Sometimes people compliment me for breastfeeding, impressed with my commitment and devotion. I smile modestly. Because if I say anything I'm afraid I'll laugh.
I embraced breastfeeding not because it's supposedly better for children (turns out some of the research has been dubious at best, or so one article I read recently claimed) and not because it is SO MUCH cheaper than formula.
I started breastfeeding for those reasons, sure. But I've also started doing yoga because it was good for me. . . . . . . several times. Follow through is not my strong suit, especially when you're talking about something as time-consuming, alcohol-denying and occasionally painful as breastfeeding.
I lasted ten months with Ironflower. She weaned herself. Lovebug was fifteen months. And ChunkyMonkey is coming up on eleven months. That would be good for someone who's only made it a month or so with yoga, except for one thing:
I'm a dedicated breastfeeder because I am LAZY. Newborn cried in the middle of the night? I didn't have to get my ass out of bed, let alone go down to the kitchen. I never had to spend hours washing bottles - in fact, with the last two, I didn't spend any time washing bottles. And when the kid was fussy and no one knew what to do with him? (I say "him" because, honestly, Ironflower was a super easy baby) All I had to do was whip out a boob.
And then, Friday night, it didn't work. ChunkyMonkey DID NOT WANT TO NURSE. He fussed and screamed and yelled and I was lost. I tried each boob multiple times. I walked and bounced. I swayed. I paced. He kept screaming.
Eventually I realized that his stuffy nose meant he couldn't breathe with the boob or the pacifier in and that I was screwed. ChunkyMonkey nurses, then goes to sleep with his pacifier. This is our routine. It works. Except for Friday. And all I could think was, oh my God, what do people who don't nurse DO?
Let me say something to those who look down on bottle feeders: Shut up. You have no idea what those people go through to calm their children (such as pushing the stroller all night long, like I did on Friday) down.
And let me say something to all the women who have told me that they didn't breastfeed because it seemed "too hard": Pushing a stroller all night is a lot harder than breastfeeding, even after they have teeth.
What do you guys think?
10 comments:
Woo hoo...let's hear it for us lazy ones. You forgot not having to worry about forgetting to bring bottles, formula, water and such when leaving the house. I admit motherhood has made me forgetful but thankfully the boobs are attached...LOL.
that's it exactly. breastfeeding is so much easier than any of the other options. no prep time, little cleanup, and I can do it in bed half asleep (or fall asleep while doing it)
First I love the nicknames for the kids- what a riot. Breastfeeding occurred to me as hard. Mind you, this is coming from a (formerly) well-endowed woman to the tune of a G-cup while I was nursing (started out as a DD). I literally had to make sure both of my girls could breathe while they nursed, so I'd have to hold my breast the whole time they nursed. Not fun. I was just so huge it was uncomfortable and I'd lost one of my biggest joys- taking off my bra when I went to bed. And try to subtly pull one of those puppies out in public- not possible. I made it to 2 months with each of them... and cried for days when I stopped because I so wanted to do it longer but it just wasn't working.
I am so, so sorry that ChunkyMonkey had a terrible night... but in case any people are wondering what it's like with a bottle-feeding newborn.... I also know that our routine at that age was bottle and then paci and then bed - and when he was sick with a cold, neither one did not work either. The nose was the actual issue, not the method of intake of liquid.I am also lazy - which is why my son never got a heated (or cooled) bottle. I had 4 or 5 formula "travel" containers that I had everywhere, so I could, half asleep, make a bottle and give it right to him. AND the way I could do that while ACTUALLY sleeping (and not half sleeping, although breastfeeding seemed tempting at those hours :) ) is I could send my darling and capable husband in to do it. And I could go catch a movie or go food shopping or whatever I wanted since the baby was getting the same nutrition from daddy. Yes, having bottles packed to go at all times was a bit annoying, but if I breastfeed our next kid, I will still need to always remember a HooterHider and burp cloths, almost the same when leaving the house.And the miracle of an invention of the dishwasher meant that bottles and all the stuff that hubby/I dirtied managed to get washed all at the same time so even that turned out not to be an issue either.Next kid? We'll see, I am still debating, now that I know for sure both boobs do actually work. :) But not because it is more convenient, I would be breastfeeding because it is supposedly better for the kid and less $$$.I really hope that ChunkyMonkey can breathe through his nose soon no matter how you feed him!Sorry if this was too much.
Ahhh, yes. I am a lazy momma too. When I was switching my anti-depressants because the one I was on made my baby WIRED, we had to do formula at night and holy cow, it made me tired.My daughter has also been having the same snot-nosed issues and won't nurse. What we've done is made her a bottle that is warmer than usual. This knocks her OUT quick enough that she doesn't need her pacifier. I also think the heat clears up the sinuses a bit. Obviously not hot enough to burn her, but warm and comfortable.
Maura - I can't believe I forgot that one!
Judy - The sleep thing is the best part.
Cathy - Ugh, having to hold things out of the way too - I wouldn't have made it 2 months!
Lisa - But there's always pumping if you want to leave things with capable husbands. :) Okay, that didn't really happen with my boys, but it worked for Ironflower.
Mrs Soup - If only the boy would take a bottle. But he's doing better now. . . and maybe I'll try a warm cup next time. That's a good point about the sinuses.
Maura - I can't believe I forgot that one!
Judy - The sleep thing is the best part.
Cathy - Ugh, having to hold things out of the way too - I wouldn't have made it 2 months!
Lisa - But there's always pumping if you want to leave things with capable husbands. :) Okay, that didn't really happen with my boys, but it worked for Ironflower.
Mrs Soup - If only the boy would take a bottle. But he's doing better now. . . and maybe I'll try a warm cup next time. That's a good point about the sinuses.
I am so, so sorry that ChunkyMonkey had a terrible night... but in case any people are wondering what it's like with a bottle-feeding newborn.... I also know that our routine at that age was bottle and then paci and then bed - and when he was sick with a cold, neither one did not work either. The nose was the actual issue, not the method of intake of liquid.I am also lazy - which is why my son never got a heated (or cooled) bottle. I had 4 or 5 formula "travel" containers that I had everywhere, so I could, half asleep, make a bottle and give it right to him. AND the way I could do that while ACTUALLY sleeping (and not half sleeping, although breastfeeding seemed tempting at those hours :) ) is I could send my darling and capable husband in to do it. And I could go catch a movie or go food shopping or whatever I wanted since the baby was getting the same nutrition from daddy. Yes, having bottles packed to go at all times was a bit annoying, but if I breastfeed our next kid, I will still need to always remember a HooterHider and burp cloths, almost the same when leaving the house.And the miracle of an invention of the dishwasher meant that bottles and all the stuff that hubby/I dirtied managed to get washed all at the same time so even that turned out not to be an issue either.Next kid? We'll see, I am still debating, now that I know for sure both boobs do actually work. :) But not because it is more convenient, I would be breastfeeding because it is supposedly better for the kid and less $$$.I really hope that ChunkyMonkey can breathe through his nose soon no matter how you feed him!Sorry if this was too much.
Woo hoo...let's hear it for us lazy ones. You forgot not having to worry about forgetting to bring bottles, formula, water and such when leaving the house. I admit motherhood has made me forgetful but thankfully the boobs are attached...LOL.
I'm all about the lazy. Anything to make life easier, and enable me to stay in bed is a winner.
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