Beth and I recently had a conversation about breastfeeding, inspired by this post. (As an aside, Beth is launching something really cool today, so please click over there).
Michael was not breastfeed. I tried, I really did. A few hours after he was born he latched badly and one of my nipples became black and blue. I spent all day in the hospital asking for a lactation consultant that never came. The next day, one came to my hospital room, and after an hour of trying to get Michael to latch, I was told not to feed him a bottle, because then he would never latch. So he screamed, for days. He wouldn't nurse. He lost weight. The pediatrician finally convinced me to give him formula.
There it is, Michael was formula feed!!(Ducking, feel free to yell at me. I know I should have pumped, but I was told not to, and when I tried my hurt breast didn't cooperate). Here's my dirty little secret, parts of it were nice. Doug was able to get up in the middle of the night and feed him. At 3 weeks old, my sister took him over night so I could go to a function and get some sleep. I was able to leave him to get a manicure, or go to the mall for a few hours.
That being said, I deeply regret not nursing. Every time Michael gets sick I think it is because I didn't nurse. I worry about all the studies about intelligence, and antibodies. I know nursing is better, I believe nursing is better. It just didn't work for me, or more specifically, for Michael.
I'm in a playgroup and every other mom nursed. One is the daughter-in-law of a lactation consultant. I spent hours listening to various nursing conversations. They never judged, but I always felt judged. Mostly because I was judged, by others. I've heard it all, someone once told me "they knew I wouldn't nurse because I'm too lazy."
I was grateful when Amalah admitted her own breastfeeding issues, although some of the comments she received made me cry. That's why I didn't really want to talk about this.
I told Beth not nursing is the biggest regret of my life. If only I had tried harder. Like a true friend, she said that if that's your biggest regret, you are doing ok, and you know what, she is right.
The thing I never planned to blog about
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Thanks for the plug!
Thanks for the plug!
Thanks for the plug!
Thanks for the plug!
Please don’t feel bad about not breastfeeding! My mother didn’t because I had similar latching problems, and my only problem now is lactose intolerance (probably because I was almost a month pre-mature?). My best friend’s brother was the only one of four breastfed, and he is the one child of that family who is severely allergic to everything and must remain a vegan in order to maintain health. The worst part of not breastfeeding is that you keep beating yourself up! You did the best you could!
Please don’t feel bad about not breastfeeding! My mother didn’t because I had similar latching problems, and my only problem now is lactose intolerance (probably because I was almost a month pre-mature?). My best friend’s brother was the only one of four breastfed, and he is the one child of that family who is severely allergic to everything and must remain a vegan in order to maintain health. The worst part of not breastfeeding is that you keep beating yourself up! You did the best you could!
Please don’t feel bad about not breastfeeding! My mother didn’t because I had similar latching problems, and my only problem now is lactose intolerance (probably because I was almost a month pre-mature?). My best friend’s brother was the only one of four breastfed, and he is the one child of that family who is severely allergic to everything and must remain a vegan in order to maintain health. The worst part of not breastfeeding is that you keep beating yourself up! You did the best you could!
Please don’t feel bad about not breastfeeding! My mother didn’t because I had similar latching problems, and my only problem now is lactose intolerance (probably because I was almost a month pre-mature?). My best friend’s brother was the only one of four breastfed, and he is the one child of that family who is severely allergic to everything and must remain a vegan in order to maintain health. The worst part of not breastfeeding is that you keep beating yourself up! You did the best you could!
I nurse my child. She is 6 months old and she has had a bladder infection and 2 ear infections so far. Children get sick regardless of breast feeding or bottle feeding. Please don’t even give that another thought. You did your best and that is all you are going to ever ask of your child, so that is all you can ask of yourself.
I nurse my child. She is 6 months old and she has had a bladder infection and 2 ear infections so far. Children get sick regardless of breast feeding or bottle feeding. Please don’t even give that another thought. You did your best and that is all you are going to ever ask of your child, so that is all you can ask of yourself.
I nurse my child. She is 6 months old and she has had a bladder infection and 2 ear infections so far. Children get sick regardless of breast feeding or bottle feeding. Please don’t even give that another thought. You did your best and that is all you are going to ever ask of your child, so that is all you can ask of yourself.
