Milk - it does a body good. Our family depends on milk. Jason and I alone go through 2.5 gallons of milk a week - yes a week. Lidia goes through a gallon in a week. We use milk for cereal, of course. We also enjoy drinking it by the glass-full. But this blog is not dedicated to that oh-so-familiar cow's milk that we, as a society, depend upon. It is dedicated to a much more sweet and pure milk - the milk of a human mother's breast.
I never thought I would be such a huge supporter and rallier for breastfeeding. I knew initially that I definitely wanted to do it. All of the most important women in my life had breastfed - my mom, my mother-in-law, my 2 sisters, my 3 sister-in-laws, and my best of friends. Tradition is what got me motivated to do it, but the many benefits to both me and my baby kept me hooked. Breastfeeding, by far, is the most selfless thing a mother can do. Breastfeeding is choice, and I wish every woman could at least make the choice to try. And I don't mean for just a day, because it doesn't come easy.
My milk didn't come in fully until Lidia was 3 days old. The first 3 days she was at my breasts constantly, trying to suck up every last bit of colostrum (the "gold" that your breasts produce right before the milk arrives). There is a definite art and skill to breastfeeding. I had to be positioned right, Lidia had to be positioned right, and her mouth had to be positioned just perfect on my nipples. It probably took a good month to sync our breastfeeding rhythm. And yes, even though I provided the milk, Jason was still a part of the process. For example, when Lidia needed fed every 2-3 hours, Jason would take over as soon as her feeding was done so I could get some rest. She fed from me, and then his job was to rock with her and get her back to sleep. So no, just because a woman breastfeeds doesn't mean the man can lay back and watch it all happen. He can take an active role, too (and Jason became responsible for feeding her breast milk bottles in my absence, so he wasn't left out of the feeding picture completely).
Breastfeeding is not for those who easily give up (which usually is me!). In the beginning, I would give myself a pep-talk nearly every day. It went something like this, "OK, one month. I'm going to give this one month. If I can do this for one month, that is at least better for Lidia than no breast milk at all." I fought through the pain of nipple soreness (and boy was that painful!) and eventually made it to that goal. The next goal went something like this: "OK, one month down. I can make it to 3 months. 3 months is more than I ever expected to be able to last. If I can give her 3 months, I will be satisfied." So on I trudged with my hooter hider and babe on breast. I went back to work and began pumping so Lidia could have her milk while away from me. Then, a funny thing happened. After 3 months, I no longer felt the need for any more pep-talks. I actually enjoyed the act of breastfeeding (I never did enjoy the act of pumping, though). I have such fond memories of laying in bed with Lidia during her nightly feed, watching the satisfaction in her eyes as my milk let down. And then slowly, her suckling would come to a stop and she would lay there peacefully, asleep. Yes, nothing could beat the satisfaction of those moments. It was those moments that brought us closer together. It was those moments that answered every question I had about why it had to be so darn hard. Great rewards don't come easy. I began to slowly ween her from the breast when she was a little past 1 year of age. By 15 months, she was completely weened. But I didn't force her - or myself. It just kind of happened naturally. We were both satisfied with the work that had been done. A newborn baby has only three demands. They are warmth in the arms of its mother, food from her breasts, and security in the knowledge of her presence. Breastfeeding satisfies all three. ~Grantly Dick-Read
It is nearly impossible to give your opinion on breastfeeding without offending someone. But I won't apologize for what I believe. Breastfeeding is best. However, I have heard heart-breaking stories of women who wanted so badly to breastfeed, but it just couldn't happen. Women with PCOS or those who have had a breast reduction are those who my heart goes out to the most. I have known women with both of these conditions that knew their fate - but at least gave it a try. It may not have been able to last long, but they gave it their best shot because they knew that some was better than none. And in those cases, formula ended up being the right choice. Preemie babies who need extra supplementation are another exception. But providing the breast milk along with the supplementation is better than no breast milk at all. If you or someone you know is on the fence about breastfeeding, the best you can do is to be aware of all of the benefits. The benefits alone could be enough to sway someone.
