If you haven’t seen What to Expect When you’re Expecting, you need to.
Let’s just get right to the point. I think we put an immense amount of pressure on new and more importantly, first time moms to breast feed. I remember when I was pregnant reading articles, Facebook posts, and comments left by other moms straight up shaming women who didn’t breast feed their kids.
Ya’ll. I can’t.
Breastfeeding is hard. Like really, freaking hard. I honestly don’t think there’s any way a woman can mentally prepare for all that. It’s just so much.
I was lucky enough to breast feed Em for six months. Now, let me give you all the facts. Home girl could eat. Around a month we started to give her formula at night, which I’m not even ashamed to admit made her sleep longer, which was the point. I exclusively breast fed her, no pumping for about four months. And I’ll be even more honest here and say I didn’t love it.
After four months, I started doing every other feeding with formula and finally started pumping. Why I didn’t pump as much before, I’m not sure. Maybe some where I honestly thought that it really was just “Breast is Best”.
I was tired. And also hungry all the time.
I had made the goal before Em was born to make it six months so it was really important to me to keep that. And I did. But leading up to it, I just knew she was done. It was that motherly intuition kicking in again.
I’m more than happy to relay to you that I have a happy and very healthy one year old right now. Formula and all.
I wish I could ban all those mean moms from the Internet. You know, the one’s that think you need to birth your kids at home and that breast feeding is the only way they can survive. They’re the kind that nurse their kids until their old enough to ask for it. Which I’m also not ashamed to say I think is weird.
I’m done with the idea that you’re not a true mother unless you have that bond with your baby.
False. You’re a mother the first time you hold that bundle of joy. Whether you birthed them at home, at a hospital, in the backseat of a car, or you didn’t even birth them yourself. You are a mother.
So you know best.
Which means if feeding your baby formula is what’s best, than do that.
I’m not ashamed to admit that while I loved (and at times miss) that first nursing session with my girl in the morning, I do not miss trying to cover myself up and do it at dinner. I do not miss trying to figure out where the next stop would be so I could climb in the back and nurse her. I’m not ashamed to admit that I didn’t totally over the moon love breast feeding.
Also not ashamed to admit that I’m mad I didn’t keep going just to loose the baby weight. Don’t judge me. You know what I’m talking about.
I have bonded with Emily far more doing other things than breast feeding.
There I said it.
Now here me here. For those of you mamas who can breast feed to that year mark, I am applauding you! As long as you aren’t the mean kind 😉
But I just think we all need to come together and support each other on this. Whether we do it or we don’t. Whether we choose to…or we don’t. Whatever the choice is that you’re making for your baby is the best.
I swore I’d never share an ultra sound picture of my child on the internet because I just had this weird feeling about it. Kind of like, I haven’t even met you, why does the world get to.
But lately, things are changing my mind.
Here I am at our eight week ultrasound (crying my eyes out), getting to meet our sweet baby girl for the first time (although we didn’t know who she was yet). I remember going into the ultrasound full of every emotion God created me with. I was so excited to finally see my little peanut, to see her squirm around on the screen. I was 100% nervous too. Was everything ok? And the thought every mother to be has, how many are in there!?
Seeing this little bean sized human moving around on the screen is a moment I’ll never forget. Which is why more women who are abortion minded need to see their little beans moving around too.
Insert Save The Storks.
Actually, let’s back up a little.
I met my friend Ashley blogging a couple years ago. She was funny, sarcastic, and loves Jesus. Three things I use to describe myself. She also had this passion behind her for everything she wrote about, and I loved that.
I got to meet Ashely in real life shortly after, and actually flew home from the Influence Conference right next to her. We talked so much during that hour and a half flight, and I remember being so grateful for this friendship.
A short while ago Ashley and her hubby (who I also got to meet, also a super cool dude) made the decision to stop their current lives, move to Colorado and have Jesse work for Save The Storks, a non-profit. Her story is incredible, and when you’re done here hop on over to her blog to read more.
Something stirred up in my heart when Ashley shared this news. Giving up a solid job and your whole life as you know it, to move to a completely different state? This organization had to be a big deal.
And it is.
Save The Storks partners with pregnancy resource centers all over the nation to provide them with powerful tools and training so they can more effectively reach and serve abortion-minded expectant mothers.
They’re changing the pro-life movement. And I’m honored to be a part of it.
Save The Storks have mobile medical buses that they use to get to women who are in need. They park near college campuses and abortion clinics, making it so easy for women to get to them. Save The Stork doesn’t expect women to come to them…they go to them.
Local pregnancy centers offer an incredible service for expectant mothers, but many women don’t even know they exist. Save The Storks partners with these centers and provide the resources they need to get closer to those who need their services. The Stork Bus minimizes the distance between pro-life professionals and women who most need them.
I’ve always been pro-life. Abortion has never sat with me well. Maybe it was growing up in the church, and believing with all my heart that God forms each one of us in our mothers womb. Maybe it’s because I’m a Republican. Maybe it’s because I just don’t get them. I don’t understand the fact that this is a thing. A woman can get pregnant and then just decide she doesn’t want the baby.
But having Emily just stirred up a piece of my heart I didn’t know existed. Carrying this tiny human for *almost* nine moths was a gift. One that I do not take for granted. I remember the first time I felt her kick and wiggle around in there, and now thinking that some women just don’t want that.
Here’s the thing. I want to change your mind if you’re pro-choice. I want women to realize that there are so many more options than having an abortion.
I’m not going to go into when life starts (at conception), or the argument of women’s rights (what about that baby girl?). What I am going to do, is state some facts.
84% of women who have had abortions, say that didn’t have all the information they needed before they chose an abortion.
