Two Pink Lines

     Two pink lines and now we're here! Yes, Madeline is 7 months old, but our journey didn't begin 7 months ago. Our journey in parenthood began the moment Alex picked up the phone with a flustered, "What!? I am about to clock in to work!" I don't know what was running through his mind when he picked up the phone. Maybe he was worried something happened, maybe he was in a rush and didn't want to clock in late. Whatever it was, the moment I told him I was pregnant, our world stood still and so began our journey! 

    Looking back on our 41 weeks of pregnancy, we went through everything every young, newly married couple with a baby on the way goes through. We stressed over how we would afford diapers while we were still getting on our feet as a married couple. With every passing week I asked, "Am I showing yet?" Together, Alex and I counted down the days to the start of the second trimester. We teared up when we heard our baby's heartbeat (okay, Alex straight up cried, but you didn't hear that from me)! We both wanted a girl, but we would be happy no matter what, "as long as baby was healthy." Would we circumcise if we had a boy? What about names? Who will be in the delivery room? SO many questions!! And one subject that was never a question  between us was whether or not I was going to breastfeed. 

     The first time I was asked if I was going to breastfeed was at the WIC office. "Are you going to breastfeed?" Alex and I looked at each other like, "Of course! How else is the baby going to eat?" and we answered with a hearty "Yes." To me, it was strange that it was even a question. I never knew that moms planned on using formula and didn't at least try to breastfeed. Apparently I was behind on the times! 

     Welcome to present day! I have educated myself and become (at least somewhat) knowledgeable of the subject of breastfeeding. I don't know everything (yeah, I'm 20 now! I no longer know everything! ha!), but I would love to see a world where breastfeeding is no longer a question of the matter. I want to see formula sales plummet and it only used for emergencies or when absolutely necessary. I want "breastfeeding" to just be called "feeding." I want to share my journey of motherhood and breastfeeding with you! Welcome to "The Essence of Motherhood."