So for most birthing moms producing milk is easy, although some moms do not produce any (or not enough). If you are a non-birthing mom then you must induce your own milk. This works well for adoptive moms and can also work for those who did not produce any after birth. In my case it is working because my wife is the one giving birth this time and not myself.
For my son, I breastfed or 15 months and loved every minute of it, even when it was hard and tiresome. Now, I am not one of those women who shame those that don’t. I firmly believe everyone is on their own path in life and mine is obviously not yours.
That being said, I expected my body to pick right up where it left off 2.5 years later and produce milk right away. This was my therapist would like to say is an unrealistic expectation. I pumped for 7 weeks with no luck. Not even a drop of liquid. At our last doctor’s appointment for the pregnancy, my wife’s doctor prescribed me some medicine to help me out a little. I was reluctant to try it because I wanted to be able to do this without any help at all, but after 7 weeks, I was becoming impatient.
One week on the medication (4 times a day) and continued pumping for 10-15 minutes every 3-4 hours, I have seen progress. On my 1st day of week 8, I saw a slight drip. The next day there was a little more. I am hopeful that in time, I will produce a “normal” flow.
To be updated soon on the progress…….
Well after 4+ months I finally found a good reason to dust off my laptop. Breastfeeding exclusively means I spent a LOT of time with my baby asleep or half asleep on my lap nursing away with his eyes closed. I wouldn’t call this free time exactly, but to ease the boredom rather than doing something constructive, you know like reading an actual book, I’ve fallen into the deep pits of mommy blogs (thanks Google Now).
I find the click-bait blog entries of the Skeptical OB particularly fascinating. Today she published quite an interesting one:
Unfortunately I’m not familiar with any studies that looked directly at formula feeding versus breastfeeding and environmental impact. However according to the EPA a cow produces the same amount of waste as 20-40 humans and eats 100 pounds of feed each day, where as a human eats between 3-5 pounds of food per day. A breastfeeding human only needs 500 extra calories a day to produce enough milk for her baby, so I assume that they are only eating at the higher end of that amount. Although cows produce more milk than a human, at 6-7 gallons versus about 24 ounces, I don’t think we can say that a cow is capable of feeding 20-40 human babies. Which is where we get into a real pickle because obviously the 6-7 gallons a cow is producing is intended for her calf, not a human infant (or adult really) and at least from my perspective there is an ethical issue of impregnanting cows, having them carry a calf to term and then slaughtering that calf for veal/giving that calf formula so that we can feed our own infants formula.
Obviously the most environmentally friendly thing anyone can do as far as food choices is to go vegan, but I’m unconvinced here that even if a breastfeeding person is consuming animal products they are still producing as much waste/eating as much food as a dairy cow and whatever waste/food they are eating is not dramatically increased by them producing milk for their child anyways.
So what about breastfeeding supplies? Well…all people who’ve experienced a pregnancy are going to need breast pads (milk comes in regardless of if a person chooses not to nurse), new bras, probably mostly new everything clothing wise because the human body changes during pregnancy. As far as the plastic parts in breast pumps etc etc etc the same questions can be asked of formula feeding. How green are bottles, rubber nipples, brushes to clean bottles, pacifiers, burp clothes, plus all of the extra hot water to sterilize and clean all these things? What about the energy required to get formula from the factory to the store, the extra gas used to go pick up formula from the store or to have it shipped to someone’s house? What about the energy used to heat up a bottle? What about all the tins and plastic bottles that formula comes in, how green are they?
I don’t think it is an outlandish assumption that if I’m breastfeeding my child from my breast, no bottles, pumps, electricity, special clothing (I bought a breastfeeding cami and a breastfeeding bra, ruined the cami in the dryer and the bra isn’t supportive enough, so I am back to wearing athletic bras which I needed to buy during my pregnancy, my boobs started growing pretty much as soon as I found out I was pregnant, I still have tank tops to cover my belly that I have owned since I before I stopped breastfeeding my daughter whose 9) that it is more environmentally friendly than opening up a can of formula, measuring it out with a plastic scoop, putting it in a plastic bottle, adding warm water, shaking it up or mixing it and feeding it to a baby through a silicone or rubber nipple (do they still make rubber ones?).
