Monday, August 20, 2012

Breast may be best, but Similac is super!

We had a good day, Wiley and I.

Because why?  I believe it is because I've fed him formula all night and all day.  I just forced (and yes, I do have to insist on it) 4 ounces of breastmilk down him, for vitamins, ooligowhoosiwhatchits and antibodies.  And also, frankly because I'm running out of storage space for it all and its getting old.  I've started freezing it and I don't have many bags left.  I'm hoping by the time I run out, the No More Milk tea will have worked its blissful magic and I will be done with the pumping and he can have one feeding of breastmilk for awhile...

But he burps easier, he settles easier... sleeps easier, which means guess who else sleeps easier too?

Related (probably): I am down to 115 pounds.  I started the pregnancy at 135 and maxed at 146 and one month post partum I have dropped 30 pounds.  Amazing.  Everything in the closet fits.  There are no jeans I can't squeeze into.  Some things are way too big now.

I wonder if my breastmilk really is watery, not nutritious enough to satisfy him and really feed him.  Its like I'm pouring gas water down his throat for all the peace and satisfaction its supposed to give him.

Hubby and I agree on ramping down.  We're both sick of this.  Is there anything I've been lied to more, heard more hyperbole about than breastfeeding?

An LLL leader posted a bromide about breast being awesome because there are no recalls on breasts.  I retorted - mine are definitely defective.  The problem is there is no return policy either.

She deleted the comment.

22 comments:

  1. I can't help but wonder why you have so little faith in your body to nourish and nurture your son? I'm not going to lecture you. Breastfeeding is a huge hassle, formula feeding is easier. Congratulations on losing the weight!

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    1. Not a matter of faith, but thank you very much. The whole of my saga is on my blog if you care to have your questions answered. It's all there. All the pain and heartbreak of it. But thanks for rubbing my nose in it , bitch.

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  2. Gassy baby = too much foremilk.
    formula = 56% increased risk of SIDS and higher risks of child/adulthood cancer, diabetes (from all the sugar in formula in case you didn't know), obesity, meningitis etc etc etc etc etc

    there's a reason why breast is best. jus sayin...

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  3. You are profoundly ignorant on what some mothers go through to breastfeed their babies. My story isn't even unique http://www.fearlessformulafeeder.com/2012/10/fff-friday-i-would-appreciate-people-accepting-that-the-pain-i-endured-was-real/

    And in a pumped bottle, foremilk and hindmilk are mixed together. If there was too much foremilk it was because that's all I had, and that would starve the baby eventually. Too much foremilk = 100% greater risk of malnutrition and starvation

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  4. A pump can, and never will, get out as much as a baby. So just because you pumped, does NOT mean that you got out all the hindmilk. Expressing at the beginning of every feed would have gotten rid of enough of the milk for your baby to drain the breast completely without getting uncomfortable. I had a gassy baby, but once my supply calmed down and adapted to his needs in combination with special drops, he was much less uncomfortable within a few weeks. Your body can do the job it is supposed to do. No mother EVER has only made foremilk. And of course your story is not unique, just like all those before you (and all those to come) you couldn't be bothered with the hard work it takes to breastfeed and you gave up prematurely. At the cost of your child's health. HIGH FIVE!

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  5. "Related (probably): I am down to 115 pounds. I started the pregnancy at 135 and maxed at 146 and one month post partum I have dropped 30 pounds." From this comment I assume you had only been feeding for one month? You gave yourself ONE MONTH? really?! that is not enough time to eliminate foods from your diet to see if something you were eating/drinking was making your child uncomfortable! nor is it enough time to give your milk supply a chance to calm down and adapt to your baby's needs. Seriously... one month? I'm sorry but your comment above about how it has nothing to do with faith in your body to provide for your baby is a downright lie. There are so many support forums and IBCLC's out there it's unreal, and you couldn't have found out this information from any one of them? I am still laughing that you think you were producing sub standard milk for your child. Like you're defective somehow. It is impossible for a mother to produce substandard milk. That's like saying gravity doesn't exist. I feel sorry for you. But I feel sorrier for your baby.

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  6. I'm so sorry for all the hateful comments. You made the best decision for your baby and yourself - your whole family will be happier - and sounds like healthier - because of it.
    Try to ignore the ignorant and go snuggle that little sweetheart!

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  7. Thanks, Karen. This coward has not read any of my other posts, obviously, and doesn't know how many LCs I consulted and how hard I tried and what my other problems were. They don't know a lot of things that I've learned because much like breastfeeding, READING IS ALSO HARD I guess.

