Feb 01 2012
Done!
Last night, The Man and I went to our breastfeeding class. That was the “last thing” we wanted to get done before the baby arrives. We finished up our baptism classes, and the windows are in his room (drywall is also mostly up and is waiting to be finished). We’ve got all of our necessities purchased, as well as many non-necessities. He even has a dresser! I feel kind of…prepared, materially. Emotionally, I don’t know. I don’t think there’s any getting ready for your first child, emotionally. At least, there isn’t for me. I’ma just ride this train and see where it goes, because there’s no getting off.
So, one funny thing about the class last night. It was taught by one of the lactation consultants at our hospital. This is someone who is obviously passionate about breastfeeding, so yeah, she’s gonna bash formula somewhat. I get it. However, in the first five minutes of class, she said something along the lines of “Do you know where they get the nutrients for formula? ALGAE. And FUNGUS. They breed algae and fungus and then squeeze the nutrients out to add to the formula!” She was horrified. I think she expected the whole class to gasp or something. The Man and I just looked at each other like “Umm…what?” Luckily, she calmed down after that, and the rest of the class was conducted in a much more rational manner. Afterwards, I said to The Man, “What was the algae and fungus thing about? I was sitting there thinking ‘OK, plants and mushrooms, same place we get some of our nutrients. What’s the problem, here?’” He was in total agreement.
She was also against bottles. Even ones that contained breast milk. She grudgingly admitted the need for working mothers to use bottles since they couldn’t run home every two hours to feed. Hey, thanks for being so understanding.
Just remember, formula-feeding moms: ALGAE. And FUNGUS!
Ditto the mushrooms. In fact, we need more mushrooms in our lives!
I am so conflicted about breastfeeding. As you can imagine, I know some pretty militant breastfeeders over here, and their inability to *listen* really puts them at a loss. And, I don’t think they can see that. They are so passionate about their cause that they forget, in the moment, moms simply need listening. Education first, in the moment, listening.
Good luck. Asher’s due date is my mom’s birthday. Levi was born on the 10th, and he’s looking at turning 5 this year.
I can’t tell you how happy I am for you and your man. I know this is a long time coming.
Thanks, Michelle!
I am, by no means, a militant breast feeder. I plan on doing my best to make it work, but if it’s making me miserable, I can’t see continuing. I know plenty of kids who are/were formula fed and don’t seem to be suffering any ill effects. I agree with you that more than anything, moms need listening, understanding, and support more than they need one particular ideology shouted at them.
Morons! When I was born, my momma just stuck a toad stool and a piece of plankton in my mouth and told me to hush up and deal!
But seriously, what’s worse than the tunnel-visioned, all-conforming soccer van league idealism being shoved at you? “You will not be a really good mother unless…_____________.” Bah humbug to that. Those classes are supposed to teach techniques, not mores, so it gets me a little ruffled when they take cart blanche and push values. Oh well, the important thing to root in here (and you are doing it), is the understanding that holding to extremes of any kind for mothers is unnecessary and exhaustive! There is so much of this kind of push in each direction -formula v breast- that I was CONVINCED that I could not even give Ian one bottle a day, even of breastmilk. I had to BE ALL. And ever present.
Well, I have since known sooo many people who have totally proved that wrong. Unless there is a real underlying latching issue or something, alternating is so very OK, and there is no nipple confusion or any of that business. At the time you could not have made me believe it, though, because I just wanted to be a “good mother” and by so many accounts that seemed to require inhuman dedication and feats of awesome breastedness. What I know is that babies will want milk, seaweed and shrooms or a book under cover. And if they are lovingly held and eat and sleep, they will be just fine.
Ahem. That’s “a ‘boob’ under cover.” As in, either way, those babies will be happy if they’re loved and fed.
A book? Thank you, el spellcheckio.