I nurse my child. She is 6 months old and she has had a bladder infection and 2 ear infections so far. Children get sick regardless of breast feeding or bottle feeding. Please don’t even give that another thought. You did your best and that is all you are going to ever ask of your child, so that is all you can ask of yourself.
I agree with Beth (of course – she’s smart!).
I’m writing a series on why it seems like so few people breastfeed, and I really think it’s worse for the mom psychologically than it is for the baby! I don’t care if anyone feeds formula – but women who try bfing and cant feel SO bad about it. I think that’s why I try to be so supportive and give as much info as possible – b/c I got crappy advice from medical professionals and was lucky enough to get through it anyway.
My feeling (as I ramble on and on) is that it’s not so much that babies should be breastfed to the exclusion of anything else, as much as it’s that women should be helped to breastfeed to the point that they feel they have done all they can and then not have to give it a second thought if they do need formula. I mean, anyone who judged Amalah after all she went though? Pathetic.
Anyway, I’m wordy and it’s early, but I just wanted to say I’m sorry you feel so bad about it.
I agree with Beth (of course – she’s smart!).
I’m writing a series on why it seems like so few people breastfeed, and I really think it’s worse for the mom psychologically than it is for the baby! I don’t care if anyone feeds formula – but women who try bfing and cant feel SO bad about it. I think that’s why I try to be so supportive and give as much info as possible – b/c I got crappy advice from medical professionals and was lucky enough to get through it anyway.
My feeling (as I ramble on and on) is that it’s not so much that babies should be breastfed to the exclusion of anything else, as much as it’s that women should be helped to breastfeed to the point that they feel they have done all they can and then not have to give it a second thought if they do need formula. I mean, anyone who judged Amalah after all she went though? Pathetic.
Anyway, I’m wordy and it’s early, but I just wanted to say I’m sorry you feel so bad about it.
I agree with Beth (of course – she’s smart!).
I’m writing a series on why it seems like so few people breastfeed, and I really think it’s worse for the mom psychologically than it is for the baby! I don’t care if anyone feeds formula – but women who try bfing and cant feel SO bad about it. I think that’s why I try to be so supportive and give as much info as possible – b/c I got crappy advice from medical professionals and was lucky enough to get through it anyway.
My feeling (as I ramble on and on) is that it’s not so much that babies should be breastfed to the exclusion of anything else, as much as it’s that women should be helped to breastfeed to the point that they feel they have done all they can and then not have to give it a second thought if they do need formula. I mean, anyone who judged Amalah after all she went though? Pathetic.
Anyway, I’m wordy and it’s early, but I just wanted to say I’m sorry you feel so bad about it.
I agree with Beth (of course – she’s smart!).
I’m writing a series on why it seems like so few people breastfeed, and I really think it’s worse for the mom psychologically than it is for the baby! I don’t care if anyone feeds formula – but women who try bfing and cant feel SO bad about it. I think that’s why I try to be so supportive and give as much info as possible – b/c I got crappy advice from medical professionals and was lucky enough to get through it anyway.
My feeling (as I ramble on and on) is that it’s not so much that babies should be breastfed to the exclusion of anything else, as much as it’s that women should be helped to breastfeed to the point that they feel they have done all they can and then not have to give it a second thought if they do need formula. I mean, anyone who judged Amalah after all she went though? Pathetic.
Anyway, I’m wordy and it’s early, but I just wanted to say I’m sorry you feel so bad about it.
Hi Jodi – Reading this at work instead of working – you read my mind and heart, I also think EVERY TIME Alexia is sick it’s because I couldn’t BF.
Love your blog, been reading it for a while but have been too lazy to register so I could comment, but I had to for this!
Hi Jodi – Reading this at work instead of working – you read my mind and heart, I also think EVERY TIME Alexia is sick it’s because I couldn’t BF.
Love your blog, been reading it for a while but have been too lazy to register so I could comment, but I had to for this!
Hi Jodi – Reading this at work instead of working – you read my mind and heart, I also think EVERY TIME Alexia is sick it’s because I couldn’t BF.
Love your blog, been reading it for a while but have been too lazy to register so I could comment, but I had to for this!
Hi Jodi – Reading this at work instead of working – you read my mind and heart, I also think EVERY TIME Alexia is sick it’s because I couldn’t BF.
Love your blog, been reading it for a while but have been too lazy to register so I could comment, but I had to for this!