The Joys of Breastfeeding: Milk Songs
- Share
- Pin It
Email This Post
- http://bit.ly/klP8cR
Welcome! This post was written for inclusion in the March Carnival of Breastfeeding. Be sure to read some of the other writers who published on this topic; there are links at the end of this post.
When Kieran was a few weeks old, he began making a little noise during nursing sessions. They sounded something like this:
oya oya oya
Sometimes he would oya in response to my cooing, eyes wide with wonder at the sound of my voice. Sometimes he would oya as his eyes drooped closed in milky slumber and his little mouth slowed to a drowsy suckle.
I thought of those sweet oya oya oya’s as Kieran’s milk song.
They were half-piglet, half-bizarre punk rock lyric. And we loved every single one. Each oya would make my husband and I shake with silent laughter or grin with impossible love.
Kieran was about six months old when I noticed that his oya’s were fewer and further between. The realization made me sad, because it was just one more way my baby was growing and changing.
Each new stage of our breastfeeding relationship, though, has left me with memories that make my heart swell. The milk songs from the first six months faded into mischievous milky smiles in the second six months.
And as Kieran learned to walk and talk in his second year, the memories of nursing my baby were joined by the joys of breastfeeding a toddler. His wordless oya oya milk songs ended, replaced by proclamations like:
“NeeNee love mama milk!”
“I love mama milk so much!”
His words of love are now the sweetest music to my ears.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=039657d6-90e1-4e69-a5b2-cd476edaafe0)
Please check out some of the other Carnival of Breastfeeding posts:
- Stop by Blacktating to find out what makes breastfeeding so great.
- Breastfeeding Moms Unite! shares some poems about the joys of breastfeeding.
- Chronicles of a Nursing Mom lists her top five things she loves about breastfeeding.
- Good Enough Mum reminds us that you don’t need to be crunchy to like breastfeeding.
- Hobo Mama explains that there is no need to count calories when breastfeeding.
- Lactating Girl enumerated the joys of breastfeeding a toddler.
- Pat at Life of a Babywearing and Breastfeeding Mommy reveals that breastfeeding is how she connects with her little one after work.
- Sheryl from Little Snowflakes discusses the joys of nursing to sleep.
- Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children wrote some nursing haikus.
- Whozat from Lucy and Ethel Have a Baby opens up about nursing her little person.
- Maman A Droit has written a joyful list about breastfeeding.
- Tanya at The Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog describes the things she loved about breastfeeding her son.
- Share
- Pin It
- Email This Post
- http://bit.ly/klP8cR
20 Responses to:
"The Joys of Breastfeeding: Milk Songs"
Pre-Order My Book!
For My Children: A Mother's Journal of Memories, Wishes and Wisdom
Click the cover to order now!
- Giveaway: Earth Mama Angel Baby Postpartum Care — 2 Winners $55 ARV {3.4; US}
- Dealing with Our Own Anxiety
- Wordless Wednesday: Colorful Ailia
- Providing Reassurance
- Learning to Respect Everyone’s Needs
-
Forced Weaning Due to Pregnancy
176 Comments -
The Effects of Circumcision on Newborn Boys
101 Comments -
101 Things To Do Instead of Yelling or Spanking
100 Comments -
Kardashian’s Call to Cover Up
83 Comments
- Giveaway: Earth Mama Angel Baby Postpartum Care — 2 Winners $55 ARV {3.4; US}
- Giveaway: Milk Nursingwear – $40 ARV {2.28 WORLDWIDE}
- Giveaway: Blessed Nest Nesting Pillow – $100 ARV {2.7 WORLDWIDE}
- Giveaway: Party in My Pants Postpartum Pad Set – $90 ARV CLOSED
- Giveaway: Beauty Without Cruelty & Tom’s of Maine Goodies $36 ARV CLOSED
- Giveaway: “Green Inspiration” Package – Book + 3 Month Meal Plan $38 ARV CLOSED
- Ink Garden
- Mama and Baby Love
- Natural Family Supplies
- TEACH Through Love Online Parenting Course
Grab my new badge!
-
Display & participate!
Beautiful Dionna! I’m so glad for you that you have posted about this and video taped it. I’ve been bad about that kind of thing when my kids were little. The other day my oldest daughter asked me a question about my breasts and referred to them as Annie which was her word for breastfeeding. It was so neat for me to hear her use that word and remember that that was what she called it for three years. Especially because her sister uses a different word. Anyway, this was very touching.
