In Support of Mothers

My Aunt Simone’s other, cooler best friend (besides my Mom ;) is this really smart, fun lass named Shel Lyons. Shel graduated from Harvard Law School, is a world traveler, and according to my Mom, is a very upbeat, adventurous, informative, inquisitive spirit. She became a mother in the last year also, and has devoted much energy to exploring birth, motherhood, mothers’ and babies’ health, working moms, and parents’ rights; in fact, she recently started her own non-profit, Mothers' Rights Network (Trish, you two should meet). She and her little baby Calla (named after a flower like me!) both have blogs (Calla’s blog is the same template as mine in fact) and instead of just posting pictures and more pictures, Shel (and Calla) use their blogs to discuss very important topics concerning motherhood/babyhood.

Most of you who know my Mom, know that she is a firm proponent of breastfeeding. My Mom says that breast milk is the most precious gift we women can give our babies, and she considers me good proof of this. I have been breastfed for my whole little life, and in my entire fourteen months, I have had only two or three low fevers (two of them attributed to the cutting of my two teeth) and three very short-lived runny noses (which also coincided with teething). Perhaps we have just been very, very lucky, but my Mom feels that the super-teacher antibodies she gave to me through her breast milk really helped fend off much of the sicknesses that came my way.


My Mom feels lucky because her own mother was a strong proponent of breastfeeding. In fact, back in the late seventies, my Gram felt pressured to stop nursing, and regrets stopping when she did—at nine months. At ten months, her baby (my Mom)contracted a very dangerous bacterial infection called Spinal Meningitis, and my Gram always felt that it could have been avoided if she hadn’t stopped nursing. Now, this is a very extreme story, but it is part of the reason my Mom feels so strongly. One thing is certain; the benefits of breastfeeding are abundant—for both babies and their moms.

Of course, I don’t want to make breastfeeding sound easy. It isn’t—it is hard at first, for both mothers and us babies to learn! It hurt my mom a lot at first, but it was very important for her so she got through the hard part. Once that goes away, it is so easy! Instead of getting up to prepare and warm a bottle in the middle of the night, all you have to do is pick up your baby and cuddle close with him/her for a little while. Also, for working moms, breastfeeding can sometimes be out of reach; not all mothers are as lucky as mine, having two careers--one that she could do at home while caring for me. This is another avenue that Shel, a working Mom, explores through her research.

Now, breastfeeding is only one of the multitude of topics of Shel covers; it just happens to be one about which my mom is particularly passionate. Please check out both Calla's and Shel's blogs for a host of other topics on mothers, babies, and their health. Shel is a witty, colorful author, but more importantly, she has strong opinions, positive insight, information, and support to offer other moms. Whether or not you are a Mom (or Dad), and whether or not you agree with all of her beliefs, you will find her work interesting, informative, and hopefully, insightful!