I was stumbling through some breastfeeding news articles which, ironically, led me to an article about those poor mothers who aren't getting bottle-feeding support. First let me say that as a former bottle-feeder myself, I am not getting this one. Really? Support? What am I missing? Support for what exactly?
I understand support for breastfeeders. There are so many things that can go wrong: Engorgement, sore or cracked nipples, flat or inverted nipples, thrush, mastitis, problems latching on.. and the list goes on. But last I checked, bottles don't become engorged, tear up from sore nipples, develop masitis and babies get to lazily suck rather than utilize their facial muscles to suckle. Granted.. the nipple can get thrush but the nipple won't cry and you just throw it out for a new nipple.
Bottle feeding was always pretty simple, in my opinion. Sure it's a bit of work with the sterilizing and losing sleep because you have to go heat up a bottle but I don't recall that I ever needed support groups for this. I certainly never had to make an emergency call in tears to bottle-consultant in the middle of the night.
Ok enough of my sarcasm. The complaint is evidently that these women suffer from various emotions because of those of us who breastfeed. "These included guilt; worry about the impact on their baby and what healthcare professionals might say; uncertainty about how to proceed; a sense of failure; and anger as a result of feeling under pressure to breastfeed." the article says.
Hmmmm.. if I was doing something..ANYTHING.. that caused me to suffer a guilty conscience because I may be causing a negative impact on my child, I don't think I'd hunt out support for what I was doing, but rather I'd change what I was doing.
Couldn't agree more!
ReplyDeleteI was told by another mum at a playgroup that I made her feel guilty becasue I was breast feeding and she 'couldn't' which in my opinion (shoot me now) is the greatest unfinshed sentence of our time 'I couldn't be bothered to breastfeed'
i wanted to breastfeed. i tried so, so hard. i didn't have anyone to help. my baby had a hard time latching on so the lactation consultants sent me home with a pump and that was that.
ReplyDeletemy baby is 6 months and growing beautifully but i pumped for almost 12 weeks and then had a kidney stone and was made to take medicine i "couldn't" pump for the baby with. i grieve to this day and feel such defeat.. it scares me for the rest of my children.
nothing about my birth and first several months of mothering went the way i prayed it would.
Sadly Layla..that's a common story. I know that it didn't go the way I planned with my first ones either. This world makes it so difficult!! I didn't get to do it my way until child #3 and then I learned so much more between her and child #4. By child #5 I was homebirthing, using natural meds, and the whole array of natural-living type stuff.
ReplyDeleteTake heart. Children are resilient and adaptable. Don't beat yourself up.. it doesn't fix anything... just leaves painful bruises! Be proud of the mother you are and know that you've done the best with what you were given. Your children will be no less for the wear.
My daughter had kidney and gallstones when her baby was a few weeks old. Fortunately with my knowledge of natural medicine, she was able to continue nursing.
I'm so glad you're baby is doing well. :-)