The Funky Bee

My own personal blah, blah, blah...

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

So where was I? Okay, so, parenthood...yes, it's very time consuming. My husband went back to work today and that was sad. I did cry, but that's nothing new. Having a baby makes you, well, me, very emotional. I think I've cried more in the last 13 days than I've cried my entire life. Wow, who knew?

So, I'll start off with my very first rant. Yayy you who gets to read it! Now, I am going to start off by apologizing to anyone who I may offend with this rant because I know that the subject I am about to broach is one that people feel extremely passionate about but since this is my blog it's too bad. You'll just have to deal with my one sided opinions. And here we go...

So, I was all ready to breastfeed my child. Not only was I "ready" I had done my homework. I read all the books, I bought all the "gear", I was in the gung ho breastfeeding camp, and with all of that ammunition I had no reason to think or imagine that I would fail at my attempts.

boobs 2


Things started out well. The baby latched on to my boob within minutes of being born. I though, hooray! This is going to work, I knew I could do it. And, it was working. For the first couple of days the boy was sucking away and in turn, peeing and pooping, which means he was getting something, right? Until the meltdown and then the pumping revealed that in actuality I was not getting any actual milk, or at least not enough to feed my baby significantly.

boobs


My point really is this, in recent years, breastfeeding has become this mandatory thing that all mothers must do. If you don't, you are poisoning your children with the dreaded formula. I mean, we are all victim to the information, or rather biased opinions that are put out there, myself included. Without really knowing it, the books I was reading were basically poisoning me against feeding my child anything but breast milk. There were quotes like, "if you're doing it right it doesn't hurt". BULL SHIT! Talk to anyone in the world, successful or not at breast feeding, that shit hurts! I know I gave up pretty quickly but I was in tears at how badly it hurt. First being suckled like a cow by the boy and then being pumped like a cow - my nipples were bleeding and raw...I know, it's a hot visual! Believe me, no one was more horrified than I was!

breast feeding


You know what else? Some people just can't do it, and you know what else? It's okay. If formula was so bad for children then how come so many millions of them eat it successfully every day without consequence? I felt so horribly guilty and depressed that the whole breastfeeding thing wasn't working out for me. Believe me, I have some pretty big tits, the fact that they don't produce milk has completely baffled me! But, that's just how it works sometimes. I mean, I just gave up and nothing ever happened. No engorgement, no soreness, nothing. No milk!

I by no means have anything against women who do breast feed. If anything, I am envious. I think it's a completely personal thing and some people love the closeness it gives them with their children. It's a beautiful thing. I am just so over how big of a deal it is these days. One of the first things that every person I speak to, male or female, asks me is, "are you breast feeding?" I am not joking, and I'm guilty of doing it to other women. My freakin mother in law was about to call the La Leche League on me to have a lactation natzi come to my house, that's how passionate she is about it.

From now on I will never ask another woman if she is breast feeding. It's none of my business and I would never want to make anyone else feel as guilty as I have for stopping. And, as I've done some research, I am not arguing that nothing could be better for your child than breast milk, however, did you know that in studies it has been proven that breast fed children only suffer from approximately one less cold than formula fed children? My mom didn't even attempt to breast feed me - in those days the word was that breast feeding was not cool, oh how times have changed, and I think I turned out pretty perfect! And I think my kid's on his way to being pretty perfect too...

Kai and Lucy


6 Comments:

  • At 1:40 PM, June 18, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    BOOBIES!! OK, sweetheart, give yourself permission to be alright with this. It's absolutely not your fault that you aren't gushing milk. Kai is going to be just fine with formula and all the milk-mamas can just go on about their own business and not try minding yours.

     
  • At 3:44 PM, June 18, 2009, Blogger Osbasso said…

    Such a great post to jump in on, but I missed the big event. :-( Sorry about that--a big congratulations to all involved!!

     
  • At 10:36 PM, June 18, 2009, Blogger Oh great One said…

    Ok. You are gonna find that there will always be something you will feel guilty about as a mom. ALWAYS. Not breastfeeding is your business. I DID breastfeed but you know what? It gets to be exhausting. Since I was the one who had to get up at night. I had to run out of the room when they were so full they started leaking. I had to look for discreet places to feed my kids if we happened to be in public. Do what you need to. Don't listen to busybodies. I envy women who were able to give birth vaginally. My first was c-section and the doc for my second wouldn't consider a vbac. See? We all have our issues.

    You are doing great!

     
  • At 1:21 PM, June 20, 2009, Blogger Sassy said…

    You really did open up my head and see all my thoughts eh? Bravo.
    I was EXACTLY the same. I tried. Lord how I tried! By Mason's 6 week check up he was really small and not gaining enough weight and the doc told me to try a little formula after he BF and if he took 1-2oz he was probably not getting enough. He took 4. I cried and cried. I (still) feel like I starved him for 6 weeks because I had this notion of I MUST breastfeed! I was all gungho too. I felt so guilty that I couldn't completely do this for my baby..in fact I still feel guilty and I hate that. I continued to BF until he he was 7 months old..however it was always followed by a bottle and then pumping...my poor boobies! My first clue should have been that I never got engorged in the very beginning, I never leaked milk, and when I stopped or missed a feeding, there was no engorgement or leaking either..unlike my friends. I feel stupid too for not cluing in!
    There will always be something we feel guilty about as moms I guess.
    The point is, babies need to eat and we need to feed them. Formula is just fine. Mason is healthy, happy and smart (too smart for his own good). Baby K will be too...and TSO will be able to get up and feed and help you out.
    Bravo for saying what so many people are thinking and experiencing. You'll see, you are not alone.

     
  • At 1:22 PM, June 20, 2009, Blogger Sassy said…

    Ohh and I too have big boobies.
    When people would ask me why I wasn't just breastfeeding I'd tell them, "They are all show and no go!"

     
  • At 2:19 PM, June 20, 2009, Blogger Chick said…

    I think OGO is right...you'll always find something to feel guilty about (I think it's what women do to themselves)...enjoy your baby now...when it's all so new & sweet...he's so beautiful.

     

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