Oh the Places We Have Eaten

My daughter is a piggy piglet. She LOVES to eat.

Because I am breastfeeding, feeding her is very convenient for me. She just eats where ever we may be and I don't have to worry about making bottles. There is always milk available and it's always the right temperature. It seems that when she smells grown up food, she gets hungry and needs to eat, too. I think this because I have now fed her in the Olive Garden, in Cracker Barrel, and in McDonalds. Every time I am out to lunch, I have to feed her while we are there or right after. I think it's funny. I have also fed her in the pediatrician's office, in my doctor's office, at church, at both sets of parents' houses, and at my sister's house. Our list of new places she has eaten is steadily growing.

When I decided I would breastfeed, I wasn't sure how I would feel about nursing in public. I really didn't know if I would have the guts to do it or if I would just pump and take bottles when we left the house. Well, suffice it to say that after three days in the hospital of feeding her while the entire world streamed in and out of my room, I realized that I am completely comfortable pulling out a boob to feed my child when she's hungry and it doesn't matter who is around to see it. Yes, I'm proud to say I am one of those women who will feed my child in the grocery store if she happens to be hungry while we are there. For anyone who has issue with women who nurse their children in public, I'll say these two things. Number one, the state of Alabama protects my right to breastfeed my child where ever I am allowed to be. Number two, you can see more boob on TV, magazine covers, and the Internet than you will see when I am feeding my baby, so put on your big girl panties and deal with it.

I love breastfeeding. I love that she loves it. I love the convenience, and I love knowing that I have the secret fix when nothing else will calm my crying baby. I love it when she smiles at me and sighs tiny baby sighs while she's eating. I love the snuggle time - especially in the middle of the night and early in the morning when she's so cute in her pajamas. Let's face it, she's going to grow up fast and she won't always want to be snuggly with me, and I won't always be able to fix her hurts, and she won't always need me. So, I'm going to soak up every minute that I get to hold and feed and cuddle her, even if I have to leave my own plate of food to get cold because I'm the only one that will do.