The ripple effect

Hello everyone, and Happy Mother's Day! Here's to all of our mothers. You certainly don't realize the time and energy that your mother gave to you, especially during those labor intensive first few years, until you have wee ones of your own, now do you? Thanks, Mom!

Tonight as I was tucking Asher into bed (still the crib -- can he stay in there forever please?), I asked him if I could hold him like a baby. He said yes. I told him how he was the #2 baby to come out of my belly (to which he exclaimed "ya!"), how he drank my milk ("ya!") and how very much I love him ("ya!"). He still has somewhat of a baby face, even at 2 years old, whereas Aidan's has already changed into a definite little-boy configuration. Asher's already so big that I can hardly hold him in my arms "like a baby," but I relish in every last hug and snuggle I get from these 2 boys, as I know it won't be too long before they're too "big" for such cuddles (let's hope that doesn't happen until they're at least 13).

Speaking of "big," let's do a little photo retrospective of Stephanie's pregnancy moments and accounting of good friends that happened to be gestating and/or lactating at the same time...



Here I am with Gwendolyn Tedder, FSU college classmate of yore and long time friend, who now lives in Portland, Maine. Seth Zachary Tedder sprung forth into this world in October 2005, just 3 months after I had Aidan Zane.

Coincidentally, later on when I had our #2 little man Asher Maxwell, Gwen and her husband Doug had just 3 months earlier delivered their second son -- James Logan.

When in Springfield, IL, I met Victoria Kennedy at the local La Leche League meeting whilst she was "with child," carrying a certain Miss Catherine Elizabeth. Pictured here, we were [heavy with pregnancy], carrying our #2 babies. James Michael was born just 3 days after Asher.


You never can tell in life just whose life you may touch, and the ripple effect it may have. While in residency, my fellow resident Greg Babcock and his wife were expecting their first child.

Barbara had baby Lauren, and was a proud breasfeeding mom. I was very intrigued by her nursing relationship, since I hadn't really ever been around a nursing mom. It seemed so natural, so discreet, such a connection, in more ways than the obvious, so....right! Her mom had been a La Leche League leader, and she had thus been to meetings with her mom as a young girl, and had heard the breastfeeding mantra "breast is best" her whole life. It was inspiring to be around someone who held so steadfast in her mission to exclusively breastfeed. Later on she would "wow" us all when she exclusively breastfed their subsequent twins, Audrey and Corbin.


So, when I was pregnant with Aidan, I decided that I would give it a whirl, when the time came. After that first difficult night at home, trying to feed a baby that didn't like to open his mouth very wide, I went to my first La Leche league meeting the very next morning. And the rest is history.


I would like to say a big thank you now, this Mother's Day, to Barbara Babcock, for her example, her advice and her friendship, during those early days of childbearing and breastfeeding.


And, the ripple effect continues, in the times that I have shared some advice or anectdotes from La Leche league learnings and personal experience, to other new moms. And in the friends that I have met through La Leche League alone.

Happy Mothers Day, Moms! I am thinking of all of you.

--Stephanie