Monday, January 5, 2009

Mistaken ideas about breastfeeding

Breastfeeding
I have an acquaintance here on Blogger who brought up the subject that Facebook, due to Facebook regulations has removed pictures of woman breastfeeding from their site. They are removing the pictures where nipple or aerola are showing, and thousands of women are boycotting Facebook for this, etc... I agree with him on the point--why would woman want to post pictures of themselves in this manner, and I think Facebook was right in removing the pictures. On these points, I do agree with him, but he made other "points" that aggravated me, although he is someone I really like from what I know of him, and I enjoy allot of his dissertations.
Today Breastfeeding a choice--at one time it wasn't. Today we have decent formulas that do supply adequate nutrition for the baby, and I don't have a problem with that choice if that is what you prefer to do. I would like to point out that formula does not boost the baby's immune system. Breastfeeding is God's way, and his way is always best. Babies come into the world largely unprotected, facing organisms that their systems are not equipped to handle. If you are bottle feeding, you do need to be extra careful to keep your baby away from people who are sick, as babies can become much sicker than normal until they have time to build an immune system. Breast-feeding jump starts them much faster as you are sharing "lymphocytes and macrophages that produce antibodies and other immune factors" with your baby. Breastfed babies do not get sick as much, or spit up as much. Actually, even if you yourself are sick, you should not stay away from your baby, because your body "begins producing antibodies to fight the infection. Some of these antibodies are passed to your baby through your breastmilk so he or she can also fight the virus." Why? Because it is the God's way. Breast milk for our infants was designed BY GOD with the needs of our babies in mind, just as a cow's milk was designed with a calf in mind and gives that calf the stuff he needs to grow healthy on.
Breast feeding is easy--no sterilizing, no warming bottles in the middle of night, and it is free. Yes, it does take time to sit and nurse them, but no more time than sitting and sticking a bottle in their mouth--minus the preparation time! Contrary to some people's belief, if you miss a few feedings, you don't have to pump if you don't want to. I know that it can be difficult to find an appropriate time if you are away. You can express enough to make yourself comfortable, and keep on going. If you are a little short on milk the next day because of missed feedings, you just sit a little longer and let the baby nurse longer, and the amazing human body will learn to readjust to the amount the baby needs the next day. That is what happens each time the baby grows and requires more than your body is producing--you spend a little extra time nursing for a day. You know, what is really cool? When I was nursing my 2ND child, it was discovered that I had hydrocephalus, and they wanted to operate, and if I had let them, with the pain meds I would have been on, I wouldn't have been able to nurse for a couple weeks. Of course, my milk would have dried up, but did you know any woman can produce milk even if she never had a baby? Of course, it would be tiresome--you would need to sit with a pump at regular times for a couple weeks, but the stimulation will bring on the milk! If I had wanted to, I could have brought my milk back, and went on nursing. The human body is so amazing--and they try to say we evolved!!
My acquaintance mentioned it takes away the chance for the rest of the family to bond. First of all, if a mother is willing to take the time to nurse, I think it selfish for the rest of the family to be fretting too much about taking from the health of the baby. Second, I feel sorry for them if that is the only way they can find to bond. My kids loved my husband and knew him as little babies-- and I nursed exclusively the first couple months. They loved my mom and their uncles. They just spent time with them.
However, the "point" he made that aggravated me the most, is that woman should not nurse in public even if they are covered up. That upsets me. So we should hide away as if we are doing something wrong? I am not talking about indecent exposure, I am talking about being covered. I think the world has made such a big deal of a woman's chest, we think it is obscene anything to do with it outside of sex. Sorry! They are useful tools and made that way by God--and guess what? I just bet you Jesus nursed. Read pioneer books, those that mention it, talk of it being done in the open. It is not obscene. When we have to go and sit in a room by our self, we are teaching our kids that is shameful, and what young girl is going to want to make the better choice for her baby, if she has to sit in a room by herself if her baby is fussy.
Don't take me wrong. I am NOT putting down mothers that don't nurse. I know lots of mothers that the natural way is not a good choice for them, but they are every bit as good of a mother as I am. I just think allot of people are misinformed.

(And don't think I am mad at this person. I have often online in forums disagreed with him agreeably, but enjoyed debating him.)

3 comments:

Mark said...

Hey, I agree with some of what you said - I think there are advantages of both kinds of feeding, and disadvantages of both. I covered the disadvnatages of bf, so I will say the advantages are cost, bonding, better for the kid, and stuff like that. How's that? :-)

Mark said...

PS, I know I am a guy, but my sisters & Mom talk about this stuff - blame them for my opinions :-)

Christa said...

I just didnt agree with your disadvantages either. It doesnt have to be as grim as you painted it--it can be very easy.
Sorry--I like your mom and sisters--I'de rather blame you!! lol!! jk!