As far as working well as birth control even Planned Parenthood says that breastfeeding can be an effective form of birth control if a woman is breastfeeding exclusively, feeding her baby every 4 hours and her period has not returned, at least for the first 6 months following a pregnancy. Certainly there are BETTER forms of birth control but they are not always accessible to low income women in developing countries.
Yet the claim here that I find most outlandish is that somehow women are being forced to breastfeed. Encouraging is not forcing, normalizing breastfeeding does not necessarily demonize formula feeding. Saying it is worse from a environmental perspective is not an exaggeration it is a reality that still leaves parents with the option of formula feeding their babies. Which…breastfeeding rates are on the rise with 79% of parents in the US initiating breastfeeding and 49% continuing to breastfeed at 6 months. So we shouldn’t talk about the benefits of breastfeeding to avoid offending the 21% who have chosen for whatever reasons not to breastfeed? Or should we encourage breastfeeding and help more people continue to breastfeed so that these numbers continue to go up? The answer seems pretty obvious to me.
I remember being a first time mom and wanting to breastfeed. I was told horror stories. There is one that particularly stands out in my mind. A first time mom was attending an out of town Christmas party at a VFW hall. She had family that lived near by, so she went to their house to have privacy. Some aunts noticed she had been gone and found her in a quiet secluded room. They claimed they “hadn’t seen the baby yet” and lifted the blanket up while she was breastfeeding. I dont know about anyone else, but I would not have liked this. I considered myself very modest at that time. If I felt as if I had no where to go, this was me. In my car, covered. In a bathroom stall ( I know foul ). This should never have to happen. Not only is this unsanitary, but horrible noises and smells coming from surrounding stalls. Thank goodness I lost my give a dam shortly after doing that.
After having my second child a huge controversy broke out about women breastfeeding in public. Celebs and non celebs began posting there pictures while breastfeeding on social media. I was not one of them, but support those who are comfortable enough to do so.
Are you offended if you see someone breastfeeding in public? Would you be more offended seeing a women take her baby into a bathroom stall to feed them? I would love to hear your feedback.
I need my sanity. There, I said it. As I sit here pumping today I have made a decision to start weaning my 9 month old. I am a night shifter, working mother of 2. Now, while I support breastfeeding wholly I realize that there is a point in time where lack of sleep and frustration can lead to resentment. Sometimes I am awake feeding my baby ( who still doesn’t always sleep through the night), and as I am sitting there I am listening to my husband snore. Watching everyone else sleep when you are deprived of it is like torture. Does anyone else feel this way? So, for my sanity I am choosing to wean. Feel free to post suggestions for easy weaning. Here are a few of my own tips as this is not my first rodeo so to speak.
Tips for weaning :
1. Start slow. There is nothing worse than being engorged and having mastitis.
2. Start by dropping one or two feedings each day for a week. Then the next week drop another for a total of 3. Do this until your milk supplies dissapates.
3. Stay calm. It will dry up eventually. Take this time to enjoy the bonding.
Feel free to leave comments and tips. Thanks
Hello to All my fellow mommy’s. Let me start off by saying this blog was inspired by my two children, one of whom I am currently breastfeeding. *Special shout out to all who have tried, conquered and or ever gave a thought to breastfeeding * ladies this is hard work. Men, kiss your babies momma if they have chosen to breastfeed.
I am an R.N. at a local hospital here in Cincinnati. Through many of my friends and colleagues I have found that there is a need for support for mother’s who breastfeed and soon to be mom’s contemplating the idea. I wanted there to be a place to share stories and experiences. A place where women, particularly breastfeeding mom’s could ask questions and get answers. I hope that through my posts you guys can get a few giggles and share ideas and laughs.
Thanks for stopping by. Hopefully this is the beginning of something great!
