BY: MARY E. WOODIS
FEBRUARY 14, 1999
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Nursing Parker Daniil Page 3 Our Garden of Links More Links
Nursing was not something that I started right away. I was not comfortable with my desire to nurse this child at first. I was afraid of what others might think or say. But daily, as I would sing and rock this child to sleep for his nap or for the night, the desire to nurse him would well up in me again. I even made the comment to Jessie, my dear husband, that this boy would make a good nurser. He always went to sleep with his head resting on my breast, and his mouth near my nipple. Since I nursed both of our daughters, it was only natural for me to want to nurse him.
During the process of adopting Parker Daniil, God showed me a verse in 1 Samuel 1:27, "For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him." But as I was struggling with my desire to nurse him, God showed me, among others, 1 Samuel 1:22, "But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and there abide forever." Hannah nursed her boy until he was ready to dwell in the house of the Lord and learn the service of the Lord.
This was pure inspiration for me. This taught me that nursing was not just for infants. I am sure that Hannah's son was able to hold a cup long before she weaned him. I am sure that Samuel learned a great deal about the love of God from his mother. I wanted this same nurturing for my son.
There is no better time to begin teaching infants and very young children about our loving Father God, than while nursing them. The sing-song sound of your voice, the trusting relationship, the rocking motion all work together to weave the truths of God into their young hearts and minds. What a precious memory for them to always have of learning about Jesus in Mommy's arms. Just the loving, nurturing, trusting relationship alone serve as a powerful example of our God. Add to that the providing of physical nutrition, and safety and you have a very good picture of God.
Because Parker was abandoned at birth, he never knew his mother. He stayed in the orphaned babies nursery at the hospital until he was eight months old, and then went to the orphanage, where he stayed until the age of two years, eleven months, when we adopted him and brought him to America.This child had never been held, never been nurtured, never been comforted.
As I continued to studying nursing a toddler, both on the internet, through books, and by talking with Pam Tomberlin, my herbalist, I began to feel a peace. God was using all of these resources to affirm me and reassure me. Now I was ready to nurse my son. Now I yielded my will to God and began to fully nurture my small son. Jessie has been very understanding with me during this process, very supportive. He knows the ways that God deals with me and how bull-headed I am. Sometimes it just takes a while to get through my thick head. But, God be praised! He sticks with me and keeps working on my heart until I yield my will to His and follow Him. Just thinking of the time I could have been nursing that is gone forever breaks my heart. I am very thankful that God has lead me to this point so that I have begun to nurse and nurture my son in this way. The healing and bonding that occur during this time is too precious to be missed because of fear. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God hath not