10 things I love about breastfeeding

I have been making some changes to try to get Grapie to sleep better at night, and while it's too soon to evaluate its success yet, three days in and there has been a definite reduction in the amount of milk feeds Grapie is having at night (as I can tell from the uncomfortable feeling in my chest!) As she doesn't have milk during the daytime, I know that once she is sleeping well at night and not waking for milk, that will be the end of our breastfeeding journey together. She is 14 months now and I never had planned to breastfeed for this long, but the thought of stopping still makes me a bit sad.

So as its nearly national breastfeeding week, I thought I would share with you my favourite things about breastfeeding my two girls and what I will miss:

1. Instant baby-calming - when your baby is tired, grouchy, hungry, hurting, but the second she latches on, all is right in her world again. Bliss.
2. Falling asleep together while feeding - at night we lie down cuddled up to feed and both drift off to sleep
3. Milk drunk babies - so cute! Just blissfully dozing after a satisfying feed
4. Fuss free feeding - no sterilizing, no equipment, no warming, no planning required, just always available, on demand
5. It's free 
6. That it was the hardest thing I have ever done - in those early days, of pain, mastitis, bleeding cracks and awfulness but somehow I got through it and came out the other side. I'm proud that I did.
7. Magic milk - the health benefits are amazing, and I love the fact that the milk changes as her needs change. Magic.
8. Weight loss - I'm not going to lie, this is a huge added bonus for me, I'm sure I wouldn't have ever lost my baby weight otherwise!
9. The smell of milky baby breath 
10. How much my babies loved it - and so did I.

So that's my top 10 favourite things about breastfeeding, what did you enjoy?