I’ll be honest, before I had a child of my own, extended breastfeeding pictures made me uncomfortable. I used to think that a nursing relationship past 1 year of age was just strange and unnecessary. Thankfully, there’s a shift occurring in our culture. We’re starting to normalize these relationships, talk about them, post pictures of them, and discuss them. I’m so grateful to the mamas and photographers who post these gorgeous images and help dispel the taboo. And now, I get to contribute a little bit as well!

Many of you are familiar with my struggles to nurse X. Tongue tie, hypertonic muscles, latch issues…we went through it all. Craniosacral Therapy, PT, OT, tongue tie revisions, you name it! It took over 4 months of agony before I could nurse my child without tears. Obviously, no one forced me to breastfeed and many people suggested that I give it up. It was important to me so I endured. I was blessed to have an amazing support team which is why we’re still going at 2 years! Many nights when it was too painful for me to nurse, Will would give X a bottle and I would pump (and online shop- lots of random items were purchased during these late night sessions!). However, every mother needs to make the decision that’s right for her and her child- whether that’s breastfeeding or not. A fed baby is a happy baby!

We persisted and here we are. We’ve now nursed for two years and I’m so grateful for the bonding time with my sweet boy. It’s really the only time he’s still enough for me to cuddle him! Here are some of my family pictures from this year. Like my family, they aren’t perfect. But they’re ours and I adore them. My good friend stepped in to take them for me when a misunderstanding left us without a photographer. It was 40 degrees out, we dropped a lens, it was utter chaos. I LOVED it.

Mamas, get in those pictures with your babies. Please. I’m not crazy about how I look postpartum either, but I’m making myself do it and do it more often. Embrace the chaos, the windblown hair, the double chin. Love this special time with it’s messiness and imperfections and toddlers who won’t cooperate. Teach your kids to love themselves by how you love yourself.

Enjoy the Greenwood Family Circus. I’m blessed to have a front row seat each and every day.

Oh and if you need help with your own lion-taming (I mean, FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY) in Gainesville or surrounding areas, I’m more than happy to help.