Do you have a ‘nursing song?’ The first song you find yourself singing while settling down to yet another feeding session? For me, it’s been Salve Regina. And it’s funny because it all started because it was a song I wanted to know by heart. Something I feel every Catholic should be able to sing. It became apparent in those early days that I would be nursing a.LOT. which gave me plenty of opportunity to practice Our Lady’s hymn. Nap time after nap time, bed time after bed time, my son was lulled to sleep, cradled in my arms listening to this ancient hymn. In the early days, I had my phone in one hand scrolling through the lyrics in my Laudate app, but soon, I didn’t need the phone and I could just belt it out. There were times where I thought that maybe I should have picked a different song as the tone and tenderness I sung it with fluctuated with my emotions and energy in the moment. When he bit, certain words of the hymn were shouted. When he was congested and constantly unlatching and latching because he couldn't breathe, I'd sometimes interrupt this prayer with confess-able phrases whispered under my breath. Despite this, it stayed the 'old familiar' bedtime song. Now he’s grown. He’ll be two and a half come September. And we don’t nurse when we’re out and about anymore because 1) he doesn’t ask all that often and 2) I’ve gotten back to enjoying clothes that I want to wear rather than clothes I can easily extract a ‘bobbie’ from. Nursing is happening less and less in a 24 hour time frame and I am OK with that. Recently at our parish, however, they have started singing the Salve Regina after communion. This is the time of mass where our dear son is typically asking to “Go OUUUUTTTT” or saying “Mommy, All Done” over and over. But the first Sunday they struck up the hymn, he dove into my chest and started pulling at my shirt asking for “Bobbies.” After assuring him he could have some as soon as we got home, he settled into my lap with a look of complete contentment on his face as we finished the hymn. And I started fighting tears. Unintentionally, but oh so beautifully, he’s become conditioned to associate the comfort and nourishment he has received from my body with the Church’s plea to our Mother of Mercy to bring us to Christ, the fruit of her womb. I pray that this feeling of comfort stays with him whenever he hears this hymn or gazes upon "our most gracious Advocate." And if we are blessed with any other children, I think I will stick with this hymn as our nursing song.
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September 2019
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