Just wanted to pass on (with permission) this lovely letter I got from a
friend... It really made me feel good; hope it does the same for you.
:-)

Kristen Cervantes
Austin, TX



Savannah turns ten months this Friday and I'm sitting back and taking
stock in our ongoing nursing relationship.  I'll preface this by saying
that I weaned my son, Nicholas, at six months.  This go 'round I am
committed to baby-led weaning...well into toddlerhood if she so desires.

I'm really enchanted with the subtle changes in our nursing relationship
as she approaches her first birthday.  She has become possessive yet
tender, agressive and curious.  My favorite part of nursing these days
is when she gets "that look" as I unhook my bra and she holds out both
of her hands to steer my breast to her mouth.  Then, she caresses me
while she nurses and frequently catches my eye. It is so adoring, it
makes my heart melt.  It feels like that "love affair with the breast"
that Leslie [a mutual friend] describes.

I think one of the funniest parts of our nursing relationship is when I
wake up in bed to Savannah *standing* over the top of me, dive-bombing
the closest boob she can reach.  I think she thinks of me as the soda
fountain.  LOL.  I also think it is really cute when I hold her (sitting
up) in my arms and with one hand she is sucking her thumb and with the
other hand she is patting my boobs under my shirt. Just keeping a close
eye on them to make sure they don't go anywhere, I guess.  :)

I feel like our nursing relationship has changed significantly from the
early days where it felt like "anybody" could have had those boobs and
she would have drank from them.  Now, she relishes the whole experience
and now I feel like my nursing experience is fully realized.  But,
knowing that, I also realize that there is more yet to come. There will
be *more* to our relationship as she develops language and begins to
verbalize her wishes to nurse.  There will be more to this relationship
if or when she is two years old and still nursing... the possibility
that she will be nursing entirely for comfort.  To think that by
offering myself, I might have the ability to calm the raging toddler.
I'm just enamoured with the directions our very special relationship
might extend.

I also really like those "nursing mother" pendants now.  You know, the
ones that are the silhouette of the mother gazing downward at her
nursing babe-in-arms?  Often I catch myself in that very pose and I can
appreciate why so many artists choose to recreate that moment.

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