The Joys of Life

I breastfeed my babies.  I wonder sometimes how many hours I've spent sitting in a chair feeding a baby.  Many, many hours.  Yet every single minute is worth it.

There are so many benefits to breastfeeding:

1) A healthy baby. A momma’s milk is made especially for the baby and contains all different kinds of good stuff for the baby. Nursing babies have less allergies, less illness, and higher IQ’s on average, just to name a few benefits. Pretty awesome milk!

2) A healthy mommy. Nursing your baby helps you lose weight, decreases your risk of breast cancer, encourages bonding with your baby, and so on.

There are other benefits and beneficiaries of nursing, too.

1) I read my Bible often while I am nursing. I did this a lot with my first child.  I read through entire books of the Bible.  Long books, like Psalms.  Yup, he was a slow eater.

2) With my fourth baby, I started reading The Boxcar Children book series aloud to my kids when I nursed the baby. We started on book number one, and we are currently reading book number 24. My kids ask, “Is the baby hungry? When are you going to feed the baby?” because they want to hear the next chapter. We have all enjoyed the adventures of the Boxcar Children.

3) I usually sit in my big recliner to feed the baby. My one and only surviving houseplant is adjacent to my chair. When I sit in that chair, I actually remember to water the plant. This plant has thrived since the baby was born. It has sprouted many new leaves and looks green and healthy. It’s amazing what water will do!