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"The story of the Milky Way, as it appears in Greco-Roman mythology, concerns the breastfeeding of the baby Hercules, son of Jupiter. Because Hercules’ mother was mortal, Zeus put Hercules to the breast of the Goddess Juno, his wife and sister, believing that Hercules would acquire immortality through her breastmilk. As Hercules enjoyed nursing from sleeping Juno’s breast, she awoke and pushed him away. As she did so, her precious milk sprayed across the heavens, crystallizing into a promontory of stars, creating the Milky Way as we know it today. Her milk that fell on the ground created the lily.”
Welcome to Celebreast: A Celebration of Breastfeeding!
I decided to start Celebreast as a place for mothers to come and share their breastfeeding stories and experiences. A virtual home for all mothers who have ever breastfed their children - no matter for how long.
Celebreast is about celebrating what you did achieve, however long you breastfed for, and enjoying the memories you have of that very special time. All your efforts did count, it was worthwhile, and at the heart of it was a mother sharing a very special gift with her own beautiful baby.
Focus on the successes and forget the word failure.
So please, take your time and join the forums, enjoy the stories, share your own and above all, celebrate breastfeeding!
Danni-site owner.
Breastfeeding is much more than just milk....
Pregnancy is divided into time periods, called trimesters. Its commonly known and accepted that there are three trimesters in creating new life, but there is an often forgotten fourth trimester. The birth itself does not complete the reproductive cycle for each new baby. The final step to human gestatation is breastfeeding.
Human babies are born quite helpless in comparison to other mammals and require a very strong connection to their mothers to continue for optimal development. Breastmilk, and moreoever, breastfeeding, meets this need perfectly.
The breastfeeding relationship plays a large role in the social and emotional development of children. Babies will nurse at the breast for many reasons that have nothing at all to do with food or hunger. Babies seek comfort at the breast, they adore the skin to skin contact which has an active role in regulating their own temperature, babies often pat or caress their mothers and gaze adoringly up at her. Breastfeeding a baby brings them untold joy, being enveloped in their mothers scent, feeling her body and hearing her heartbeat, being held close and making eye contact.
Breastmilk contains significant amounts of the hormones oxytocin and prolactin which induce a state of sleepiness and calm in both parties. Research has shown that within minutes of beginning a breastfeed, a mothers blood pressure drops and her cortisol levels lower, creating a sense of peace and relaxation.
Breastfed babies can be soothed by the breast, at times babies get lonely, or stressed and overtired, they may be in pain from teeth arriving, feeling unwell or just want to have a cuddle. Nothing is quicker and easier than offering the comfort of your breast. If your baby is hungry, there's no waiting, no worrying about measurements, content, scalding because of an incorrect temperature or the sterility of the equipment. Breastfed babies can't be overfed so its perfectly fine for babies to snack, or feed to sleep, or feed just for pleasure. Babies can't speak so who are we to judge when they're hungry or whether they just want a nurse because they're frightened or can't get to sleep or feeling lonely? These are all normal human reactions, babies feel them just as we do from time to time as adults.
For mothers who are bombarded with information and helpful (and often unwanted) external advice, many will question their parenting ability and choices from time to time.
Choosing to breastfeed is one choice you'll never ever regret.
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