Looove that video! What beautiful moments you captured. I love how his arm is flinging all around in one of the shots. Whenever Mikko would rhythmically thrash his legs while eating, Sam and I would joke that he was pumping the milk out.
The “oya oya oya” thing cracks me up! The sweet things he says now just make me smile and go “aww”. Baby is a noisy nurser only when his teeth or tummy are bothering him-like he wants me to know he’s still grumpy even though he’s nursing, lol.
Thanks mamas :) When I was trying to find clips to make a video, I kept thinking “man – why didn’t we take more pictures/video?!” I love seeing him nurse.
I just want you to know you just inspired me to take a video of us nursing. :) He was totally doing the whole toddler gymnastics thing, too. And lunging for the camera, of course!
Aw… It’s just now that he “utters” something when he nurses. And it’s too cute!
awwwwww! Very sweet!
How lovely! I wish my DH would take video of A nursing. What a wonderful thing to look back on. I am in tears watching that. Especially as I consider weaning (for medical reasons) I am finding more and more how much I enjoy nursing; looking down at that sweet face, the little noises, all of it. And what a neat thing for Kieran to go back and show his partner and kid(s) someday!
Lauren – it’s very rare that I can take video of Kieran without him saying “Kieran see?! Kieran see! My turn!”
Pat – you must get video. I’m telling you, you will never regret capturing it on film :)
Thanks Kaila!
Monica – awww! I’ve got to tell you though, I had to twist Tom’s arm to take some of us early on. That one at 6 wks (and actually the one at 22 months) was me holding my arm up with the camera! But the ones Tom took are always superior. If your DH won’t do it, *I* will!! I can even take it with my camera if you don’t have one, and burn it to a CD. Seriously!
I love it! My youngest used to do the little nursing noises – much more than my other kids ever did. I called him my gourmet nurser when he was little because it seemed he always had to “comment.” The video is priceless. I’m trying very hard to get over my aversion to having any pictures taken of me so that my children will have some to look back on.
Loved, loved. loved your nursing video! Brought a tear to my eye.
That is so cute! I wish I would have gotten videos of Peanut nursing! I only took pictures. I also think that Peanut used to say “umm umm umm” as she was nursing.
Aaaww! This was so sweet. And I am loving the milk dance! :)
That is so sweet! Naomi loved that video, she insisted on watching it again ;) I recognize those hand games, too–the flapping arm and the quacking hand at my mouth, lol.
I have very little video of me and the girls. You’re lucky to have a husband willing to take video :) I take almost all of the pictures and video in the family, so what I have is all from my perspective. I don’t know if I have any nursing videos of Naomi, though I have a few of Lilly.
There are always little things that you remember so fondly from the nursing experience. My dearest memory of you is how you used to play with my elbow…I can still feel the gentle pinching that you would do as you nursed. And then when you got old enough to stay at Grandma Dion’s house, she commented that you pinched her elbow too as she rocked you at bedtime!!! Must have been because you loved her as much as you loved me!!! Would she adore Kieran, how I wish she could have met him!!!
I love you!!!
This video made me cry, how special! I have a 12 week old, my second baby to breastfeeding, and I love nursing him so much. I stopped nursing my first born at 12 months b/c I wanted to get my period back so we could try for our second, but we don’t have plans for a third (at least, not soon), so I plan to nurse him past 12 months.
What a sweet video!
I love my 2 yr old son’s nursing proclamations, such as: I want some mommy milk… dis one empty…need some of dat one!
A little while ago he told me that mommy’s milk tastes like ice cream. No wonder he likes it so much!
Beautiful! I have hardly any pictures of Everett nursing and I am so disappointed with that. I guess it’s because I’m usually the one taking pictures. I love your video, it’s so sweet. With this next baby, I am going to make sure we have more pics and even video!
So sweet. I really must get some video of Alexa before it’s too late. I used to love it when she would bat at me like she was trying to swim away :-)
Thanks again everyone :) I really do encourage you to get nursing pictures and video – it is SO sweet to look back at that time! (Even if you’re looking at it with a wiggly toddler nursing on your lap)