Sunday, January 22, 2012

Why I Breastfeed.

 I have 4 children and with each one I struggled with the decision to breastfeed or not.  I know breastfeeding is best for my babies.  I know the bond between breastfeeding mother and breastfed baby is intense.
So, why the struggle?  Well, I'm a bit clumsy :oP so I don't like breastfeeding in public.  I know the pain of clogged ducts, thrush and mastitis.  I know the emotional and physical fatigue of being an around the clock milk machine.  I know the tears shed over trying to get a baby to latch correctly.  I know the struggle to increase a low milk supply.  And I know the disapproving glares of the doctors when baby isn't gaining 'enough' weight based on their formula fed baby charts.
The truth is for each of my babies I made the decision to breastfeed in the hospital and THEN make my final decision whether to breastfeed or not.  Each time I was hooked - IMMEDIATELY - on breastfeeding my newborn baby.  The desire and determination to breastfeed was very intense after nursing each of my children for the first time.
Breastfeeding is natural.  Breastfeeding is beautiful.  Breastfeeding is best.*
And so I breastfeed...

* Formula has it's place.  So, please don't leave mean comments.

Why do you breastfeed?  Or  Why do you not breastfeed?

2 comments:

Sunray Gardens said...

Thanks for stopping by and I am following you also. I did have trouble finding you because you didn't leave a comment with your url for your blog. Also you don't have a photo on your google yet and so you show as just a silhouette and they always go to the end of the google friend connect in our box of followers. Hope this helps you or you won't get a lot of return followers.
Cher Sunray Gardens

Eliza Rae said...

I breastfeed because that's what God made me to do.
It's free. It's readily available, no waiting involved. I'm home all day with my babies so there's no pumping away from home involved. I have a nursing cover(you should get one. They are LIFE SAVERS!) so I can nurse in public. God created it just for my babies. Why would I want to feed them anything else when I don't have to?