Someone once said, "It's no use crying over spilled milk." I disagree. I think it is absolutely okay to cry over spilled milk. Let me be a little more specific. It is absolutely okay to cry over spilled
breastmilk.
So although I do not know who coined this idiom, I do know this:
1. This person did not breastfeed.
2. This person did not have twins.
As I was saying, it's okay to cry over spilled milk. And I did. Just a few days ago...
I was in the kitchen pouring the ever-so-precious "liquid gold" into a bottle to save for later in the day, when one of my two really cute children giggled. Yes, giggled. It was the sweetest little sound I had ever heard! I just had to see what they were doing, so I spun around to take a closer look and my elbow knocked over the bottle of milk. I tried to catch it, but it didn't work.
It was a sad, sad moment. I am typically not one to sulk in self-pity, but I took a moment for myself and cried. I just sat down on the floor and cried. (Well, I took these pictures first and then sat down and cried.)
Some of you may be laughing and think that spilling milk isn't really a big deal. But those of you who are currently or who have ever breastfed can sympathize with me.
A bottle of breastmilk = a nap.
A bottle of breastmilk = a girls night out, a date with hubby, or sometimes even a trip to HEB.
A bottle of breastmilk = freedom.
In order to continue producing enough breastmilk for my babies, I have to pump. I have to nurse them AND pump. And I hate pumping. I have to wash and sterilize pump parts and bottles and do it every.single.day. Many times a day. Did I mention that I have two babies to feed? I need a lot of milk. So spilling the hard earned pumped milk is a big deal. A big deal that makes it okay to cry over spilled milk.
Yes, it was upsetting and I did cry. But now it is funny. I can laugh at myself and laugh at the moment.
Will I spill milk again? Probably. Will I cry? Without a doubt. Will I later look on that moment and laugh? Most definitely.
It's okay to cry over spilled milk, it really is. After you cry you will feel better. And then you will be reminded of all the blessings in your life. You will thank God for giving you a family. You will praise Him for the opportunity and ability to breastfeed your baby(ies). You will be in awe of the female human body and the way God designed it to nurture life. You will laugh at yourself and then go enjoy your very full life.
It's okay to cry over spilled milk.
