A Spot of Serenity

“Who fed me from her gentle breast and hushed me in her arms to rest,
And on my cheek sweet kisses prest?
My Mother.”
-Ann Taylor

 

 

A sense of gentle calmness and sweet peace in a whirlwind of crazy, loud, noisy, messy, wonderful, busy life …

I’m always amazed at how great our God is – did you know He created hormones, released when nursing your infant, that literally calm and relax you? In fact, one hormone {oxytocin} it is the same hormone you feel when you fall in love. Isn’t that incredible? Nursing your baby creates an amazing, overwhelming bond with your infant, it soothes your body and relaxes your mind, it helps bring your uterus to regular size after carrying a baby for nine months – and another benefit is it free and incredibly convenient.

 

As a young mother with my first baby, I gave up nursing after a few months. I’m ashamed to say that I listened to some poor advice and thought my little tiny baby was ‘allergic’ to my milk. I was told she was ‘milk sensitive’ and that I didn’t have enough milk- I don’t believe that was true. She simply was a tiny baby (4 lbs. 14 oz) that needed some extra time to learn to latch and nurse. And I should have, looking back, spent more time learning to feed properly instead of giving up. Thankfully, I have since then nursed all my five other babies successfully. I’m so thankful for this opportunity to yet again nurse my sweet baby Lavender…

 

And when I sit down, cuddle baby Lavender close and spend those moments nursing her, a beautiful peace wraps around me and my soul, my heart, and my body is calmed. My home that needs making, my house that needs cleaning, homeschooling that dangles so close to being finished but not quite, fluffy ducks running loose, potty training going downhill, two pint-sized toddlers overtired and needing an afternoon nap, nutritious dinners need to be prepared and served and cleaned up … but God’s planning is amazing and incredible.

 

Stop, He says, and nurse your little one.
[And isn’t it funny that a newborn needs to be feed every three hours or so?]

 

{photo by Lacey, age 10 – she’s such a great helper!}

 

If you’re a new mom, I would urge you to consider nursing your wee baby. Granted, I know there are some situations where it may be nearly impossible and challenging. I do not judge anyone for choosing formula over breastfeeding.
And yes, nursing can be uncomfortable and painful at the beginning – but if you can work through some of the challenges, you will find the rewards of nursing are wonderful and designed by God! A sense of calmness in what can be a very un-relaxing stage of life.

A beautiful spot of serenity in the whirlwind of a busy life.