The Next Generation

When it comes to all topics breastfeeding you hear a lot of talk about "the next generation". Like I have said in previous posts, I nurse in public so that the next generation of moms will hopefully have an easier time feeding their babies without the fear of being harassed. My mom and mother-in-law both breastfed in the 80's which was not the norm back then but they did it for their children and so on. When it came time for me to breastfeed they of course were very supportive and helped me (their next generation) as much as they could because they would have loved for it to have been the norm when they were breastfeeding.

My post today is dedicated to my cousin who has really surprised me this past year when it comes to my "militant" breastfeeding.

When my 11 year old cousin (her dad is my uncle who is also my godfather) first came to see little Bee she had an interesting ritual that she would do when I would say "oh it's time to feed Bee." She would cover her eyes, run out of the room and say "I'm not looking!!!" I don't normally get up and leave the room or go hide in a corner to feed my baby, so I would just sit there and just giggle. I always wondered was it because of my boobs? You couldn't really see. Was it a modesty thing? I am still not sure, although when I was that age it was probably just a "OMG BOOBS you aren't supposed to see those."  I was like that before even when I was older. I figured that moms would just want privacy. I am glad that she was being respectful, but at the same time I didn't want her to think that to breastfeed you should go to a dark corner away from it all. But over the past year she has really grown to be comfortable with my breastfeeding and has really impressed me with her new stance and attitude towards it.

After a few times feeding Annabelle I told her that it was ok for her to stay in the room, that it wasn't anything to run away from. Eventually she would sit with me and just go about what she was doing. My proudest moment of hers was a few months ago when my uncle was teasing me (he likes to tell me to use a cover and holds up a pillow by his face all dramatic and says that I should only be giving her formula) and my cousin bursts out "DAD THAT IS THE BEST AND MOST NATURAL WAY TO FEED A BABY, GEEEEEZ!" I couldnt have been prouder!!! I joked with her mom (who is very supportive of me as well) that I had brainwashed her.

Its moments like that that make me even more excited about my choice to breastfeed loud and proud. I hope that when she is older she chooses to breastfeed and does so with the confidence that I already see in her. I know that this blog will only grow and I hope that she can look back on it when she may need help in those late hours of the night when she is at her wit's end, or that she can call me and know that I will always be there no matter what.