If you have been reading up everything I wrote so far you must have pretty much understood how old my baby is. Well, she is a toddler now. I have been breastfeeding her since the day she was born but let me tell you one thing. The journey has not been an easy one.

It was extremely painful for me initially because she couldn't latch properly and then nipple blisters and soreness made post partum period literally a hell. My body always produced excess milk and I had to pump and throw it ( unfortunately )away because otherwise it would lead to excruciating pain if the baby doesn't drink it up. By the 3rd month, Ichu and I got comfortable with the whole deal.

It was in her 7th month I went through one of the worst periods of my life. She started taking solids and wasn't requiring milk as much as she used to. I forgot to pump the excess milk one fine day and ended up with 104 degree fever and two heavy rocks on my breasts. I was immediately taken to the hospital due to shivering and then the gynec, without any mercy expressed out the milk while I screamed in pain. Apparently I had developed lumps and it had gotten infected, all because I forgot to pump the excess milk I had produced. I literally saw tears in Momo's eyes everytime I fed Ichu because I was clenching and digging my nails into pillow as she drank from me. We even thought if we should wean her off.

I would throw away milk every single day till she completed 1 year because my body thought, hey let's just keep making extra milk for Ichu even if she has started taking solids. Thankfully by the time she turned 1, I stopped pumping and was able to manage my daily routine without having to wonder where my breast pump was. Today as she completes 1 year 6 months on this planet, let tell how you the tables have turned. We have bonded over our breastfeeding session so much that it's funny how she feels when she is hurt or feeling bad she just needs to ask for milk. To be honest, most of my family thinks she is obsessed with my breast milk. What they don't understand is its not about getting any calories from it, but every single drop of breastmilk provides immunity to the baby and oh man, it co-regulates our nervous system. It calms her down and makes me calm at the same time. Last time her pediatrician asked me when I was planning to wean her off and I said not yet. Well if my body decides to stop, that is a completely different scenario. But given a choice, I am not planning to stop it until and unless she says Amma eniku venda.

Funnily, last night at around 3 am she whispered, " Amma... paaal!". So I turned to her side to feed her to realize that she had already dozed off and she was just speaking in her sleep. Ok maybe she is a little obsessed with my milk 😅

amma-paaal!