on this and many other places women can not catch a break! on the news there are women who are being criticised for breast feeding in public, in private women are being attacked for NOT breast feeding... then there are women who do breastfeed and get a disapproving look when they say they stopped after a small amount of time... I just don't get it, do people not understand the effects breastfeeding has on our body? or that some women simply cannot breastfeed due to lactation issues, no matter how hard they try? society and the law looks down on people who starve their children but attack mothers who feed hungry newborns when they are down town? do they expect us to stay home 24/7? this topic gets my skin crawling every time, we shouldn't have to defend ourselves to anyone, this is a free country and we raise our children how we see fit (within the parameters of the law of course) choosing not to breastfeed is not child abuse, nor is it illegal to breastfeed in public. women should not feel the need to ask a question regarding their child and say 'please no judgement'. yes that was a rant so here is a question for anyone who would like to answer: have you been made to feel like an outcast or discriminated against due to YOUR choice to breastfeed or not? and how did you handle the situation??
BREASTFEEDING (bit of a rant)
BREASTFEEDING (bit of a rant)
Posted in:
Life Lessons, Self Care, Parenthood Guilt, Pregnancy, Baby & Toddler, Self Care
5 Replies
I agree 100% with you. Yes breast is best but I think a happy mummy is better. I had so many problems breastfeeding with poor latchment and stopped after 8 weeks. It was a hard 8 weeks that I didn't enjoy and set me up for further disappointments. I should have had him on formula after I couldn't do it and enjoyed my baby instead of stressing out completely all the time about feeding. I'm about to give birth again and have formula already ready to go for the hospital. I will attempt breastfeeding but will not sacrifice my sanity for it. For those who can it's fantastic and for those who can't it's fantastic that there is a great alternative in formula. And yes I felt like an outcast in the hospital and that they kept pressuring me to keep trying to breast feed even though it was very traumatic and my son was starving. I bowed to the pressure because I thought it was the "best" way but wish I had of stood up for myself and my son. I will not make that same mistake again. Also as a side note I used to find myself defending stopping at 8 weeks; like oh yeah I breastfed for 8 weeks only because of these problems like I had to explain myself to someone. It's my family's business not anyone else's how long I breastfeed for!!
I didnt breast feed any of my children. The women in my family were never able to so rather than have the heartache of failing I decided early on to formula feed.The midwife in the hospital I gave birth in asked me if my breasts were for show and told me breast feeding is the best option for feeding a newborn and I could swap to formula later id bub wasnt feeding enough. (Same midwife who called me lazy while pushing a 9lb baby out at 17 so my manners went out the window a little here sorry in advance)
So I asked her how many children she had and she replied none so I impolitely told her to STFU as I didnt care for her opinion on my birthing or parenting skills that my body and baby my choice so she could leave and I didnt want to see her again. I then put in a written complaint to the hospital for her rudeness.
I get constant critasism from my family and strangers because I couldn't breast feed both my boys are lactose soy and wheat intolerant and I was stressing myself out as it is so hard to have time to constantly cook I have up and switched to formula best thing I've done I feel much more relaxed but get grief from my family who are all breast feeders :( either way u can't win
I wish women could speak up more about these issues, so many people out there have no issues breast feeding and think all women (and their children) are the same. I myself never really had an issue breastfeeding but had to stop earlier then I wanted because I simply could not keep up with my babies. my first girl was having 240mls every 3 hours! then it was messing up her bowel movements cause I had to top her up with formula every feed. my second I went back to work after 6 weeks and even though I tried hard to keep producing, my stress levels increased and I just wasn't producing enough to feed her. is there a way that women can promote awareness of these issues? they are constantly promoting breast feeding, but what about mastitis? what about those babies who are lactose etc intolerant? a lot of mothers feel like a failure when they are told that 'breast is best' and they cannot provide their children with the so called 'best'..
I have had a bit of both. I breast fed both mine to start with. And was terrified of any attention every time! I cannot breast feed discreetly!! My eldest went to bottle at 6 wks, and yes i got why don't you keep going? I couldn't, he was a very hungry boy!! My second i got to 4 mnths and stopped simply because i didn't want to do it anymore!! I found it really hard having this little person attached to me all the time!!
I deal with it just by doing what i think is best for my family. I don't really care what others think of my choices. I have two very healthy and robust children, so what does it matter, the proof is in the pudding