Sacrifice would be easy if it didn’t hurt so much. It’s a shame that good things don’t land in our laps easily and without pain. It sort of makes me wonder what life without sacrifice would look like. Would we all be thin, rich, have perfect children and amazing marriages if sacrifice and work weren’t involved in the process?
So many good things in life come with a little pain. Even though many years have passed since my last pregnancy, I am loving every minute as I watch the great moms in our fellowship during their current pregnancies and with their little ones. What a fantastic time of life they get to experience. I pray that they enjoy it to the fullest, since these years are fleeting.
Recently, I was talking with one sweet mom about her upcoming delivery and her concerns. One can't help but look back and remember those times. I remember hearing from my mom that after delivering a baby, you are so thrilled that you forget about the pain. I wasn’t so sure I believed that and for the first three weeks after delivery of my firstborn, I knew I didn’t. Granted, the contractions and pushing were over, but there was still a ways to go for me to feel like my chipper self. It took a few days to allow my body to adjust after the amazing thing it just went through.
I found the first few days of nursing my baby to be challenging and involving pain also. The uterine contractions were almost as strong as they were in labor and if I were not so convinced that nursing was the way to go, I possibly could have wimped out. Looking at what was to be gained by it, kept my eye on the prize however and did not regret a moment of it. Thank the Lord for smart midwives that assisted me throughout each pregnancy and delivery and helped me make good choices early in my pregnancies before the temptation of “avoiding pain at all costs” became an issue. Whether or not to use an epidural became something we researched so I chose to go natural. I'm glad I made that an educated choice so when temptation arose, the decision was already made. I guess there is a biblical injunction there also, isn't there?
Having made those good choices, I gladly worked through the early days of nursing when I realized that nursing helps release oxytocin and prolactin which causes the uterine to contract and assists the mom in getting back to her pre-pregnant size and weight. To add to that, when the body is making milk it uses up the fat stored during pregnancy. It’s much more difficult for those who don’t nurse or quit before six months to enjoy the bonus of losing baby fat. That was definitely a plus I didn’t want to miss out on.
Long-term, I thoroughly enjoyed being back to normal in size, and not having to deal with a menstrual cycle when I nursed full-time. I had several great years of being pregnant and nursing without having to deal with the monthly “visitor” and the accompanying symptoms. What a fascinating and welcome gift from God, those months without a cycle.
My favorite times were to cuddle relaxed, and guilt-free with my baby after those first couple of weeks, when nursing turned from “ouch-inspiring” to “awe-inspiring.” I wouldn’t have believed it, but not only was there no pain, but there was the calming flood of prolactin which helps nursing moms to mellow out and nurse baby, relaxed and contented.
Then, of course there are all the regular health benefits for both baby and mom. Besides helping baby to build an incredible immune system which lasts through adulthood, mom gets the benefit of reduced rates of ovarian, uterine and breast cancers. The health that God provided in our bodies by doing things the way He intended, never ceases to amaze me.
In light of all that, I can't help but find it amazing that God gives us all these benefits, and yet so many say, "No, thank you. I'll just give baby the synthetic and ditch the benefits." But for a small sacrifice, the benefits of our good choices are truly one of the many gifts from God.
No comments:
Post a Comment