Noel and I were driving to church yesterday and spotted this billboard. We were shocked and upset at the same time. It is one thing to come into a new mother's room and try to get her to breastfeed because it seems to be the natural thing to do, but some women cannot breastfeed even after trying. For example I could not breastfeed because my milk was tested and it came back mostly water, like my mother.
When I was born my mother breastfed me and I was not getting enough so I wanted to nurse on the hour. My mother nursed me every hour until my wise grandmother came and noticed that I was starving and gave me her own formula that she made. I drank it and slept for 8 hours. You see my mother was breastfeeding because she was told there were no other options if she wanted to be a good mother.
After finding out that I could not breastfeed I realized that my son would be just fine and that he would still be normal and smart no matter what. When I gave birth the triplets the lactation consultant came into my room and tried to tell me that I was being a horrible mother because I was not breastfeeding even after I told her that my milk was more water than anything else. She told me that I was going to hinder my children from being smart.
When we had Hannah the lactation consultant came in and I told her that I was not going to breastfeed because of my milk and because I had 4 toddlers at home. She got the hint and left me alone.
I understand that there are benefits to breastfeeding and that if you are able to breastfeed then you should until you and your baby no longer desire it. There are some out there that cannot breastfeed and we should not be told we are horrible mothers because we cannot. It is a sad day when we are telling new mothers that they are going to hinder their children from day one; what a message is that?
As Noel and I saw this billboard we came up with some things that were just as ridiculous.
"If we had breastfed Elijah he would already have chest hair"
"If we had breastfed our triplets they would be calculus instead of addition"
"If we had breastfed Hannah she would be the Secretary of state."
From our point of view we are going to put our trust in God and ask Him to lead us in raising our children and that they would be what God wants them to be. If that is a rocket scientist or a housewife that our children would love God and be a light into this world.
Posts
1 comment:
When I told Pam's lactation specialist about my milk she pretty much called me a liar. It is okay to breastfeed or not. This is totally a mothers choice. I think you are pretty smart and you didn't breastfeed for too long. Sometimes in wanting to promote something the people go way outside the realms of reality and start making ridiculous claims. Love all of you very much.
Post a Comment