Breastfeeding: It’s What Your Knockers Are For

Posted on | August 27, 2010 | 9 Comments

This video from The Bump has been making the rounds online recently. I posted it over at my professional site earlier this week, but wanted to share it here, too. I loooooove it for so many reasons.

It’s funny and lighthearted (we can use more of that in the birth community). It’s honest. It’s to the point. And, most importantly, it normalizes breastfeeding.

Poppy and I have been nursing for over 10 months now. In that time, I’ve occasionally been asked, “When did you decide you would breastfeed?” and the question always throws me. I don’t think I ever decided to breastfeed. After the baby was born, that was just… next. Right? I would say that at some point, I realized I would be breastfeeding and should probably learn something about it. But using formula honestly just never even crossed my mind. I mean, why would I if I had functioning boobs available?

Perhaps I was naive, but it wasn’t until I was several months into parenting that I realized that not everyone thinks that way. And that was even weirder to me.

I’m not anti-formula, nor do I judge moms who formula feed their children. To each their own. And had I needed formula, I gladly would’ve used it and been grateful for its existence. But otherwise? My body provides everything we need. I take my boobs with me everywhere I go, and as long as I’m properly hydrated and reasonably well-fed, I don’t have to worry about much else.

Before I became a mother, I had no idea of what my body was capable of.

I love breastfeeding. I love that my body — the body that grew and gave birth to Poppy — continues to sustain her and nourish her and help her grow strong and healthy. I love the bond it has created between us. I love the extra cuddles it affords me every day. And I love that when my baby is unhappy or hurting or scared, our nursing relationship goes beyond simply providing calories and provides comfort as well.

I am grateful that we are able to breastfeed — that we have an incredibly supportive team member in T, that we are fortunate to have avoided many of the most common Booby Traps that all too often sabotage moms, and that we have had Lady Luck on our side all of these months.

I don’t know how long we’ll continue breastfeeding. I intend to meet the AAP goal of one-year (at minimum) and would love to meet the WHO target, as well. But, ultimately, we’ll take it all one day at a time and see where life leads us. I’m just trying to enjoy these moments while they last.

I wrote this post in honor of August being “Breastfeeding Month,” which is kick-started each year with World Breastfeeding Week. I intended to write more throughout the month, but time got away from me so I’m closing the month with my thoughts instead.

The portrait above was shot by my friend Mary Catherine Hamelin, a fellow doula in NYC. If you want to see the rest of the shots from the photo shoot as well as my answers to a couple of questions she asked me about breastfeeding, head on over to her blog.

Category: Breastfeeding, Jo, Parenting, Photos, The Good Parts

Comments

9 Responses to “Breastfeeding: It’s What Your Knockers Are For”

  1. Alice
    August 27th, 2010 @ 6:20 pm

    I love this. It’s such a great, straightforward commentary on the whole breastfeeding relationship. It’s just what you do. And I appreciate the tone, which is not judgemental, or self-righteous, or ‘supermom’. I hope you and P can keep going strong for as long as you both want to.

  2. Jo
    August 27th, 2010 @ 6:33 pm

    I’m glad you found the tone positive and nonjudgmental – that’s just what I was hoping to convey. Breastfeeding is hard for a million and one reasons and I try to keep in mind that not everyone has the advantages we do (crazy support, resources to get help when needed, and – probably the biggest – my SAHM status). Recognition of my own privilege is why I don’t judge others. We all have to make the best choices for OUR families.

    I loooooove to help other moms beat the odds and succeed in breastfeeding alongside me, but I’m in no place to judge if the obstacles (both personal & societal) overwhelm them.

  3. Jo
    August 27th, 2010 @ 6:42 pm

    I’m glad you found the tone positive and nonjudgmental – that’s just what I was hoping to convey. Breastfeeding is hard for a million and one reasons and I try to keep in mind that not everyone has the advantages we do (crazy support, resources to get help when needed, and – probably the biggest – my SAHM status). Recognition of my own privilege is why I don’t judge others. We all have to make the best choices for ourselves.

    I loooooove to help other moms beat the odds and succeed in breastfeeding alongside me, but I’m in no place to judge if the obstacles (both personal & societal) overwhelm them.

  4. Dre
    August 27th, 2010 @ 10:21 pm

    I agree with Alice. I love that you advocate breastfeeding but are realistic about it. Congrats to P and you for still going strong! :) I never thought I’d breastfeed beyond a year, but here we are at 13 months and still going strong too!

  5. Rachel
    August 27th, 2010 @ 10:54 pm

    How much does that video ROCK?!?! It made my day, thanks for posting! And thank you for your eloquent post. It’s what your knockers are for indeed. Whip ‘em out!

  6. emily bilbrey
    September 16th, 2010 @ 1:57 am

    fantastic post, mama! well-written, straightforward, and sincere. you should be really proud of your hard work & success with breastfeeding! amazing work, seriously.

    i’m always a little jealous of moms who say they have developed a lovely relationship with nursing. although i was able to exclusively breastfeed my poppy for 8 months, it was only successful due to the use of a breast pump. it’s a long story, but i had chronic pain in both breasts the ENTIRE time i provided milk for her (i say “provided” because the majority of our breastfeeding relationship was thanks to exclusive pumping!) anyway, it’s a little bittersweet because i would have loved to nurse her long-term. i’m hoping that if we have another baby someday, it will actually WANT my boobs, haha! (;

    again, great post. LOVE the nursing picture.

    cheers!

  7. Jo
    September 16th, 2010 @ 2:20 am

    Man, mamas that exclusively pump for their babes deserve a big ol’ standing ovation.

    *applause*

    We worked hard for our nursing success, of course, but not as hard as many. Your baby is lucky to have you as a mama :)

  8. twinmama
    September 9th, 2011 @ 2:41 pm

    Awesome video!!  I absolutely agree with you in poting this and in helping to try to raise breastfeeding awateness and down playing the sexuality of the boob!  I am nursing 7 month old twins and believe me there is nothing sexy about my boobs at all anymore!!!  Thank you for making whipping it out ok!!

  9. Kelly
    January 17th, 2012 @ 10:59 pm

    I loved this video. Thanks for sharing Amanda. :) “whip em out!”

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