, inside and out. 

My children know this is my favorite holiday - the one without the presents, the one without candles to blow out, the one without crazy amounts of candy.  Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it's the one where we sit down together, enjoy each other's company, and share what we're thankful for.