Just One New Mother's Observations

As a new mother, I am constantly astounded at how complex and precise the design of parenthood is. Just becoming a mother is a miracle in itself. I mean, in order for conception to take place, there must have been a master blueprint and thus a master Designer. At birth, the female baby has all the eggs her body will ever produce. Conversely, males must produce sperm over time. For conception to happen, the levels of hormones must be at precise levels, the egg must have been prepared and travel a long distance (for a single cell that is!) through the woman’s fallopian tubes. Out of millions of sperm cells, only ONE can penetrate the egg bringing the second set of chromosomes to make the full set of blueprints, if you will, needed to create a whole human being that has never existed before. Amazing.

However, the awe-inspiring event does not stop there. It would seem that an intelligent, caring Creator designed babies to be cared for in their mothers’ wombs while they grow and develop and get their eating, eliminating, and oxygenating needs met, all the while the mother is continuing to get her physical needs met. Furthermore, this close proximity encourages her to become very bonded to the baby further ensuring the infant’s survival and well-being.
Once the child is born, certain instincts and reflexes in the mother and child help them along in getting this very basic and necessary relationship established. For instance, did you know that as soon as the baby is delivered, if given the opportunity, the newborn can “scoot” down the mother’s chest and immediately start to suckle at mommy’s breast? That is not to say that both babies and moms don’t need help in “learning” better breastfeeding, because they often do. And some mothers cannot breastfeed for medical or logistical reasons. They are not to be thought of as anything less than terrific mothers. In fact, compensating for the fact, they oftentimes become even more attentive and in tune with their babies.

To explain the awesomeness of the creation of the human being, the scriptures put it this way:
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well (Psalm 139: 13-14).

LIQUID GOLD

Breastmilk itself is a miraculous substance. Our Childbirth preparation teacher called it “Liquid Gold”. I myself didn’t realize this until I became a breastfeeding mother, but did you know that breastmilk is an actual living substance? Unlike man-made formula, its counterpart, breastmilk actually contains elements that will not only nourish but also protect your baby for years to come, if not for the rest of his or her life. One drop of breastmilk contains approximately 1 million white blood cells, a necessary element in maintaining a healthy immune system and fighting off disease (www.askdrsears.com).

Some might say, “Well, yes, according to the theory of evolution and survival of the fittest, this would work to ensure the survival of the species”. Perhaps, but another amazing fact about breastmilk is that it operates on the principle of supply and demand. In other words, if baby needs more milk for increased appetite, say right before a growth spurt, baby suckles more and mother’s breasts actually produce more milk, meeting the demand. Now THAT’S what I call cost effective! Moreover, breastmilk has special proteins and amino acids to help with brain development; it also has a natural laxative effect, as well as a sleep-inducing protein for the baby. And as the mother breastfeeds, her own body releases a hormone called prolactin, which relaxes her, giving her a peaceful feeling while she feeds, and thus further enabling her to bond with her baby. This loving foundational relationship contributes to the best possible life for the baby. Benefits of breastfeeding for the mother are noteworthy too: this natural act works to decrease the risk of breast cancer, cervical, and uterine cancers. Not only that, but the actual act of producing milk through breastfeeding is said to burn between 400-1000 calories a day!! This in light of knowing how women struggle with their appearance and the extra baby weight after birth points to a more thoughtful and compassionate design than apes and monkeys could conjure. So who said God could care less about my saddlebags!

The prospect of there existing a creator of life is even evident in the fact that SOMEONE thought it would be funny for babies to spit up half of what they eat. So the joke’s on us. Literally. It is this Creator that I went to for help when I faced challenges of breastfeeding a preemie baby. I was very determined to give this as a gift to my child. However, at one point my milk supply was so low, less than half of what I fed Benjamin was breastmilk. So I went to the Creator who created the female body including the miraculous breastmilk. With the undying support of my loving husband as well as the help of lactation consultants and through prayer and perseverance, I was able to get our baby to total breastfeeding. It has been well worth the struggle to overcome.

These are just some of many of this new mother’s observations. Along with information I have acquired through common scientific knowledge and exposure to parenting resources through my medical provider, I have learned so much by gleaning information from experts such as Dr. Sears (askdrsears.com). But the real glue, the cement that has solidified most of my viewpoints have come from the word of God and also from one of the most common, yet joyful, challenging, and yet rewarding events a woman could go through- the reality and experience of having a baby.