Yesterday. Ooooooh yesterday proved to be a new experience for me. I don't normally have new experiences on a regular basis so when I do it's notable.
Wait, let me back up to some new things I have failed to mention. I bought a bathing suit about a week ago. THIS people, is HUGE! This is the first one I've bought in approximately 5 years, maybe more. And the one I bought 5 years ago I probably wore a handful of times and then let me niece have it. I don't swim. I am THAT insecure. BUT since I have a close-to three year old now I've taken it upon myself to just get over it and have fun! It's been so freeing. Seriously.
AND, not only did I get a bathing suit, I actually went swimming, with my little family, in a fun springy river thing, with LOTS of other families present. HUGE I tell you. Write it down. Monumental.
Okay, so back to yesterday. My hubby researched fun things to do around here and he found a place called The Jumpy Place. I was soooooo excited because there was one in Austin that we used to go to but I was just so sure they didn't have one around here. Boy was I wrong. They have one and it's better than the one we used to go to. It really accommodates all ages. Even Isabelle had fun in the little exersaucer thing in the "3 and under" area. AND even better, my friend from RR met me there with her three kids. It was a super fun day.
So, where the story really begins. This grandma walks in with her three grandchildren. One is around 6, one is about 2 and the itty bitty 10 pounder was 3 months old and as precious as can be. I noticed them because I could hear the baby screaming from where I was sitting. It was so pitiful. The grandma was trying and trying to get the baby to stop crying. Bouncing her, holding a paci in, laying her down...basically anything that could be done while out and about with two other kids. I felt so sorry for her. I went and sat on a couch near where the grandma was sitting so I could nurse Isabelle. It was this little sitting area and the couch faced the wall so I found that to be the prime location to feed my gal who enjoys pulling the nursing cover all over the place while eating.
As I was feeding Isabelle we started talking...about all kinds of things...a lot about nursing and how she wishes her daughter were there to talk to me too. At some point, while I was still feeding Isabelle, I tossed out there that I wish I could feed her granddaughter too to make her feel better. Haha. From our conversation I gathered that she was babysitting the kids because her daughter just went back to work as an RN at a hospital. The baby was breastfed before mommy went back to work and was having the roughest time adjusting to not being able to nurse. I felt so bad for that baby. AND the grandma because she said she had been up since 4:30 that morning.
So, I finished feeding my chunky and went back to hang out with my friend. The whole time I was hanging out with my friend I could hear the baby screaming and I could tell the grandma had no idea what to do. So, while my friend held Issy I went over there and asked her if I could take her off her hands for a little while...you know...to see if I could calm her down. She said, "YES! Thank you!" and proceeded to hand the baby over. THEN, are you ready for this?? THEN she said, "you can try to feed her if you want to because I know that's what she's wanting". I said, "are you sure?! Is that really okay??" And she said, "yeah, there used to be wet nurses back in the day so it doesn't bother me".
BAHAHAHAHA! I had no idea what to say but okay and took the baby out of sight to....um....feed her. Yes, I fed that sweet 10 pound little angel and she went right to sleep and slept for an hour and a half! I considered not feeding her and just letting her scream all day while her mom worked but then I started thinking "what if this was my baby and I had to be at work and couldn't give her what she truly wanted??" If there was someone out there who was able to provide that momentary comfort I'd say go for it. So I did. And it was beautiful to watch that baby sleep so peacefully and to see a million pounds lift from that grandma's shoulders.
When it came close to time for them to leave the baby started stirring again. So while grandma got the older two kids in the car and situated I fed her one more time in hopes that grandma would be able to catch a nap when she got home. The poor lady was exhausted. When she came back in I handed a peacefully sleeping baby over to her grandma. She held my hand and with tears in her eyes she said, "Thank you SO much!" and some other things that I don't clearly remember.
And with that I'll say, I love being a woman. And I absolutely LOVED blessing that grandma and her granddaughter even if everyone around me thinks I'm absolutely insane for what I did. That baby NEEDED to nurse to calm her poor little distressed nerves and I had what she needed and there was no reason I couldn't share. So there.
That gets me thinking, I wonder what the world would be like if we all did helpful things that made us and even those around us a little uncomfortable but tremendously blessed the person we were helping. I wonder what would happen...
I'd like your opinion though. Do you think I'm absolutely crazy? Would you have done it? Would you have wanted someone to do it for your baby?
3 comments:
Wowser, Tia! I think given the situation you blessed that family tremendously. I have to say more than anything fear & insecurity would have prevented me from even considering it. But...since neither of those feeling are from God it gets me thinking, what else do we shy...err run from because it's uncomfortable?
Yeah Jenni, wowsers is right. The more I think about it the more I am thinking I'm crazy myself BUT then I hear the baby hysterically crying in my head and see the grandma trying to soothe her and I think, "it's just milk right?!" I mean, if my baby where that upset I'd appreciate some healthy woman stepping in and filling the gap once...or twice. Or something.
I think it's awesome. And, I think, even MORE, it's awesome that you put yourself out there on THE INTERNET and talked about it. Wow Tia!
What a blessing you surely were to that grandmother and that sweet baby!
For the record, I would have done it too. Just a week or two ago I gave several bags of frozen milk to a lady I go to church with. We are casual friends, not necessarily close but we have other kids the same age. She was so excited and I was so glad I could bless her that way.
So yeah, I would have done it. Now, I don't know that I would be THRILLED if my Mom allowed some stranger to nurse my baby. But, I'm with her all the time and not working so it's a little different. You know? But, If I were that lady and I knew my baby had been screaming since 4:30am, I'd probably appreciate some woman giving herself to my family in that way.
Yay for you Tia. Yay for using the gifts of motherhood that God has blessed you with to help someone else.
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