Breastfeeding Stories For Children
When I was growing up I saw no one nursing and heard no one telling breastfeeding stories. Every baby I saw used a bottle. When I did finally see a baby nurse, I remember feeling embarrassed. My years of isolation left me thinking there was something wrong with breastfeeding.
My Natural Motherhood Journey: Hi Mark! Than kyou for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with me. Let's jump right in with the questions. How did a Dad come to write a book for children on breastfeeding? 
Mark: When my wife Stacy and I brought our newborn son home from the hospital, our daughter,just two years old, was confused about breastfeeding. We wished we had a relevant children’s book to teach her about this new experience, but we couldn’t find one on the topic. I observedhow my wife, who happens to be a clinical therapist, interacted with my daughter and fluently educated her. It was an amazing transformation, and I immediately knew that other familiescould benefit from these discoveries. My Natural Motherhood Journey: What was your outlook on breastfeeding while growing up? Mark: I really didn’t have an outlook on breastfeeding before having a child of my own. CertainlyI would come across a mother nursing her child, but didn’t think much of it, other than it looked natural. Once my wife became pregnant, I immediately assumed she would want to breastfeed. Fortunately our values were the same as mine and she did want to breastfeed. My Natural Motherhood Journey: How does watching your wife breastfeed your children affect you? Mark: Watching my child bond with my wife was incredible. Knowing that from the very beginning, we were giving our child the best advantages in life reinforced our decision to breastfeed. Fast forward to elementary school, middle school, and beyond. All parents want their kids to dowell in school, be athletically inclined, and most likely begin saving for college. Breastfeeding is just the start of selflessly doing what is in the best interest of your child. My Natural Motherhood Journey: How has breastfeeding affected the intimacy between you and your wife? Mark: The baby is a part of me, and the fact that my wife cherishes our children enough to givethem the very best, ultimately makes our relationship stronger. I saw her commitment and dedication, and that made me appreciate her more than I ever thought possible. My Natural Motherhood Journey: What would you like to tell men about breastfeeding? Mark: I would assume that most of the men who read Mommy Breastfeeds My Baby Brother have already experienced breastfeeding with their first child. However, it never hurts to remind men that breastfeeding is a wonderful choice your wife has made for your child’s health and well-being. While you may have been involved in the decision to breastfeed, it is ultimately your wife that needs to make the commitment. It is that commitment which deserves your support and admiration. You can support your wife in so many ways; from the simple, occasional unsolicited “thank you” acknowledgment, to doing little extra things to make her life easier (whatever that may be). In the middle of the night you can bring the baby to her if the baby needs to be fed. Also, this is a different experience from just your first child breastfeeding. Now you have a young child who needs to support breastfeeding (in their own way). Your role in teaching youryoung child about breastfeeding is another great way to support your wife and breastfeeding. Your child will benefit greatly from your special attention. Use the opportunity while Mom isfeeding the baby, to engage in a fun activity with your child. Interestingly, the fact that you give the child some special time will actually help support your wife. Why? The child will swiftly learn to accept that Mom, while nursing, can’t give them the attention they want or are used to getting. The elimination of that weight is lifted from your wife and makes her experience better. Secondly, I wanted an opportunity to feed the baby too. So while for a small percentage of the time we used a bottle, with my wife’s breast milk, it worked well for our situation. Onething almost everyone agrees on, is that it beats the alternative (you know, that seven letter “f” word…formula). Neither of our children had any sort of nipple confusion, and It gave me the opportunity to feed the baby. I found that experience to be very rewarding and helped me bond with the baby too. The book ends with the Dad feeding the baby from a bottle, and Jenna (the sibling) is sitting on his lap being, “Daddy’s special helper”. This was not fiction, this is how it was in my family, and I loved the experience. I remind parents that birthing methods and breastfeeding is a unique and personal experience for each family. Knowing this, I include a "Letter to the Parents" in the beginning of the book,where I encourage the adaptation of the story to fit the reader's own situation. The great thing... their child doesn't read. So they can use the pictures to tell the story, in their own words, and educate about their wonderful choice to breastfeed. The book is intended to make it easier to get your child to understand and support breastfeeding. Children are naturally curious and will question what Mommy is doing while breastfeeding. This is a new situation for your child who may not have seen other babies being breastfed, and most likely does not remember being fed this way. It is helpful for children to play quietly during nursing time. Nursing is a very important bonding time for you and your baby. Distractions from a noisy child not only interrupt that time, but may affect the baby’s feeding pattern. It is really important to reassure the child that even though the baby requires a lot of attention, there are still many ways they will have special time with both Mom and Dad. Read More Breastfeeding Stories Here
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