When our favorite mama blog, The Lil’ Mamas, asked us to share a story in honor of National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, we jumped at the chance. It’s been many years since nursing was a part of my daily routine, so I was excited to revisit a simpler parenting time – a time when perhaps I was more in demand as a mom, but my daughter’s needs and wants were the same and therefore uncomplicated.
Cannabis and breastfeeding has been a hot topic lately, and we’ve not hesitated to add our voice to the debate. I feel confident about the choices I made as a lactating mama, including the choice to consciously consume cannabis for mental health and general wellness and the choice to practice child-led weaning, which meant we nursed for over two years. Both issues are controversial – can a mom do anything without sparking controversy? – but I stand by them. And I look at my almost ten-year-old daughter as proof that they were the right decisions for my family.
Latching On to Cannabis and Breastfeeding
When I learned I was pregnant I committed right away to breastfeeding. My husband and I knew we were a “one and done” family, so I was going all in on this kid. We read up on the continuum concept and borrowed Dr. Sears books from friends, embracing the practice of attachment parenting. New words – like ‘cosleeping’ and ‘babywearing’ – entered my vocabulary and quickly became tiny obsessions. Really, I was scared to death to be a mother, and I was looking for a system that had some answers. And while I couldn’t imagine what the reality of having an infant would be like, I was pretty sure if I could feed my child with my body, I wasn’t going to complicate things.
Keep reading on The Lil’ Mamas!
GUEST BLOGGER JENN – LATCHING ON TO CANNABIS AND BREASTFEEDING
