Happy Boob Day

Boob Day: noun, the celebration of the 1 year anniversary of your breastfeeding or pumping journey. 

It's not all about the baby

When you are pregnant, everyone is always checking how you are doing, and how you are feeling. But as soon as you give birth, the focus so quickly changes to how is the baby! And that is okay. But it is also okay to give some of the focus to the new mother, too.

Becoming a mom for the first time, or even for the second or third time, is really tough work. It's an entirely new world. Your body is changing, again! And your whole world has to get adjusted to fit this whole new life into it.

Mamas also have milestones

As baby grows, you celebrate each of the milestones along the way. It is new and it is exciting and so fun to watch. All the while, mama is also experiencing milestones, such as recovering from a c-section, getting the "all clear" for sex and exercise from your doctor, and in many cases returning to work. For me, my breastfeeding journey has been the most incredible and rewarding milestone.

Each month became a new celebration. I did not expect to breastfeed passed 1 month. I barely thought I would make it a week. But each day passed, and we continued in a rhythm that worked for us. Two months in, I was feeling incredibly inspired by my body, especially my breasts. I found myself completely fascinated on how my body was able to internally, build a human—and then, that very body, provided 100% of the nourishment to sustain that human externally from my body.

It became clear to me that breastfeeding and pumping, are milestones worth celebrating!

It's your birth day, too!

When baby turns 1, it also the anniversary of the day that YOU gave birth. This day is just as much your baby's day as it yours to be celebrated. The memories you have from this very special day are yours forever to treasure. And if you reached an entire year of breastfeeding or pumping, this is an incredible achievement! Be proud and celebrate your Boob Day!

As recorded from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the average length of time for breastfeeding is 17 weeks.  Making it to an entire year is grounds for celebration and appreciation of what you and your body has accomplished. Take a moment to look back... 

Where is my milk? There is not enough milk. Is my baby latching properly? There is too much milk. Leaking through shirts. Nipple cream. How do I pump? My freezer is full. Cluster feedings. Night feedings. Engorgement. One boob empty, one boob full. Clogged ducts. Mastitis. Not being able to be away from the baby or pump for more than a couple of hours. The first time you breastfeed in public.

It is not an easy journey and can be compared to a full time job! Let that sink in.

If you do the math, a year of breastfeeding equates to a conservative estimate of 1,800 hours of a mother's time. This isn't far off from a full time job considering that a 40-hour work week with three weeks of vacation comes in at 1,960 hours of work time a year. Source: Inc.com 

Celebrate your milestones! 

Wether you breastfeed or pumped 1 day, 3 weeks, 4 months, 1 year... you are a milk goddess and deserve to be celebrated. I created a collection specifically to commemorate your liquid gold journey. In fact, every item from my shop will make the perfect reminder of the queen you are. 

To all the New Mamas in it right now... 

You got this! You are exactly what your baby needs. Find the resources you need to get through it. You will get through this. You are amazing!

The World Health Organization recommends that children be breastfed exclusively for the first six months while being slowly weaned off after one to two years of age. Even so, worldwide, only an estimated 38 percent of children are breastfed exclusively for the first six months, and in the United States alone, that statistic drops to 13 percent. Source: Psychologytoday.com