A “Call to Arms” for the Journey Through Life

We made many mistakes raising our three children (born 1986, 1989 and 1991). Who doesn’t?

Yet when we attended our eldest child’s graduation ceremony for a master’s degree with merit from a renowned university, and the following weekend attended a concert in which our daughter’s voice brought down the house, and the next night attended the Vernissage (opening night)  of our son’s first album at his tiny art gallery, we realized we must have done something right after all!

What did we do right? You may think me crazy, but I think it began with breastfeeding! Here is why:

• Our babies’ satisfaction was judged by their sense of contentment and not by the measurement of how much they drank and/or how much weight they gained.

• As our babies grew older, we had a sort of three-hour rhythm between feedings. This helped to protect my nipples (and gave me a modicum of sanity) and seemed to give them a sense of structure. We learnt how singing and reading also helped to comfort our babies.

• We enjoyed a cosy, intimate togetherness!

• We as parents provided clear messages to our babies: milk came from Mami; Papi carried Baby around afterwards: the world was all quite clear and ritualized.

• We learned to be aware of our babies’ signals and respect them. By the time all three were ten months old, they no longer seemed to need the intimacy provided by breastfeeding.

• I like to feel organised, and before the birth felt I would not breastfeed after twelve months and would begin weaning before then. My babies showed me how. Together we instigated the weaning process, and this helped me again to relax. Each of my children signalled when it was time to stop; it was as if we were working together at a very sublime level. For me it was an awe-inspiring experience of parenting. It was the essence of unspoken respect in the parent-child relationship.

• I was a happy, proud mom! I was delighted to be able to breastfeed my children and loved every minute of it.

Say what? How did that affect their later successes?

• It created a fundamental trust in my children – a trust in the world around them and the people who cared for them. Mom’s milk would see them into and out of each day.

• I think it gave them good health. All three of our kids are rarely sick and have healthy constitutions.

• It gave them beauty: all three children have beautiful skin, hair and bodies.

• It gave them a sense of being taken seriously, while not being allowed to rule the roost.

• They gained a sense of respect – we worked together over the weaning process.

• Breastfeeding confers patient strength – an infant has to suck hard to get her fill, and it takes longer than with a bottle.

• It helped them develop an ability to nurture others, whether a friend in need, a loved one, a pet, or a stranger needing a helping hand.

• It helped them learn to foster positive relations with people in their lives.

Okay, who knows if there is an ounce of truth in this theory? I know it feels true in our family, though, and I want to urge all mothers considering breastfeeding to consider the long-term implications. A call to arms, from mom to mom! Breastfeeding is an excellent way to transport our babies on the first part of their journey through life.

 

La Leche League Switzerland meetings can be found here.

http://suisse-romande.lalecheleague.ch/

General LLL information in English, click here.

By an LLL group mother, reported by Joanna Koch

Joanna Koch has looked after breastfeeding mums in her Kilchberg Group for more years than she cares to remember. She plans to use some of her group mothers’ breastfeeding experiences in the next MM issues, anonymously or under the writer’s name. Please contact her if you feel like sharing your story; she looks forward to hearing from you.

Illustration by Laura Munteanu

Laura has studied Journalism and Advertising, and has been working as a journalist and an illustrator. She has been illustrating for magazines, websites, charity and different campaigns. She lives in Zurich with her husband and her 5 -year- old daughter.