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  8. But really. Sheeeewwww that took my breath away a little the level of condescension and vitriol there. That's a person I'm guessing who is not happy in their marriage/relationship if the pattern holds. Plus they just make lactivism and lactating look so fun dont they? Sign me up.

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  9. Oh my goodness...what is it, Bitches Day Out? Clearly this person has never bothered to read any other blog entry. Those who have know how hard you struggled to make breastfeeding work for you. What is even the point of breastfeeding if you are going to be in pain and spend the first year (or however long) of your child's life absolutely miserable? Your children are well fed, happy, healthy, and completely loved; that is what being a good mother is all about. Ignore the troll.

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  10. I think your breasts are awesome no matter what. ;-) I tried breastfeeding too with Wyler but people stare too much and the hair tickles his nose.

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  11. I feel so sorry for Anonymous Bitch's children!

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  12. Adam and Christina, don't feel sorry for my child. He is a happy little breastfeeding, co-sleeping crunchy parented 2 year old :) Soggy mom, I feel incredibly sorry for your child. Hence my 'vitriol'. I speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. If your child had a choice, do you really think he would choose the equivalent of McDonald's over fresh, mama made food? I think if given the choice, an educated person would always choose the healthiest option. But obviously, your son cannot tell you this. Good luck with the doctor's bills!

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    1. Sorry not the same Anonymous as above:
      WOW! What is wrong with you Anonymous? Do you get some perverse pleasure out of trolling other peoples blogs just to spew hatred? You need to get a life and stop putting others down just to feel good about yourself! I too feel sorry for your son, he is being raised by vicious, mean spirited, judgmental mother, who seems to get her rocks off by putting others down. Soggy Mom, give your lil one a great big cuddle and know that you are an awesome Mom!

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    3. Why you gotta be so mean? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYa1eI1hpDE

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    4. Anonymous (the first one):

      I'm curious about your 'If your child had a choice...' comment. If my mother had had a horrible time breastfeeding, my choice would have been for her to do whatever she felt comfortable with doing as far as her feeding choice was concerned. It certainly wouldn't have been for my mother to suffer just so that I could reduce my risk of some illnesses slightly. Are you saying that the latter is what you would have chosen?

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  13. Do NOT knock McDonald's. That stuff is delicious!

    Jeeeebus what did I ever see in these people? smdh I'm glad you obsess over your parenting and run yourself ragged over it. It's exhausting being a martyr. But for all that, who will teach your kids tact, empathy, common courtesy, respect and reading for comprehension? I guess we all offer our kids different things.

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  14. Soggy Mom - I clicked over here from FFF and it seems we had a similar problem with BF (oversupply or simply too much early on to encourage successful establishment of the relationship). We talked to our doula, our midwife, and hired an LC, and the strategies they suggested did not work for us (and I got a stern "a true imbalance of foremilk and hindmilk is extremely rare; you do not have that"). Anyway, I pumped, like you to give the babe the magical breastmilk. I thought I'd pump for a lot longer than the month I managed to, but it is exhausting, and my husband agreed that the benefits of giving our gassy and fussy son breastmilk did not outweigh the impact on me - I was depressed, exhausted, and less able to care for our child because I was tied to the pump. And I kept trying to keep nursing going, but my son HATED it - he screamed everytime. Anyway, he's on Similac now, and my pumped supply is gone, and he is happy, not fussy, and growing and healthy and brilliant, I am happy and am more present and bonded as a mom, and its working out just fine. And I agonized over the decision, as I'm sure you did. There was nothing lazy or quitting about it. We made the decision that was best for our family and for our individual children, trolls be damned.

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  15. Hey anonymous, given the option, my kids would always choose McDonalds, actually. But that's besides the point since fast food and formula aren't equivalent.

    I do feel bad for your child. Being raised by a judgmental, holier-than-thou snob has to be hard on a kid. Good luck with the therapist's bills!

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  16. You have made what you feel is the best decision for you, your baby and your family, considering all the factors involved in breast feeding vs formula feeding. I don't understand the venom directed at you by people who don't appear to havenanything better to do. Good

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  17. PS It's been awhile but after reviewing the doctor's bills comments with the benefits of nearly 2 years hindsight I have to report back. Their pediatrician keeps saying - I don't know what you're doing, but keep doing it. They are both perfect.

    That is all.

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