Hey Mama, don't judge!

When I first learned I was pregnant, my eyes were opened up to a whole other world. A very exciting, scary, terrifying, judgement filled world. There was a little human being growing inside of me that I was responsible for, for the rest of my life. The rest of my life! Don't get me wrong, I love our little bean. She is the coolest person I know, and I wouldn't change a thing.

The world of baby information, baby gadgets, baby do's and baby don'ts are incredibly overwhelming for a new mother. I recall being so over cautious and nervous throughout my whole pregnancy. Once that little bean was born, thankfully, I relaxed. She was okay. She was more than okay. She was beautiful and healthy and all ours.

The first diaper change was hilarious. We had no idea what we were doing. We used half a carton of wipes and put the diaper on backwards. But hey, she survived. All of the you-tube videos and pre-natal classes in the world can't prepare you for the moments of parent-hood. It's a battleground, a messy journey and a learning curve that never ends. Little bean learns something new every day, and so do I.

Every move I make as a parent, I feel someone judging me. Whether it's family, or friends or someone at the grocery store. Everyone has their opinion on what's right and what's wrong. My take on parenthood is that there is no book that will tell you how to be a good parent. Being a good parent is doing the best you can for your little one day in and day out. What's right for me and my daughter, may not be right for your family. I don't claim to have all the answers, so neither should you. We all need to take a step back and realize that these little people are just that. They are their own little people. What works for one, won't necessarily work for all.

I have exclusively breastfed my daughter and she still nurses to this day (going strong at 16 months). I didn't have a clear view of whether I wanted to exclusively breastfeed my daughter, or offer her some formula from time to time. She seemed to make that decision for me. It has been a great comfort for her from day 1. She was a natural from the second I held her in my arms. It gives me great pride that I can provide this sanctuary for her where she can feel safe, protected and best of all; loved.

I'm always afraid to tell people that my daughter still nurses. The reactions are generally that of surprise with a hint of judgement.The funny this is, I don't judge you when you feed your daughter McDonald's for lunch or that juice box filled with sugar. I don't judge you when you're texting at the park and not playing with your child. I don't judge you for the fact that you didn't continue breastfeeding longer than a few months. I don't judge you for never breastfeeding your child. The reason I don't judge other parents is because I know that sometimes your kid just won't eat, and you're trying everything under the sun to get something in their tummy. I don't judge because for all I know, that was an incredibly important text from a family member. I don't judge because I realize that it's not everyone's first choice to breastfeed as long as I have. I don't judge because I'm aware that not every mother can produce enough milk for their little one.

I don't understand why mothers who choose to breastfeed are judged when medical professionals are encouraging mothers continue breastfeeding until the age of 2. I'm not screaming and shouting from the rooftops that every mother needs to do exactly as I'm doing. I'm not even breastfeeding in front of you. All I want is a little bit of mutual respect for choices I make as a parent. Can I get an Amen?!