So, I started this blog thing a few months back with every intention of updating it frequently - at least once a week - and here I am over 4 months later just now making my 2nd post. FAIL. I guess when you have a baby priorities definitely change. However, I really am going to try to keep this updated more often.
With that said, I'd like to share my experience I had at an event I attended last weekend that meant a lot to me. For those of you who know me, I am a hippy at heart when it comes to my parenting. I try to give my daughter all natural everything. We make her food (mostly organic), do not vaccinate, natural remedies are first choice over man made remedies, we've just recently taken a step down the cloth diapering road, and I am a HUGE advocate for breastfeeding and baby led weaning.
Last week, August 1 - August 7, was World Breastfeeding Week. On August 6 there was a worldwide event that took place called The Big Latch On. During this event breastfeeding mommas all around the world set out to break a record of the most breastfeeding mommas at one time. While the record wasn't broken, there were still thousands of women around the world who participated to make this a notable event.
Why? What's the big deal? This event wasn't just created to try to break a record. It was also created to show support for breastfeeding, encourage other mommas that it can be done, educate about the many benefits of nurturing your child the way nature intended, try to break a stigma that nursing in public is "bad", and that boobs were not made to be sexual objects. <--- Not saying they can't be, but that's not the main reason we women have them. That's a whole different post though...
I know this event won't stop the not-so-silent battle about bottle feeding vs. breastfeeding vs. nursing in public (if you're not familiar with this battle you can check out the comments left on the articles here and here to get an idea of what I'm talking about), but I really hope it brings awareness to the situation that breastfeeding in public is not bad. I promise I don't do it to be an exhibitionist. I show far less boobage than the teenager that just walked by in the mall with her push up bra tata's bulging out of her too tight shirt. I do it because my baby is hungry. I do it because I think it's much more peaceful for everyone to know that a baby is breastfeeding (even though you won't see any of my skin) than to hear he or she is screaming because they're hungry. Really, which would you rather deal with? A mom feeding her baby or having said baby screaming its head off for who knows how long? I do it because it's convenient. And I do it because I'm allowed to. Just because my baby's food comes from a boob instead of a bottle doesn't mean I shouldn't be allowed to feed her in public.
Anyhow, it sure was nice to not have to worry about being judged for feeding my daughter in public for this brief gathering. I enjoyed discussing so many topics with these beautiful women - everything from our children, how they're growing, our hobbies, our lifestyles, etc. I even ran into a girl I went to high school with! I met some really nice ladies and could feel the support and love from these mommas. It was a very enjoyable day and I'm glad I was a part of it.
World Breastfeeding Week next year is already being planned and you can be sure I will be a part of it. Hopefully next year will be even bigger and better! :o)
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