Monday night I had the privilege of having a La Leche League Director come over to my friend Erin’s house for a small class and intro into breastfeeding.
I have to admit that breastfeeding has been that one things that has been the hardest out of all the changes for me to conceive doing. Whether it be that my mother didn’t breast feed for longer than two weeks with me, and thus didn’t really talk about it growing up, or that I have always associated breast as more of a sexual objects rather than nourishment for my future child, the topic has always kind of made me queasy in my stomach.
I’ve planned on breast feeding Spike, though, from the moment we found out we were pregnant. From all the literature I read, to all the testimonies of mothers around me, I had no doubt in my mind that I would certainly try it. If I was honest though, it was more of a “we’ll see how it goes” kind-of attitude.
After Monday nights class, (I wish Mark had a camera to express my excitement and anticipation) I came home with hope. All of my reservations and fears had vanished and transformed into what I would call peace. All we really did was break it down to the very basics, from the moment the baby leaves my body to the first weeks. It was really fascinating to hear the stories from Mary, the woman from La Leche League, of how natural and primal it all is for baby and for mothers. One thing that she kept repeating that comforted me a ton was that just because you body was made to do it doesn’t mean you don’t have to be taught how to do it.
My favorite part of the discussion was the “private breast feeding” debate we had, which I had never really given much thought to . After receiving a business card with my rights of breastfeeding, according to Ohio Law, I realized that maybe not every latte sipping person is going to champion me “nourishing” my babe at Starbucks and that it could actually be alot like card counting. It’s legal but every business has a right to ask to you to leave.
Her advise was to master the art of the “latch on.” And to NOT wear those brightly colored breastfeeding wraps, which in her opinion scream “LOOK RIGHT HERE!” She also pointed out that if the baby is feeding correctly than it should modestly cover the parts that would be offensive, and everyone would think it’s just a mother holding her baby. Hmmmm….sounds kind of risque to me. I plan on practicing alot at home first, and maybe investing in some comfortable and practical nursing clothes. I also have a Maya Wrap, which was one of my favorite gifts, that I hear is great for discrete breast feeding.
So here are some of the resources that I received that I am passing along to you…I would also love any other advice you may have!
Important Info about the Babywise Method
Excellent Resource for which drugs are safe during nursing.
BreastCrawl: Fascinating Video of a child crawling to the breast directly after birth. (May be inappropriate for some).
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December 11, 2008 at 9:06 pm
teambaby
I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels queasy and not quite comfortable with the idea of breast-feeding. I’m not pregnant yet, so I’m hoping I get more OK with the idea as time goes on. My problem is not just the idea of breasts as sexual, but the fact that mine unequivocably are–my nipples are extremely sensitive and erogenous, unusually so. The thought of being accidentally stimulated while nursing horrifies me. Did they discuss that at the meeting that you remember? (Sorry if this is TMI)
December 11, 2008 at 9:47 pm
Heather
No, they didn’t talk about it, but it seemed as though it wasn’t a problem. Definitely not to much information!
December 12, 2008 at 1:25 am
Keri
Hey Heather, How smart you are to get the information about this subject. As I’m sure you’ve heard there’s no comparison between mother’s milk and formula. The benefits of breastfeeding for your child (and to you) seem to be endless. The most comforting and motivating factor for me was the antibody transfer from mother to baby – giving your baby immunities to illness that you are immune to. Amazing! I also waited beyond the 2 months to get my baby vaccinated – did you know that in China, children are not vaccinated until age 2! (but that’s another subject). Regarding formula, I was told that a single bottle of formula changes the infant’s intestinal flora for two to four weeks, upsetting the protective ph balance of exclusively breastfed babies. Giving formula soon after birth either soy or milk-based can actually trigger allergies for babys in a family with a history of allergies.
I must say that breastfeeding in public was much more excepted in Seattle than out here. I breast fed my baby when it was time for him to eat no matter where I was. The attitude about that is very different out here. It’s sad…but hey! I champion your right to feed your baby, remember if a person gets offended by you discreetly feeding your baby- it’s their issue not yours! As a new mom you have enough things to concern yourself with.
December 12, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Jen
Just thought I’d chime in on nursing in public, since I have experience.
I agree on the brightly-colored cover-ups – they just draw attention. My two boys were different about nursing. As I grew in confidence in nursing in public, I would only use a light blanket (or even a burp cloth) to cover the latch on and then it just looked like I was carrying a sleeping baby. Liam would continue nursing under the blanket (up to a certain age), but Paul would squirm and actually draw more attention if he was under the blanket. I can’t tell you how many old ladies in the grocery store thought I was just carrying a sleeping baby in my arms – one actually leaned in to see Paul’s face!
Thankfully, she still didn’t realize what he was doing.
Also, I skipped all nursing clothes, except a nursing cami (which you can wear under anything to keep your belly covered). I would make sure to wear separates with easy access (not high-neck dresses). My sister just uses a poncho, throws it on before nursing – keeps her covered (and her baby doesn’t mind). The most important thing I realized about nursing in public was to act totally casual and calm. Most of our friends (well, all of the guys) never realized that I was nursing in the movie theater or at the restaurant right next to them. It gets easier with practice!