Got Milk?

Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (December). For this month, we want to honor breastfeeding for having enriched our lives and blessed us, maybe even empowered us, in a way that only breastfeeding can. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants.

I was the quintessential party girl when I was single. I used to spend my weekends partying, having the time of my life -- basically doing everything for ME, ME, ME.

My life changed when I got married. It again changed when I had babies. It changed some more when I breastfed -- both my kids -- aged 4 and 1.

I have learned to look forward to changes in my life. As a mommy, I needed to adapt to these changes and treat them as learnings so I can impart them to my kids. As Maricel Laxa said in her Kris TV guesting, we have "seasons" in our lives. The current season in my life is about family. This includes parenting, babywearing and breastfeeding.

So what have been the gifts that I got from breastfeeding?

1) More money for ME things. --- Nursing clothes, international breastfeeding conferences, my beloved slings, and my Starbucks Mocha Frapuccino. Heck, I save about 8-10K a month just breastfeeding!

2) Bragging rights that I am the first face my kids see when they wake up in the morning, and the last face that they see before going to bed.

3) A relationship that is built on love, trust and respect from my family.

4) Heart to heart talks with my kids. Even if it's the most mundane of conversations from my four year old, and spit and babbles from my younger son.

Lastly,

5) PRIDE. I have nourished my kids from milk from my breasts.


Do take the time to check out all the posts in this month's carnival:

Shaps- <a href="http://bouncingbear.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/beyond-being-thin/">Beyond Being Thin</a>
Gretchen - <a href="http://www.eleora113.com/2011/12/12-useful-breastfeeding-gifts-for.html#!/2011/12/12-useful-breastfeeding-gifts-for.html">Breastfeeding Gifts for Christmas</a>
Carol - <a href="http://thelazymama.net/2011/12/13/the-gift-of-miracle/">The Gift of Miracle</a>
Jenny O.- <a href="http://www.chroniclesofanursingmom.com/2011/12/gifts-of-breastfeeding.html">The Gifts of Breastfeeding</a>
Anne - <a href="http://diapersandstethoscope.blogspot.com/2011/12/gift-of-breastfeeding.html">The Gift of Breastfeeding</a>
Nats - <a href="http://mymommykuwentos.blogspot.com/2011/12/we-wish-you-merry-nursing.html">We Wish You Merry Nursing</a>
Jenny R. - <a href="http://mymommyology.com/2011/12/12/if-the-magi-were-queens/">If the Magi Were Queens</a>
Em - <a href="http://touringkitty.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/the-breast-gift/">The "Breast" Gift</a>
Isis- <a href="http://thenewadventuresofanoldmommy.blogspot.com/2011/12/got-milk.html">Got Milk?</a>
Armi - <a href="http://thenewadventuresofanoldmommy.blogspot.com/2011/12/got-milk.html">Breastfeeding Gifts</a>
Liv - <a href="http://tinkerputt.lcoreph.com/2011/12/my-breastfeeding-journey.html">My Breastfeeding Journey</a>
Laya - <a href="http://www.mommyluscious.com/2011/12/time-in-a-drop-of-milk.html">Time in a Drop of Milk</a>
Mec - <a href="http://www.mecasmom.com/2011/12/gift-of-changed-man.html">The Gift of a Changed Man</a>