Posts filed under ‘Breastfeeding’
Mama Artist Feature: Erin Darcy Talks Mama Body Love
Today we are featuring mama and artist Erin Darcy, all the way from the fairy land of Ireland!
With her daughter Claire as her muse, Erin creates swirling and magical works of art featuring mamas, babies, and families of a kinds. Her Etsy shop is chock full of incredible watercolor originals as well as prints and greeting cards (great for expectant or new mamas!). She also creates one-of-a-kind custom pieces of art by consulting with her lovely clients.
Erin is also a talented photographer and recently sent love-waves through the world with these stunning and honest photos of her postpartum body. These photos made it into the digital pages of Glamour.com, Parenting.com, msnbc.com, and The Shape of a Mother.
Erin writes:
“i’m a mama…
my body is so imperfect and soft and sexy in a different way. in a real way… in a powerful way that- i carried life, i gave birth, and i nourish this babe. in a way that- i know i look more like you and less like airbrushed images. genuine and honest and imperfectly perfect.“
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We had a chance to chat with the endearing Erin over email and seek her wisdom in a few questions.
What inspired you to take the beautiful photos of your postpartum body that have been featured on websites such as Glamour.com, Parenting.com, The Shape of a Mother, and MSNBC.com?
– Claire was 20 weeks old, I so clearly remember reaching 20 weeks pregnant with her. My body glowing and ripe. There was so much unknown swirling around, and at 20 weeks pregnant, I finally really.. really truly felt like I could celebrate that I was pregnant and was carrying a healthy baby. That this was really real. Her magic within was so mysterious to me. Then, in a split second, there was 20 week old baby….
I wanted to capture the purity and vulnerability of my soft, saggy, stretched body with her sweet rollie pollie body. A beautiful contrast.
I wanted to forever remember this moment. I wanted to celebrate this achievement.
Tell me about your reaction to all the conversations and comments that your photos have sparked.
– The reactions have been so beyond… So intense. So big. Women finally giving themselves permission to look at their body as something else. Permission to be kind to themselves. Permission to really truly see their beauty. If only for a little moment. It’s like it gave them a way out- a gentle bow out from mainstream images of what we are ‘supposed’ to look like.
To which I feel… incredibly proud, honoured, humbled, beside myself… and also like- I’m not big enough to hold all of this space for these women. It felt like such a simple act- this picture, asking my husband to grab the camera for me since the timer was too difficult with a babe in arms… Directing him to capture what I wanted. It feels normal, you know. This is my body, I have nothing to prove to anyone. I didn’t have a statement to make- I simply was being.
In ways, it makes me sad to hear women saying ‘that’s so brave of you!’ ‘i wish i could be as brave’ because really, what’s so brave about it? and- why can’t you? It just makes me sad that that’s acceptable. That something like- normalcity- has to be congratulated, celebrated, and remind us to be kind to ourselves.
I hope that by being honest with my body, with myself, with other women- we can all move on and celebrate our own truths, our own skin… and honour the beauty within.
– I would ask women to befriend themselves. To consider themselves their best friend- would you ever say some of the negative things you say about yourself to your best friend? I doubt it… Because with your best friend- you see all of the beautiful qualities about her that she fails to see… You would remind her of how beautiful she is, how graceful her curves are, how wonderful her laugh is. You’d remind her how much you love her. It also wouldn’t matter to you what your best friend looks like- in the good times, and the bad. You love her for who she is…
I would encourage women to give themselves permission to love themselves.
There is so much weight and burden to carry around negative energy. I promise that the moment you start accepting this wonderful you in the mirror- the light and energy will shift around you… giving you more space to let the LOVE in.
anger/jealousy. depression/failure. lonely/scared
In three words, sum up your pregnancy journey.
mysterious. light. magic.
unsure. blur. delight
JOY! LIFE! LOVE!
Winner of Blog Giveaway + Fertility Resources
Congratulations to the winner of our blog giveaway for a set of CycleBeads: Goldie!
Goldie told us that the most helpful resources for becoming educated and informed on her own fertility were: “other women who chart their cycles and reading Taking Charge of Your Fertility.”
Other commentors cited Natural Family Planning, Fertility Awareness, Ecological Breastfeeding, and Charting as their main resources regarding fertility. More articles and links on fertility awareness and breastfeeding can be found on Kellymom.com.
Thanks to all who entered our giveaway and stay tuned for another great giveaway NEXT WEEK!
Breastfeeding Inspirations
While the official “Breastfeeding Awareness Month” occurred in August, we wanted to give a shout out to breastfeeding babies & mamas (and the families and friends that support them)! For more scientific information on the benefits of breastfeeding, read about the National Breastfeeding Campaign, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Below are a few fun poems and musings about the joys of breastfeeding, including 101 Reasons to Breastfeed Your Child.
- Click here to view a variety of breastfeeding artwork throug the centuries in the Breastfeeding.com Art Gallery
- And, a fantastic ditty that catalogs a day in the life of a baby, including nursing sessions
- Don’t forget to register for our “Birth Blooms in the Desert” Conference, sponsored in part by Lansinoh – the company dedicated to breastfeeding mamas and their babies. The Conference will also include an informative breastfeeding session hosted by Tatiana Indrisek, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
Wean Me Gently – By Cathy Cardall
I know I look so big to you,
Maybe I seem too big for the needs I have.
But no matter how big we get,
We still have needs that are important to us.
I know that our relationship is growing and changing,
But I still need you. I need your warmth and closeness,
Especially at the end of the day
When we snuggle up in bed.
Please don’t get too busy for us to nurse.
I know you think I can be patient,
Or find something to take the place of a nursing;
A book, a glass of something,
But nothing can take your place when I need you.
Sometimes just cuddling with you,
Having you near me is enough.
I guess I am growing and becoming independent,
But please be there.
This bond we have is so strong and so important to me,
Please don’t break it abruptly.
Wean me gently,
Because I am your mother,
And my heart is tender.
Dr. Seuss for Nursing Moms – Author unknown
Would you nurse her in the park?
Would you nurse him in the dark?
Would you nurse him with a Boppy?
And when your boobs are feeling floppy?
I would nurse him in the park,
I would nurse her in the dark.
I’d nurse with or without a Boppy.
Floppy boobs will never stop me.
Can you nurse with your seat belt on?
Can you nurse from dusk till dawn?
Though she may pinch me, bite me, pull,
I will nurse her `till she’s full!
Can you nurse and make some soup?
Can you nurse and feed the group?
It makes her healthy strong and smart,
Mommy’s milk is the best start!
Would you nurse him at the game?
Would you nurse her in the rain?
In front of those who dare complain?
I would nurse him at the game.
I would nurse her in the rain.
As for those who protest lactation,
I have the perfect explanation.
Mommy’s milk is tailor made
It’s the perfect food, you need no aid.
Some may scoff and some may wriggle,
Avert their eyes or even giggle.
To those who can be cruel and rude,
Remind them breast’s the perfect food!
I would never scoff or giggle,
Roll my eyes or even wiggle!
I would not be so crass or crude,
I KNOW that this milk’s the perfect food!
We make the amount we need
The perfect temp for every feed.
There’s no compare to milk from breast-
The perfect food, above the rest.
Those sweet nursing smiles are oh so sweet,
Mommy’s milk is such a treat.
Human milk just can’t be beat.
I will nurse, in any case,
On the street or in your face.
I will not let my baby cry,
I’ll meet her needs, I’ll always try.
It’s not about what’s good for you,
It’s best for babies, through and through.
I will nurse her in my home,
I will nurse her when I roam.
Leave me be lads and ma’am.
I will nurse her, Mom I am.
