World Breastfeeding Week

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know that I trained for and ran the 2006 Richmond Marathon as a new mom, with a breastfeeding infant. So I feel it is my obligation to remind all my readers (all 3 of you) about World Breastfeeding Week this week. Lots of women can't breastfeed for various reasons, but most can. It is without a doubt nature's perfect food for a newborn. Not to mention it is free, clean, and environmentally friendly. Yes, breastfeeding requires dedication: the early days can be painful and confusing, and being the sole provider of nourishment for your child can be a big burden. So to all you mamas to be, educate yourself *before* the baby comes about breastfeeding, common problems, and how to avoid them. Your hospital's lactation consultant is a good resource, as is La Leche League, kellymom.com, and your friends and family.

As mothers, so much of what we do is undone in an instant - the laundry gets washed and folded, only to be dirty again; it takes all afternoon to make dinner, but it's eaten in a flash, leaving only a sinkful of dirty dishes. For me, running a marathon was a way to achieve something that couldn't be undone. I am, and forever will be, a marathoner. Breastfeeding is the same way. It is something I did for my son that can never be undone. He is, and forever will be, a breastfed baby.