4 out of 5 women who get on a Stork Bus choose life after seeing their tiny babe on an ultrasound.
Less than 1% of abortions happen because of rape or incest.
21% of women who get abortions say it’s because they aren’t financially ready.
16% of women who get abortions say it’s because their life would change too much.
I literally can’t with the second one.
Every 30 seconds a baby’s life is taken by abortion.
A human heart begins to beat at 6 weeks. *Correction by some sweet readers, it’s actual 3-4 weeks, about 18 days from conception. Which is even crazier!
At 8 weeks old, babies facial features become more pronounced, their ears, mouth, and nose are recognizable.
13% of abortions happen during week 8.
Save The Storks isn’t looking to defund anyone, or change any laws. They don’t picket or hold up hateful signs. Their trying to make these abortion numbers get to zero.
I get that if you’re pro-choice, you believe it’s because it’s your body, and this is a choice you get to make. My only question, is that have you thought about all the women who can’t have babies? Who have tried for years, only to see negative after negative sign. Who now only have adoption as an option. I get that giving up your body for nine months is a lot, been there done that. But what if one woman, could give another woman the one thing she wants more than anything in the world. Talk about girl power. Adoption rocks, and we need to have more people campaigning for babies and adoption.
Here’s the thing though. No matter what “choice” you make…there is no condemnation in Christ. He see’s you and He loves you. Sure, sometimes this debate get’s heated. I sure as heck can get rather feisty about it…but it’s because I’m so passionate about saving babies.
And so is Save The Storks. They’re out to love on women no matter what’s going on. They want to educate and pray for women who are in need. Because that’s what Jesus did.
Check out this video.
I would love love love if you joined Sonny and I in donating $30 a month to Save The Storks. To giving these beautiful women an option besides abortion. To love on them, to give them a place to feel safe in their time of need. This $30 a month for a year saves a woman and her baby from the heartache of abortion. You can also get this amazing shirt. Click here to donate.
Friends, I am begging you to join with me. I promise you that choosing life is so much better. I’ve got the cutest kid in the world, she brings me more joy than I ever thought possible…but what if I had made a different choice?
God is good ya’ll. We can change things. Lets love these women, and save these babies.
Love that body girl. Wear all the tight clothes you want. Those shorts are not too short, and that shirt is not too low. You’ve got it sister, so flaunt it. Eat what you want. Savor every bite of that cheeseburger. Always get extra whatever.
Because soon, and way too soon, things are going to head south.
Both figuratively and physically.
Despite the common misconception, once you have that tiny bebe, you will not go back down to the weight you currently are. The weight that at times you thought was too much. Shut up, size 6. Just shut up.
Here’s a fun fact for ya…that baby weight you’re gaining is going to hang around like a bad ex boyfriend. Clinging to you like peanut butter on the roof of your mouth.
There will come a time after baby that you honestly couldn’t care less. Because you just keep saying, “Whatever, I just had a baby”.
I’ve honestly asked my self a lot lately how long “just” is. Because we’re currently at eight months, closer to a year than the day she was born and I’m still trying to swing it.
Since that tiny babe comes in August, you’ve got the winter ahead. Thank You sweet baby Jesus for leggings and big shirts, that look #trendy.
But now.
Oh, sweet child. Now…it’s summer.
And you live in Florida.
Shorts are here again, and considering that little 7 pound 21 ounce is now TWENTY POUNDS, you do some heavy lifting.
And no, despite what you think. You’re arms do not look like a member from the Jersey Shore. All the lifting, no definition.
You’re trying though, which is what I think counts. You’re up an absurd amount from you “pre-baby” weight…but that number means nothing! You’re beautiful and strong, and you birthed a human! Said no one ever.
It’s tough kiddo, but you can do it. Maybe, once the kid comes out, we don’t have chic fila four times a week. Maybe.
Also, if you want advice, know this.
Breastfeeding does not guarantee weight loss. It might for a short time, but those pounds come back with a vengeance. And they bring some friends.
Breastfeed that baby…but also, maybe work out before six months postpartum. Just a thought.
But no matter what any diet says. Never. And I repeat never. Give up wine. That’s called “Mommy’s Sanity in a Bottle”.
Also. Just because you’re throwing up every five minutes now and you’re actually loosing weight while pregnant…does NOT mean you should try and make up for lost food not eaten later. Again, you do you girl, just a suggestion.
Maybe take some more mirror selfies to have later.
I can’t tell you how excited I am about this blog. It’s something that I’ve been putting together (mostly in my head) over the last couple of months, and something I’ve felt like the Lord is pointing me towards.
Blogging isn’t new to me. Over the last couple of years I’ve had one outlet or another for blogging. I started a small Facebook group that I sent out devotionals to before I got married, and then started a blog when I got married. The name of it changed more times than I’ll admit (blogging no no, I know), and I never figured out my niche. Then I made a blog when I was pregnant, named Little Baby Westmoreland because we didn’t find out what we were having. Once baby girl got here, I kept the name but didn’t feel like I really owned that space.
So I started thinking of something different.
I envisioned a space simple, and well put together. Something with an actual url, not a dot blogspot or wordpress. I saw collaborations and articles shared. Opinions and tips.
I saw an actual blog.
It took me weeks to come up with a name. Nothing sounded quite right, or represented what I wanted this blog to be.
I thought about just using my name.
I thought about continuing with Little Baby Westmoreland, but then thought about future kids and when they aren’t babies.
And then I came up with My life with a Little.
It was honestly like a light bulb went off.
This blog is about my crazy beautiful journey through motherhood. The ups and downs, the triumphs and the major fails I’ll have/had. It’s my life with a little.
I’m so thankful you’re here and so excited for this blog!
If you haven’t seen What to Expect When you’re Expecting, you need to.
