 | Diary Navigation:
|
July 20, 2001
In my last entry, I wrote about the fact that Lena and Liberty no longer nurse anywhere but in my bed before and after nap and bedtime. While writing that entry it occurred to me that I no longer needed to wear a nursing bra. It sounds obvious, but please remember that I have been wearing a nursing bra for over 2 years. It’s just habit. We all have our favorite, comfy undergarments and my nursing bras are very comfy. It just didn’t occur to me that I didn’t need the easy-access front snaps anymore in order to nurse discreetly because in my bedroom, well, I just don’t need to be discreet. Wearing a normal bra has been somewhat of a challenge, though. You see, my nursing bras are not very flattering. In fact, they are quite unflattering. They are more like sports bras, giving a smooshed uni-breast effect. I’m sure there are lots of nice nursing bras out there somewhere that I could have purchased, but I wasn’t really interested in how my breasts looked at the time. All I wanted was to be able to have easy access and easy closure for nursing. This effect was achieved by my tank-style, snap-closure, breast smooshing bras.
I liked the comfort and ease of this particular style so much that I bought ten of them. Anyway, about a week ago I was all excited to put on a real bra. I mean, I felt all girlie like I was just getting my very first bra ever. I put it on and I put my clothes on and when I looked in the mirror I was downright startled. I asked my husband, “Does this look odd?” And he said something like, “Um...if you think a woman having breasts looks odd.” I seriously thought I looked weird--fake, even. Now, you have to understand, this part of my body has never been worth talking about. Let’s put it this way, if I had been a mother in the 1940’s my doctor would’ve taken one look at my breasts and told me not to bother breastfeeding because I wouldn’t be able to produce enough milk for my baby. Get the picture? Ok, so I put on this real bra and all of the sudden I actually have breasts--two of them! And they’re the same size as they’ve always been (ahem, not large, not even medium), but all of the sudden I feel like they’re huge! Maybe the bra technology has improved greatly in the last 2 years since I’ve worn a normal one, but I don’t think that’s happened. I think I’m just not used to seeing myself supported and divided. I think women who are considering breast augmentation should wear a bra that
doesn’t support or define for 2 years, then put on a good bra. The difference is huge--
psychologically if not actually physically. I think I walked around for 3 days with my
shoulders hunched over trying to hide what I perceived as my sudden blossoming. This is
a difference that I’m sure the rest of the world wouldn’t notice because, as I said, my
breasts are still my same old breasts, but in my mind I felt like an awkward 12 year old
who has suddenly developed while everybody else in her class has not. Not that I’ve ever had that experience.
Anyway, that’s all that is new on the breastfeeding front. Lena and Liberty didn’t even notice a difference. As long as my breasts are where they want them, when they want them, they don’t care how I choose to cover them. God bless the simple minds of
children. ; )
 |  |
|
want to keep a diary on iParenting?
Authoring a diary on the iParenting network allows you to chronicle your family's story, preserving it for years to come. It's also a great way to get the most out of the iParenting community. Click here to start...
|
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families. 
