30/01/2025
This free verse is a beautiful testament to what the breastfeeding relationship is! And I use "relationship" in the fullest sense of the word. It's a giving and receiving from both sides, learned, symbiotic, fulfilling, completing. Long read, but very beautiful!
"Do you know that feeling when you put your baby to your breast and she latches quickly and easily.
And you settle into your chair, and move her into a better position. Adjust your breast slightly. She adjusts herself with you. You’ve both done this so many times. You’re a team, the two of you. And what a wonderful team you make.
And you feel your milk come in. Right on cue. Like always.
And you hear your baby’s sucking turning to drinking. Big hungry, satisfied slurps.
You feel a moment of gratitude towards your body for being able to feed your baby so easily. For being able to provide her with everything she needs, when she needs it.
And she looks up at you briefly, just to check you’re still here. You smile down at her and stroke her cheek to confirm that of course you are. No place you’d rather be. She seems satisfied with that acknowledgment.
She closes her eyes again and focuses completely on drinking.
Her little hand is spread out on your breast. Little fingers scratching gently on your skin. With nails that definitely need a trim. You feel like you’re constantly cutting her nails and you’re STILL getting scratched. It’s hard to mind that it in this moment though. Hard to mind it whatsoever.
And the little hand is so inviting. You can’t help touch it. You give it a squeeze and she squeezes you back. Eyes still closed. She retracts her hand and places it back on your breast. She is too busy for distractions.
You admire her eyelashes. Trace a finger along the bridge of her nose. You marvel at how soft her skin is. You know every mark on her body, and where it comes from. The dry spot on her ankle that you’ve been fighting against for weeks. The weird blue vein on her nose. The bruise from when she face planted in her crawling attempts. You know them all, and those you don’t know, you study closely. You examine them and touch them and worry about them.
And you’re suddenly hit by an overwhelming urge to kiss her. You carefully bend your head down and kiss her forehead. Then kiss it again. Breathe in her baby scent. You notice her hair has changed colour since you first met. Lighter. Thicker. Softer. Longer. You let your fingers run through it.
You stroke her arms, her legs. Play with her toes. Pull a little piece of fluff out from between them. Touch the back of her neck to check her temperature. Caress her back lovingly.
And you can tell she isn’t drinking anymore. She is sucking lazily, with a slightly open mouth. A broken seal. Using you as a pacifier. Not that you mind. You will happily be her pacifier if it meant staying like this a little longer. Even if it’s a bad habit. Doesn’t feel like a bad habit right now though.
A little snore escapes her lips.
You smile to yourself. She is asleep.
Full and safe and warm.
You love that she can find such peace and comfort in your arms.
You don’t feel a rush to do anything but sit here with your sleeping baby.
Nothing seems very urgent right now.
Nothing seems more important than this.
In a world of distractions, you love these moments where she’s your only one❤️
Written by: The Mommy Poet
