A guy that I went to high school with recently adopted a child with Down syndrome from the Ukraine. Their son, Micah, was two years old and had been living in an orphanage since he was born. My friend and his wife have two other young children, ages 4 and 2. God was calling them to give this little guy a loving home. They chronicled their journey in a private Facebook group that I was glued to . . . it was like “feel good crack” (for lack of a better synonym). Their story is the kind of good that comforts and inspires.  It renews hope in your fellow man and makes you want to find ways to help others in your own life. The group is public now and you can read about their journey here. It’s a remarkable story about TRUE LOVE.

I’ve always been told that the basics we need for survival are food, clothing and shelter. But what about LOVE.

Love doesn’t just help us thrive. Sometimes is simply helps us survive.

I had never thought very much about this because love has always been a given in my life. Among many other problems and despite being offered the basics, Micah only weighed 11 pounds when he was adopted. My six week old weighs 11 pounds. Follow Micah’s story and you will see how crucial love is to our existence from the very beginning.

I read an article recently about breastfeeding. The article discussed the development of the human brain at birth. Apparently our brains are less developed than most other species so that baby’s head can fit through the birth canal. The article was about the importance of breast milk as it relates to the development of the human brain.

I have a different theory here. I don’t think it’s the breast milk that’s doing the heavy lifting, I think it’s the time spent holding your baby, the closeness, the LOVE that helps those little brains develop. Those skin to skin moments in the hospital and at home. The times your baby cries and you go to him. The exhausted feedings in the middle of the night. These acts of love help your baby’s brain develop.

This article isn’t about the merits of breast milk. It’s about the merits of loving on your baby and you don’t have to breast feed to do that.

This is National Breastfeeding Week and while it is an accomplishment that should be celebrated, so is making sure baby is fed by whatever methods work for your family. Sometimes things that are meant to lift people up, can feel like a slap in the face to others SO . . .

To the mama’s who breastfeed – Breastfeeding is hard work. You are amazing.

To the mama’s who wanted to breastfeed but weren’t able – I see you. I know that was heartbreaking in a primal sort of way. But you made sure your baby was fed and well-loved. You are amazing.

To the mama’s who didn’t want to breastfeed – You are amazing too.

I have read a couple of great articles about this recently. The Salty Mamas, a blog that I follow on Instagram published an article this week that was really well written. Read here. Follow them here. And Delicately Balancing Life also published a great article. Follow her here.

Read another post I’ve written about breastfeeding here.

If you follow me on instagram, check out my instastories @laurenjcorbett. I just discovered these and I love them.

Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor, nor do I claim to be. I am a mom of four well-loved babies. I am a friend, daughter and aunt of many fantastic people, some of whom were breastfeed and some who weren’t.