My Favorite Things About Breastfeeding

Wow! What a difference a few months can make! Eight weeks ago, I never would have thought that I would use the words "favorite" and "breastfeeding" in the same sentence. It was a long road, but Rory and I have made it through the worst, and dare I say it...I actually enjoy breastfeeding now. Here's a list of what I consider to be the best things about breastfeeding:

1. The Extra Calories
Are you really surprised that this is first on the list? I'm talking 500 extra calories a day. I could do an hour of cardio and still not burn that many calories. Instead, I get to sit on my butt all day and  not feel guilty about indulging in ice cream or french fries. In fact, if I don't eat enough, my supply is affected. There are days when I actually have to push myself to eat more. There will never be another time in my life when I can say, "My baby's health depends on this second brownie."

2. It Keeps Me in Check
Even though breastfeeding requires additional calories, the majority of those calories should be from healthy sources, and I like that breastfeeding reminds me to eat healthy as often as possible. Rory's primary food source is my breastmilk, which means she's getting 100% of her nutrition from me, and I want to make sure that I am providing her with every vitamin and mineral she needs for her development. Also, the one drink limit saves me from suffering from miserable hangovers.

3. Time Out
Lately my days seem to be filled with chaos. Between cleaning the house, doing laundry, playing with Rory, and sleep training, it's always a relief to get the the half hour break to breastfeed every three hours. Sometimes it's the only chance I get to check my email and play Candy Crush write important blog posts like this one.

4. The Bond
When I was struggling with breastfeeding, my mom friends encouraged me not to give up, and many of them described the amazing bond it creates between mother and child as the main motivation to keep at it. During the first few weeks, I thought there was something wrong with me because I didn't feel that bond while breastfeeding. Mostly because I was in the worst pain of my life. But as the pain subsided and we got over the learning curve, I suddenly understood what they were talking about. When Rory looks into my eyes and smiles at me during one of our nursing sessions, the love I feel for her is like nothing else I've experienced before. And then she pulls my hair and the spell is broken.

5. The Health Factor
It's a great feeling knowing that I'm giving Rory everything she needs for her development and providing her with important immunity against common illnesses, including allergies and ear infections. Breastfed babies also have higher IQ's and a lower risk of SIDS.

6. It's the Ultimate Problem Solver
If Rory is tired, upset, or hurting, odds are all I have to do is stick a boob in her mouth and she will automatically be pacified. I read somewhere that breastmilk contains a natural painkiller, which is why many moms choose to nurse immediately after vaccines.

7. It Will End
Just because I enjoy breastfeeding, doesn't mean I'm not glad that it will end one day. Nursing can be exhausting, and some days I can't wait to have my body back. All good things must come to an end, but I sure am going to miss those extra calories.