A Year Gone Bye!
Our son Bodhi will be one on Tuesday. As I reflect back upon this year I can only smile. This year has flown by, we’ve watched him transform from a small fragile baby and into a active and energetic toddler, curious about the world and everything in it.
We decided to raise Bodhi differently, we had learned some very special lessons over the years and couldn’t wait to use them during the pregnancy and over the first years. I think the three most important lessons are these.
1. The family bed and use of baby slings: The family bed is where you keep your baby in bed with you at night. Forget buying a fancy crib, you don’t need it because the best place for baby is right in bed with you cuddling in your arms. If you think about it this really makes sense. A baby is warm inside your womb for nine months, then the baby is born and expected to sleep happy and securely in a crib, all alone. This kinds of sounds like baby torture. We also used a baby sling from day 1. I’ve used our stroller a few times, Bodhi loves to be wrapped up in the sling and cozy by my body. In fact in most countries you never see a baby pushed around in a stroller, baby is always somewhere on moms body, either on the back or on the front.
2. The 40 day blessing: This is a Kundalini Yoga Practice. Once a baby is born the baby is not done baking. It takes 40 days for their energetic aura to be established. Because of this the baby will thrive like you don’t believe if kept close to mom for the 40 days after birth. We kept Bodhi close to me, within 20 feet of my body so he was within my own bodies energetic Aura. We did our best to have quiet, I didn’t leave the house at all with him instep for a quiet walk in the afternoon. As far as family, we made it know to all our family and friends that we were doing THIS. Only our closest family came to see him, my mom and dad, my brother, and my in laws. Only after doing it was I able to see first hand the positive affects of this. Not only was it good for me and my recovery after birth, but his security and comfort with the world flourished after being kept so close and safe for those 40 days. I suggest any pregnant mama to try this, it’s so worth it.
3. breast feeding with love: No excuses, breast feeding is the best thing for a baby. In Kundalini Yoga there is a practice to nurse your baby for 2 years and so that is what we are doing. There’s nothing like cuddling up with Bodhi and feeding him, knowing that my body is providing all the nutrition he needs. Of course he’s eating food now too, in fact right now he’s toddling around the house with a big apple in his little hands. Yesterday he had a cookie for the first time and his eyes were wide open the whole time, he was so happy!!!
So again I reflect on the past year, the choices made to provide the best life for our Bodhi. I’m so happy that we chose to do what we did becasue a year has gone by, so fast, and we will never get it back. Staying home for 40 days was worth it, sleeping with him in between my husband and I is worth it, and taking th time to nurse him is so worth it.
Thank God for the chance to be a mother of a son.