Tuesday, January 16, 2007

on breastfeeding

Now that Clare's a little older, her singleminded devoted intensity to the eating experience has given way to distractability and some new habits.
  1. Hand on head, elbow out, in the "don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful" gesture.
  2. Hand raised up in the air in the "praise God!" gesture. I suppose she's praising God from whom all (milky) blessings flow.
  3. Hand grasping big toe in what I will call The Multitasking Yogi Pose.
  4. Hand reaching up to touch my face in her most endearing new habit. It's nice to think that she's realizing there's a face attached to the boob, and Mommy is more than just a milk dispenser.
  5. Hands grasping the boob on either side in the desperate "isn't there any more in there???" gesture. That one being, obviously, my least favorite.

A concluding theological thought: if more theologians were mothers, perhaps we would have an understanding of kenosis linked to breastfeeding as a symbolic and physical "emptying" on behalf of others.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

stay tuned for a dissertation to that effect if I can ever get it written between my daughter's breastfeeding sessions--a daughter whose brestfeeding pose I would call the "kitten" because she's always kneading away at my breast (with fierce little fingernails) as though she is saying "let down-purrrr-let down--purrr"
-anna

JTB said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
JTB said...

those little baby claws can be vicious!!! and lately Clare's been tweaking nipples, too. I hope Sylva skips over that bad habit. not quote the "smiles and love pats" Womanly Art promised me...

kristen said...

I loved reading this. Thanks.