I had forgotten a lot of things about having a baby in the house. One of those things was the joy of breastfeeding. A woman's body is amazing! When we are pregnant, the placenta nourishes the growing baby. After the baby is born, our breasts continue the job of nourishing and protecting the baby. Holding my baby girl while she eagerly nurses and looks up into my eyes is a heavenly feeling. I can feel my heart glowing and nearly bursting with love for my sweet little infant. When she is finished, her face and body are totally relaxed, she is at peace, she is happy. And so am I.

Having such a positive birth experience where my baby and I were never separated seems to have created an intense bonding between Clara and I. Sometimes I feel like I am part of her and she is part of me. I feel such joy and pleasure when I can meet her needs and help her to be comfortable and happy. It was 10 years ago that my youngest was a baby. This time, I'm much more relaxed with my mothering style, tuning in to the things that "feel right", and not paying so much attention to what people say or what the baby books say. She sleeps beside me in bed, which I did not do with my boys. For some reason, this "feels right" with her and it has made it easy for me to rest and sleep. I nurse her following her cues, not worrying about the clock or how long it has been since her last feeding. I don't fuss about being woke up in the middle of the night, as I did with my boys, because I'm more willing to give up sleep to nurse my baby, making her more of a priority than sleeping. There are only a few months of these baby-days, and then its all over. If I'm awake, I have been given the time to look at her chubby little cheeks, her deep blue eyes, her sweet baby body and to cherish these special times.

She is already outgrowing her newborn clothes. So sad! She is 2 1/2 months old and weighs 12 pounds now, smiles and coos. One of her brothers has nicknamed her "Your Royal Cuteness." If that is not an indication of brotherly love, I don't know what is!

Blessings,
Marla