Worry No More
I have heard a lot of comments and questions that women have about breastfeeding. Here are some of the ones i have heard most often.
I don’t want to whip out my breast in public. First of all, after you give birth a lot of your modesty will have gone away. Your midwife/doctor and the nurses will have seen more parts of your body then you have. Second, you never need to whip out your breast in public. Unfortunately, i have seen some women do this and honestly it gives breast feeding a bad name. I am glad that there are women who are so free with their bodies but we do live in a society where breasts are expected to be covered. Right or wrong, that’s how it is. When in public please try not to “whip it out”. That being said, when you are first nursing, a receiving blanket placed over you and the baby can really help. This offers a shield from the outside world. There are also a great number of products out there that are designed to cover you and your nursing baby up. Next, after you become a pro, you will be able to nurse only using your shirt as a cover and nobody will know. I have had a lot of people come up to me while i was nursing and comment about how cute my babies were and they never knew i was nursing. Keeping one arm under your baby you use your free hand to hold onto your breast, this way if your baby suddenly turns their head you have total control to cover up. There is also the bathroom. I did this once then wondered what the heck I was doing. If it makes you feel better to sit in a stinky public bathroom while the other adults enjoy conversation and their dinners, please go right ahead. As for me, I will never again sit in a bathroom stall to nurse my baby.
My family/friends/neighbors don’t agree with breastfeeding, I don’t want to listen to their comments. As I’m sure you know as soon as you tell the world you are pregnant, people have advice, advice and more advice for you. Some advice is helpful but a lot, if not most, is unwanted and hurtful comments. This so called advice comes from your closest friends and family and complete strangers alike (old ladies are notorious for this one). I tend to favor real mom advice myself. People will comment on everything you do while raising your child. Heck, it’s even been implied that I’m a bad parent because I don’t let my kids eat all the sugar they want. The point is, you will get the comments no matter what you do. I hope that you can find enough information on this site to answer people when they ask why you breastfeed or when they comment. A lot of comments people make about breastfeeding are out of ignorance. For a while, doctors encouraged formula, studies have made doctors realize they were wrong. Use the facts to point out why you breastfeed. Use humor “I’m lazy and don’t want to wash all those bottles” or simply smile and say “I love my child and do what I think is best.” If you don’t like confrontations (I am big on avoiding them at all costs) just ignore these people. It’s your baby and your life.
I don’t know how and I don’t know who to ask for help. There are a million ways to get help. The first thing you want to do is talk to your doctor/midwife as soon as you can. If they don’t seem to be partial to breastfeeding, you should find someone who is. In my own experience, a midwife is the better way to go. They seem to listen more and have more time and definately will help you breastfeed. You can also find lactation coaches- many doulas offer this service. La leche league is a wonderful organization that is all about helping moms breastfeed. Visit their website at http://www.llli.org/ for help, tips, and resources. Visit the hospital you will be delivering at and talk to others who have delivered there. Find out if the nurses take the time to help you nurse, find out if they offer any resources. Ask your friends and family for help. Like i said before, having a baby is no time to be modest. Be honest about your fears and when the baby is born, ask for help if it doesn’t feel right. Read the books that are out there. There are many good books written about breastfeeding.
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