The other morning I was having some random thoughts/memories and wanted to share them. It always interests me to hear how someone developed their feelings surrounding breastfeeding. The following is one of my earliest memories of breastfeeding which I believe shaped me.
When I was little I lived in the tiny village of Ellon in Scotland. My Father is in the oil business and at the time the North Sea was where oil families lived. I loved my little village. We had no big stores, no malls, no nothing. What we did have was village charm. It was truly an idyllic way to grow up. We lived on a cul-de-sac and we knew everyone on the street. One of the ladies at the end of the street had a baby when I was about six or seven years old. This is when my love of babies and maybe Motherhood first started.
I would walk home from school each day and change out of my school uniform (picture Harry Potter style clothes). I'd ask my Mom if it was ok for me to go down the street to see the baby. Our neighbor was so lovely and she would welcome me each afternoon. We would sit together and she would have a cup of tea and make me a cup of hot Ribena (British berry drink). We would chat about my day and hers and about the baby. At some point the baby would get hungry and she would breastfeed the baby. I don't remember any hesitation on her part and I don't remember me thinking it should be done any other way. We would sit there and enjoy each other's company. It was all so simple and normal.
Seeing that baby being fed at the breast and having her Mother not question for a second whether or not she should do it in front of me was wonderful. I'm so glad that my own children have seen literally hundreds if not thousands of women breastfeed in front of them. Their whole world is made up of birth, babies and breastfeeding. It's normal life and that is so lovely.
I hope this little post gets you thinking about your first memories of breastfeeding and I hope they are at least half as positive as mine.