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The Mommy Diner
Open Anytime By Lisa A. Goldstein
"Not again," I think as I grab my Boppy and settle in for what feels like the umpteenth time that day to nurse. At seven months, I didn't expect to be breastfeeding every two to three hours during the day. I guess it's the trade off for 10 1/2 hours of uninterrupted night's sleep, though it's one I'd choose in a second.
So why when I know nursing is the best thing I can do for my daughter do I always feel a surge of resentment when I'm forced to drop everything to open the diner?
But as I settle in and make myself comfortable, my frustration fades. I'm able to ease my child's hunger simply by offering her part of myself. I picture the alternative and shake the image away as I realize this is infinitely easier.
Breastfeeding, I've determined, is also Baby's gift to me. "Sit down and relax," she seems to be saying. "Take advantage of this time."
The hectic pace of being a mother, and a new one at that, can be draining. So while I'm literally draining myself, I'm replenishing my soul by taking a rest.
While I've been known to nod off while nursing, I typically have other options at my disposal. Talking on the phone would be perfect I'd get lots done that way but it would only be a one-way conversation for me as I'm deaf. Perhaps it's just as well, as I'd be trying to squeeze in business calls along with personal ones. That'd sort of defeat the purpose, I think.
Instead, I plant myself in front of a television with reading material at arm's reach. Depending on my mood and what's on at the time, I'll choose one over the other. When it's time to switch sides, I merely transfer the remote and whatever I'm reading to the opposite side. That way I can easily get to each without having to disturb my daughter's concentration.
