Nurturing Nourishment
In honor of World Breastfeeding Week
This year’s global campaign for world breastfeeding week is: Protect Breastfeeding - A Shared Responsibility. I could not agree more!
While I understand everyone has different experiences with breastfeeding, the purpose of this week is to encourage women to breastfeed their children, hospitals to create an environment that protects breastfeeding (this includes birth and post birth experiences for mothers and babies), for employers and governments to honor and extend maternity leave policies, and more.
As mothers, we must advocate for ourselves and for our children. And in doing so, we must acknowledge our God given design and the incredible role we play in the lives of our babies and children so that policy will follow suit. However, this is also a shared responsibility among doctors, employers, politicians and more.
The World Health Organization states that almost one million children’s lives would be saved annually if mothers breastfeed their babies for a minimum of two years. Here in the U.S. that length of time is almost unheard of and certainly not encouraged - the data is rarely shared! As a society we instead depend on vaccination and antibiotics to protect our children when we have our God-given way built into our mother-baby bodies and souls. A perfectly orchestrated symphony of hormones and love that, when together physically and emotionally, nurture bonding, emotional well-being, nourishment, disease protection and more. And much of the protection from breastfeeding comes directly from the breast and does not survive refrigeration over time so we need to allow for mothers and babies to be together for as long as possible.
All of this being said, I know there are circumstances out of ones control that do not allow for breastfeeding. It is incredible and such a blessing that we live in a country with access to amazing formulas that can nourish our children. And we as mothers, whether we breastfeed or not, can nourish the souls of our children through presence, eye contact and love while we feed them. This incredible piece of presence while feeding is often over looked, but I believe, and research shows, that this emotional presence while we feed our children, regardless of how we feed our children, is a huge piece of the developmental puzzle that contributes to our child’s sense of security and well-being.
However a baby is fed, let it be with intentionality, presence, love and care and in a way that is the very best for each mother and baby ❤️ And let’s pray and advocate for longer maternity leave policies to allow mothers and babies to be together, for hospital policies that create a peace-filled environment, for patience and support during the birthing process and post birth experience and for government policies that support women in their God-given role to nourish and nurture their children.
‘Nurturing Nourishment’
Lay to rest
On my breast
Look into my eyes
And realize
You are unconditionally loved
A gift from above
As warm milk fills your tummy
Know that I am your Mommy
And will take care of you
No matter what you do
You are precious
I am blessed
And I will give you my very best
Sarah Anne Miorin
Photo: Po’olenalena Beach in Maui, Hawaii