Read All About It!

So, a few weeks ago, Zachary made his first debut in the Chattanooga Times Free Press! We were in an article about breastfeeding and society's views on it.

Each week on Wednesdays since Zachary has been born we have been attending a breastfeeding support group. No, you don't go in and say, "Hi, My name is Ellen and I'm a breastfeeding Mom." (This is what my boss thought! ha!) It's a group where nursing Moms can come and go, weigh their baby, feed them, and weigh again to see how much milk is being taken at a feeding. It is also a chance to sit and chat with other nursing moms and a lactation nurse is on hand to answer any questions or concerns. While Zachary and I have not gone EVERY week, we do try to go regularly, and it was really great at the beginning because it gave me lots of reassurance that my baby boy was eating well and gaining weight. Now it has become more of a chance to be around other Mommies for me. I am very thankful for this group. I've talked to a lot of other of my nursing Mommy friends and they all wished they had something like this where they live. I must admit that breasftfeeding was definitely a challenge at first, and some days it still can be. A lot of people really aren't aware how much of a committment it is when you decide to nurse a baby. But it has been a very rewarding experience for me and Zachary, and I know when he stops nursing, I will miss having that special bond with him.

**Side note: The other Mom pictured in the article works at the hospital and was actually one of my night nurses while I was there. She is one who was there in the beginning to help me, especially at 3 in the morning when we were sooooooo tired and we couldn't get Zachary to latch on. Her baby girl was born about 2 weeks later.