A child first learns about God's love
at his mother's breasts.
When a mother promptly provides milk for her hungry child, a child experiences and learns about God's timely provisions. When a mother consistently nurses her child over a long period of time (like a number of years), the child experiences and learns about God's faithfulness. A nursing mother's loving arms gently wrapped around her baby warms not only a baby's body but also the baby's heart and soul. The baby is comforted by his mother's loving presence and touch. This experience in infancy gives the baby a sense of security and protection from the world around him. Psalm 22:9 (AMP) says, "Yet You are He who took me out of the womb; You made me hope and trust when I was on my mother's breasts." Babies learn to hope and trust that their needs would be met at the breasts. They hope and trust that when they cry (be it out of hunger, thirst or fear), their mom would be there to nourish and comfort them. Breastfeeding, therefore, not only provides for their bodies; but also, for their souls.
I was amazed when I discovered in the Old Testament that God compares His love for His people to the love of a nursing mother for her child. One popular verse related to this is Isaiah 49:15 (NLT) that says, "Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget." This verse recognizes the very strong unique bond between a mother and the child that she nursed. It's as if God was saying in this verse that it's impossible for a mother to forget or stop loving the child that she nursed at her breasts. Wow!
Here's another verse. This time, it's from Isaiah 66:12-13 (ESV). "For thus says the LORD: Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip, and bounced upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you..." I'm so honored to be a nursing mom! Imagine, God compared Himself to a nursing mom like me! God must have high regard for nursing moms! He definitely sees the powerful love that fills a nursing mother's heart which overflows through the milk that comes from her breasts. This verse gave insight, too, to the other purpose of breastfeeding, which is to bring comfort to a child.
When I was a first-time nursing mom, one of the pieces of advice that I heard was that I should not use my breasts to pacify or comfort my baby. I was told that breastfeeding should be mainly for providing my baby with food. I felt torn by this advice; for, a part of me wanted so much to bring my baby to my bosom every time he cried. Now I understand why I felt that way!
God designed a mother's breast not only as a source of nutrition or food for her child; but also, as a place of comfort and love.
I'm glad that as I grew in experience as a nursing mom, I've learned to break away from this advice. I'm thankful for the grace and wisdom to follow my instincts and to comfort my child through my breasts whenever he needs it. My second child is so blessed since he benefitted from the new lessons I have learned.
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| That's me breastfeeding my youngest son last year during our Mother's Day photo shoot. |
I so love breastfeeding! I think God designed us moms this way so that when our babies are hungry, we would feel it in our breasts. When we are away from our babies, we would feel a tug in our hearts to run home to them. I think God designed us mothers to be near our children especially when they are young. I pray that we moms would recognize this wiring from God and we would choose to show our love to our children by breastfeeding them.
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This piece above is an excerpt from the first chapter of my latest book BREASTFEEDING: A Journey Worth Taking, which was released during the last quarter of last year and launched officially at Mothercare, BGC last January 25, 2014.
My strong belief is that breastfeeding is love poured out from God's heart to a mother's heart and into a baby's heart. I believe that we moms are privileged to be given this sacred task of being God's first instruments in making His unconditional and passionate love known to our children. I pray that more mothers would accept and embrace this sacred calling. That is one of my reasons for writing BREASTFEEDING: A Journey Worth Taking. If only more moms would know what really transpires when a mom breastfeeds her baby, I think that more moms would choose to breastfeed their kids.
Let's keep the love flowing from God's heart through ours into the hearts of our babes!
To buy a copy of my breastfeeding book, please click here.
To buy a copy of my breastfeeding book, please click here.
This post is part of the "Breastfeeding is Love" blog link up party.
Please feel free to visit other posts from fellow mommy bloggers on the joys of breastfeeding!
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Beautiful post Teresa. Thank you for sharing the Bible verses on breastfeeding. I didn't know there was a lot! Thank you also for continuously sharing the joy of breastfeeding through your book. :)
ReplyDeleteI love the post! Your post warmed my heart this morning! :)
Thank you, Mitz! I also didn't know there are a lot of Bible verses related to breastfeeding until I started writing my book.
DeleteIt's great that you have shared your journey through a book. Will definitely get a copy. I agree with you, breastfeeding is not only a time for feeding but a time for bonding and should never be limited. I have to admit there were times my baby would suckle at my breast just for comfort and I wholeheartedly welcomed that. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by, Louisa. :)
DeleteHi Mommy Teresa, first of all congrats for a successful book launch. Hope to meet you in person and have a copy of your book because I'm one breastfeeding fanatic. Thank you for sharing the Bible verses to us mommies. I'm really happy for being able to reach this far on my breastfeeding journey. I thank the people and mommies who inspired me to breastfeed. In return, I also encourage moms-to-be to make breastfeeding as their only choice in terms of nourishing their child. :)
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome and thank you also. I'm happy to know that you are paying it forward. Writing my book is also my way of paying it forward after receiving help from other moms when I was just starting. Hope to meet you in person, too. Maybe in one of my book signing events. ;)
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