Baby and Mama Benefits (from askdrsears.com. Who doesn't trust Dr. Sears?):
Breastfeeding Benefits for Baby from Top to Bottom
Brain. Higher IQ in breastfed children. Cholesterol and other types of fat in human milk support the growth of nerve tissue.
Eyes. Visual acuity is higher in babies fed human milk.
Ears. Breastfed babies get fewer ear infections.
Mouth. Less need for orthodontics in children breastfed more than a year. Improved muscle development of face from suckling at the breast. Subtle changes in the taste of human milk prepare babies to accept a variety of solid foods.
Throat. Children who are breastfed are less likely to require tonsillectomies.
Respiratory system. Evidence shows that breastfed babies have fewer and less severe upper respiratory infections, less wheezing, less pneumonia and less influenza.
Heart and circulatory system. Evidence suggests that breastfed children may have lower cholesterol as adults. Heart rates are lower in breastfed infants.
Digestive system. Less diarrhea, fewer gastrointestinal infections in babies who are breastfeeding. Six months or more of exclusive breastfeeding reduces risk of food allergies. Also, less risk of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in adulthood.
Immune system. Breastfed babies respond better to vaccinations. Human milk helps to mature baby's own immune system. Breastfeeding decreases the risk of childhood cancer.
Endocrine system. Reduced risk of getting diabetes.
Kidneys. With less salt and less protein, human milk is easier on a baby's kidneys.
Appendix. Children with acute appendicitis are less likely to have been breastfed.
Urinary tract. Fewer infections in breastfed infants.
Joints and muscles. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is less common in children who were breastfed.
Skin. Less allergic eczema in breastfed infants.
Growth. Breastfed babies are leaner at one year of age and less likely to be obese later in life.
Bowels. Less constipation. Stools of breastfed babies have a less-offensive odor.
For the Mama:
Reduces the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer. One of the reasons for the cancer-fighting effects of breastfeeding is that estrogen levels are lower during lactation. It is thought that the less estrogen available to stimulate the lining of the uterus and perhaps breast tissue also, the less the risk of these tissues becoming cancerous.
Lessens osteoporosis. Non-breastfeeding women have a four times greater chance of developing osteoporosis than breastfeeding women and are more likely to suffer from hip fractures in the post-menopausal years.
Benefits child spacing. Since breastfeeding delays ovulation, the longer a mother breastfeeds the more she is able to practice natural childspacing, if she desires. How long a woman remains infertile depends on her baby's nursing pattern and her own individual baby.
Promotes emotional health. Not only is breastfeeding good for mother's body, it's good for her mind. Studies show that breastfeeding mothers show less postpartum anxiety and depression than do formula-feeding mothers.
Promotes postpartum weight loss. Breastfeeding mothers showed significantly larger reductions in hip circumference and more fat loss by one month postpartum when compared with formula-feeding moms. Breastfeeding mothers tend to have an earlier return to their pre-pregnant weight.
Costs less to breastfeed. It costs around $1,200 a year to formula-feed your baby. Even taking into consideration the slight increase in food costs to a breastfeeding mother, the American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that a breastfeeding mother will save around $400 during the first year of breastfeeding.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control, and any pediatrician or OB-GYN will affirm these statements as well. So, at this point, I will ever-so-graciously step down from my soap box. But I beg you, if you have a choice - if you are blessed and lucky enough to have a choice - choose breast milk. Breast milk is better than any udder milk!
Orange You Special
Hey there peanut! Have I felt you moving lately? I'd like to think that since I'm becoming experienced at this whole pregnancy thing, that I would know the difference between baby movements and gas. But, I guess I don't! Hopefully my wishes will become reality soon.
What's in a name? So, you will see that mommy and daddy have released your possible names to the left of this post. Yes, we are continuing with the Italian theme. If you are a boy, your middle name will be Matthew, like your father's. If you are a girl, your middle name will be Marie, like your mama's sister, Kristen, and best friend, Ashley. We're anxious to see what the readers' think your name should be!
You've been practicing a lot this week - you're actually breathing in amniotic fluid to help build your lungs up. You're also sucking, making facial expressions, and kicking those arms and legs like crazy.
We are so excited to get updates on you at our next doctor's appointment, which is in 12 short days.
Keep growing healthy, peanut, and we will keep praying for you! We love you!
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