I wish every mamma could have as much fun nursing her kids as I did. Hats off, hugs, love and support to any mamma struggling with this issue. Cause, if you can get a good solid breastfeeding relationship going, there's at least a 101 reasons to breastfeed your kids.
It's Think Green Thursday, and breastfeeding is definitely the Eco-friendly way to feed your baby.
A breastfeeding mom needs an extra 500 calories everyday (more than during pregnancy) but this small increase adds little stress to the impact on the environment we are already making. Especially when you consider what it takes to get formula to a baby. It needs to be manufactured, packaged, shipped, and stored. Furthermore, breastmilk is always warm and ready to go. No bottles or artificial nipples to buy. No energy required to warm the milk. No water, cleansers, and energy required to clean the bottles afterward.
Go green! Breastfeed your babes!
There is no food more locally produced or sustainable than breastmilk. Yet, the promotion of breastmilk substitues continues to undermine breastfeeding. The International Baby Food Action Network has been working for 30 years to stop formula manufactures from undermining breastfeeding by innappropriate promotion of their products.
I believe a lot of moms are now breastfeeding and this is as it should be.
ReplyDeleteLOL, me too, by three months he could latch on, feed and go back to sleep without even waking me up.
ReplyDeleteWith an abundant (as in ...too) milk supply I could chastise my husband by squirting him from the other side of the room with a well aimed squeeze. This did not go down well but complaints about lack of domestic activity simmered down .... unless he was on the phone to me.
I was really lucky that it was relatively easy, because I am not organized enough for sterilizing, making up feeds in advance and waking up to give them.
The first six weeks were tough though and because the ped was on my case to put my baby on a slimming diet of tea by ten weeks old, cos he was "getting too fat", it was not angst free.
I found a lot of really useful help at http://www.breastfeeding.com/ that helped me with the tougher aspects of it. I hope it is as good now as it was nine years ago.
Yes, it's a lucky mom and baby that breastfeed.
ReplyDeleteSarah... Just curious, did you get the advice of a slimming diet from a ped in Italy?
Well what other kind of ped would insist that he got six feeds only and two of those should be fennel tea LOL ?
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't mind but I changed ped NINE times (yanking back foreskin on baby penis issues) and got the same instruction from four of them about his weight. The only ped I liked was the last one we had in Milan, just perfect, left the willy alone on principle, didn't blink at the podgyness. He retired just before we moved and I damn near cried, but the one we have here is OK, if a little colpa di X,Y and Z obsessed. Her locum and I have had many a good giggle about that small issue which gives me hope that if Son of Thor has kids here a different tune will be sung at well baby check ups.
The peds in ER and on wards have been great (one convulsion, one accidental poisoning that still fills me with massive guilt some 7 years later), but the ones on the day to day front line. Oh dear. IME.
Don't ask me about the birth though. HA ! Snackle frackle "we don't do pain free birthing here" snotty evil medical gitfaces. Note to all expats, do not let your husband chose the hospital, he will go for the one with easy parking failing to discover odd medical practices that you will rue not knowing about in advance, RUE I tell you.
But not as much as he will.
and breathe...
I have rambled. Sorry.
and they wonder why people only have one baby.
I'm with you! I breast fed all four of mine. It's the most wonderful experience a woman can have, and I'm always sad when I hear of a woman who won't even try it. And it's certainly best for baby. that's what the breast is there for.
ReplyDeleteFor a second I thought I was at the wrong blog. It's been years since I breastfed my daughter but I almost think it should be required so that the antibodies could be given to the baby. Of course it would be nice if women in developing countries could have a decent diet for them and their babies... Interesting take on Thinking Green..I love thinking out of the box or bottle in this case.. Michelle
ReplyDeleteYou go, girl.
ReplyDeletei breastfed all four of mine. there is no other greater experience. i must say though that i had babies that immediately latched on and i never had a problem. i do know women who couldn't get the hang of it. i think in the u.s. there is not enough support. if it is a little difficult it is easier to give up and go with bottles. i think of all the babies that died here in china last year from the tainted milk. what a blessing to be able to care for your baby naturally and know they are getting the best thing for them.
ReplyDelete