Nursing

Oh how I love nursing my boys.  I love how my body knows what to do for them. I love it when they are newborn and root around to find where to latch. The latch is so soft you Barely feel the suckle. They get mad if they drop it and can't find it again. It's comfort as well as nourishment. Boobies cure hunger, cuts, aches, boo boos and helps them relax to sleep as well as wake up. As they grow teeth come in, they learn to nurse without biting. They play with the nipple and sometimes the free boob. They swallow your lap with their body as they grow. You start with this little body and end up with someone who can do acrobatics to stay on the boob.  As they become toddlers they do the drive by nursing.  Quick sip and they are off.  They have no problems showing your boobs to the world when they want some.  JB would pull down my top whenever he wanted if I wasn't quick enough to stop him. The toddlers suck is strong and forceful.  You can feel the milk coming through the milk ducts and out of the nipple.  They are so peaceful as they nurse (usually).  I've gotten lucky with my nurslings.  They both latched well and gained tons of weight. Sadly cancer is cutting my 2nd nurslings time short. Saddens me he will never know how It feels to be able to use the boob as comfort as well as food. It saddens me he will be forced to use a bottle when he hates it. But I am thankful I got the time to nurse him and tandem nurse his brother.  I have caught such sweet moments with them holding hands or the toddler rubbing the newborns back   Moments I wouldn't trade for the world.

Moments like this:

And this: Why yes I'm nursing a monkey thanks to my tot!

I'm thankful for 2.6 years of nursing. I'm thankful my body kept my tot so healthy while he was in daycare and thankful my newborn doesn't have to go to daycare. I'm thankful I have pumped a ton to get the newborn extra time with the nutrients my body made for him. I'm thankful for such an amazing experience so many women are unable to have. I'm lucky to have nursed both kids! I wouldn't trade the cracked nipples, bites, mastitis, pinched nipples, hair pulling, public flashings, cold meals, dirty looks, praising for nursing, any of my experiences for the world!   Cancer is taking a lot from me but it's not taking my memories nor the nutrients I have provided!