quick-fingersBreast milk or formula?
Breast milk or formula? Well, I think the answer to this question should be fairly obvious. Natural or un-natural? Free or not free? I could go on all day about the benefits of breast milk, but instead I will stop on one example.
*Honey, I know you read my blog, so don't get too upset at me, but I would like you to start breastfeeding our son again. *
There, I've started the argument. I will deal with that later, but for right now let's get to one example of why breast milk is the proverbial 'shit'.
My son is going on 8 months now and has been completely breastfed since birth. My wife has gone through hell, but it is all for the benefit of our darling son. She has been getting up every 2 hours for the last 7 months, feeding and putting him back to sleep. Yes, I love that woman. I think if I had to do that I would have already went completely insane from lack of sleep. Thank goodness for the patience of a mother. So anyhow, as I was saying, he's been breastfed all the way until now.
While being breastfed, our son would go to sleep without the need for burping, without puking, and without much of a fuss. He's been a very very good baby. His stool has been minimal and infrequent due to the nature of breast milk, which can be completely absorbed by the child. The absolute absorption is why breastfed babies may not 'poop' for days and days.
However, here recently, my wife has decided to give him formula before bedtime. Her reasoning was because he had started becoming more and more cranky at bedtime, which we assumed was from not getting enough milk since he is bigger now and requires more. The formula is thicker, harder to digest, which should tide him over through the night. In theory, of course.
While this revelation was true, it also has had tremendous side effects. Painful side effects. He now wakes up more often screaming in pure agony. I have been the one dealing with it, so I know first-hand. I have to lay him on his stomach and rub vigorously on his back and then there it goes. Bleck, foooo, burp. Gas here, gas there, gas everywhere. And then in the morning, it is formula overload right in to the diaper, up his back, and then back down his legs. It's a terrible mess.
His stomach is not taking to it very well. It seems to settle badly in his stomach causing, I assume, gas and cramping. Even after being burped before sleeping, the formula is tearing him up. It is also tearing me up. I'm a wuss when my kids are in pain and I can't stand hearing them cry. It makes me feel awful because I wish I could just take it all away, but unfortunately, I can only do so much.
I will be asking my wife to pull out the fail-safe boob from now until he has at least two more teeth; then he will be receiving regular food. I'm sure she won't mind. At least I hope she won't.
The point of this all is that nothing synthetic can be good for us or our children, so we shouldn't even attempt to make it out to be. When you have your child and breast milk is there, then please use it for the sake of your sanity and your child's sanity. I understand that some women have an issue with breastfeeding in public, or have a job, but there are many solutions to these problems.
If you are afraid to breastfeed in public, do it anyway. Most states, if not all, have laws protecting breastfeeding mothers from punishment. It's sad that a law had to be passed to protect this, but I digress.
If you have a job and your child isn't available for suckling the boob, then get a breast pump. Most states, if not all, also protect breastfeeding mothers in the workplace. They must allow mothers a place to pump their milk.
Find a way to get your breast milk to your son or daughter, because they are worth it. I know mine are.
*Honey, I know you read my blog, so don't get too upset at me, but I would like you to start breastfeeding our son again. *
Don't you stop feeding me!
There, I've started the argument. I will deal with that later, but for right now let's get to one example of why breast milk is the proverbial 'shit'.
My son is going on 8 months now and has been completely breastfed since birth. My wife has gone through hell, but it is all for the benefit of our darling son. She has been getting up every 2 hours for the last 7 months, feeding and putting him back to sleep. Yes, I love that woman. I think if I had to do that I would have already went completely insane from lack of sleep. Thank goodness for the patience of a mother. So anyhow, as I was saying, he's been breastfed all the way until now.
While being breastfed, our son would go to sleep without the need for burping, without puking, and without much of a fuss. He's been a very very good baby. His stool has been minimal and infrequent due to the nature of breast milk, which can be completely absorbed by the child. The absolute absorption is why breastfed babies may not 'poop' for days and days.
However, here recently, my wife has decided to give him formula before bedtime. Her reasoning was because he had started becoming more and more cranky at bedtime, which we assumed was from not getting enough milk since he is bigger now and requires more. The formula is thicker, harder to digest, which should tide him over through the night. In theory, of course.
While this revelation was true, it also has had tremendous side effects. Painful side effects. He now wakes up more often screaming in pure agony. I have been the one dealing with it, so I know first-hand. I have to lay him on his stomach and rub vigorously on his back and then there it goes. Bleck, foooo, burp. Gas here, gas there, gas everywhere. And then in the morning, it is formula overload right in to the diaper, up his back, and then back down his legs. It's a terrible mess.
His stomach is not taking to it very well. It seems to settle badly in his stomach causing, I assume, gas and cramping. Even after being burped before sleeping, the formula is tearing him up. It is also tearing me up. I'm a wuss when my kids are in pain and I can't stand hearing them cry. It makes me feel awful because I wish I could just take it all away, but unfortunately, I can only do so much.
I will be asking my wife to pull out the fail-safe boob from now until he has at least two more teeth; then he will be receiving regular food. I'm sure she won't mind. At least I hope she won't.
The point of this all is that nothing synthetic can be good for us or our children, so we shouldn't even attempt to make it out to be. When you have your child and breast milk is there, then please use it for the sake of your sanity and your child's sanity. I understand that some women have an issue with breastfeeding in public, or have a job, but there are many solutions to these problems.
If you are afraid to breastfeed in public, do it anyway. Most states, if not all, have laws protecting breastfeeding mothers from punishment. It's sad that a law had to be passed to protect this, but I digress.
If you have a job and your child isn't available for suckling the boob, then get a breast pump. Most states, if not all, also protect breastfeeding mothers in the workplace. They must allow mothers a place to pump their milk.
Find a way to get your breast milk to your son or daughter, because they are worth it. I know mine are.
Parenting Issues
Due to this post, however, my wife is going to start working on producing more breast milk for Anakin. I'm overcome with thankfulness. I wish I had boobs that produced milk. . . well. . . maybe not.
Anyhow, thank you very much for your wonderful insight and come back daily. You never know what I'll talk about next.