Odd Story - Page 2

[jitterBug mom]

Originally Posted by AngelaM

Yes, I absolutely agree. I just know that as someone who ended up bottle-feeding after EVERYTHING else failed, it took me a good six months to feel comfortable feeding my baby in public, because I felt like people everywhere were judging me for my breastfeeding "failure."

I do think it sucks that you are made to feel that way. That is what is so very sad about the whole formula/ breastmilk issue, is that NIPing moms are judged, formula feeding moms are judged, pumping moms are judged, child-led weaners are judged, mother-led weaners are judged, and it STINKS that anyone ever feels uncomfortable feeding a baby in public. It feels awful no matter what side you are on and that it pits women against women.

I'm sorry you had such a struggle, too. Stories like yours remind me that I am lucky that I had a successful bfing experience, because not everyone does.

[imbananar]

I will always be grateful to my mom, who -- more years ago than I care to remember -- took me to a bridge game with her and, when one of the moms started nursing her baby, explained to me that this was another way mommies fed their babies. She presented it to me as completely normal.

What I didn't know then, and know now, is that my mom tried repeatedly to BF and gave up because of lousy advice, and yet she still tried to make sure I understood that it was a good thing.

[Viola]

That's interesting, I had a story kind of like that when my second daughter was baby. The next door neighbor would always come over to play with my daughter, and one time she noticed me breastfeeding the baby and asked me what I was doing and I said I was feeding her. She was really confused and I don't remember how it went down, but I think my older daughter said that I was breastfeeding, milk comes out of the breasts. And then she asked what a breast is. I honestly don't remember what I said. I think my daughter was like, you know, a breast? And pointed to the area on her body.

[vegemamato]

my friend's 6 yo son saw me nursing a few weeks ago.. He said, in a disgusted voice, "what are you doing TO her?!" I giggled, and told him that "this is how she eats, it's called nursing". He spent the next 15 minutes staring, trying to make sense of it all. We found some books with pictures of mama animals nursing their little ones too.. he said that he hopes he can nurse his baby too!

I'm hopin' that I inspired some male-lactation somewhere down the line :

[jocelynr]

I just wanted to apologize for my earlier post. I did not mean it the way it came off. I don't judge people who had reductions, and I know many large breasted women who long for them. MOST nursing problems can be overcome--not all. If you are one of those who couldn't for whatever reason, I don't judge you. I don't judge those who choose to ff. Later I was thinking that I shouldn't have even posted it before I read the responses. So, I'm sorry for the post. I will try to be more thoughtful when posting later.

[Dov'sMom]

1. Many children who were breastfed still ask about breastfeeding. Case in point: my good friend has nursed all of her children to about 15 months -- when she starts trying to get pregnant again. None of her children has ever had a bottle. However, she babysits for other kids at home, and bottlefeeds them (some breastmilk, some formula). So when I was nursing my son at her house, her 2 year old was fascinated and confused because she didn't remember nursing herself. In fact, even the 4 year old had forgotten what nursing was and wanted to know what I was doing.

2. "Most nursing problems can be overcome" -- but at what cost? And who are you to judge how much effort a woman can put out? I personally know at least three women who were not able to produce enough milk despite repeated visits to lactation consultants and pumping. (And I don't talk to that many women about their nursing habits, so the pool isn't that large.) Could they have tried harder? Possibly. But the effort they expended was so infinitely greater than what I experienced -- even if technically they *could* have overcome the problems with *more* effort, I don't know how much farther they could be expected to go.

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by jocelynr

Whenever I hear anyone say that they want reduction, I always mention that they should get one AFTER they are done having children.

Um, people, she's not saying this to people who already had breast surgery, she's saying it to people talking about getting it in the future. Bit of a difference there.

[EBeth0000]

Originally Posted by jitterBug mom

It does get tiring though to see bottle-feeding presented as the norm everywhere, in books, movies, kid's toys, etc.

That little girl in the park, how many images has she been exposed to by her age of babies drinking from a bottle? Even though I wouldn't have phrased things quite like the OP did, I do think it is nice that the little girl got to see a different way that babies are fed.

I really do hear what you're saying. It is so easy to get frustrating living in this culture. And I understood that was where OP's heart was in the original comment.

[EBeth0000]

Originally Posted by jitterBug mom

I do think it sucks that you are made to feel that way. That is what is so very sad about the whole formula/ breastmilk issue, is that NIPing moms are judged, formula feeding moms are judged, pumping moms are judged, child-led weaners are judged, mother-led weaners are judged, and it STINKS that anyone ever feels uncomfortable feeding a baby in public. It feels awful no matter what side you are on and that it pits women against women.

I'm sorry you had such a struggle, too. Stories like yours remind me that I am lucky that I had a successful bfing experience, because not everyone does.

hear hear!