From a First Time Mother

I’m a first time mother. My son is 6 months old and while I was pregnant I listened to the advice that pours out of people when they know you’re expecting. I heard I’ll never sleep again, feed every two hours, and so on. I decided to listen to my baby from inside the womb and have a home water birth. People tried scare tactics on me to change my mind. They warned me that I was signing a death sentence for my baby.

I meditated and knew I was making an informed choice for me and my baby and that, although it can’t work for everyone, I was low risk and trusted my midwives abilities to help me birth my baby. I listened to my baby while in labor, I was totally connected to him, heart and soul. It was magical. I caught my baby and brought him to the surface for his first breath. I held him close for skin to skin and fed him within the first hour after birth in my bed, in my home. I held him all night.

Since that magical night back in December, I have heard more advice. “Don’t hold your baby so much.” ” Let him cry or he will be spoiled/not know how to cope on his own/ clingy later” ” Your son will never leave your bed if you don’t get him in his crib”. It goes on and on.

I listen to my son and my instincts. My son needs me. He is not trying to manipulate me. I hold him, I “wear” him, I breastfeed on demand, I co sleep, I even do full time elimination communication. All because I know it’s best to hone in and respect him. He is helpless. I’m sure if he could he would get up and get the things he needed but he can’t. He must rely on me to help him. How humiliating it must be for him. I will do what I can to ease that humiliation for him, as his mother, it’s my job.

Listen to your babies, one day you will need them to listen to you and take you to the bathroom…

By Kimberly Burns