Hi everyone!
As promised, I am writing a blog post to follow-up with this month's topic, New Mothers' Wellness, and this week's current theme, Feeding Your Newborn. I have been pretty active on Instagram, since pretty much its initial launch, first with my personal account, and now also with my business one. During the years of using this social medium, the trend of using hashtags has come about- The better to find a bunch of posts on that particular subject. Facebook also started to utilize this tool, and a couple of years ago, one of my friends shared a post about a mom telling of her experience and trouble with breastfeeding, almost unintentionally starving her son to death. In the article, she went on about how #BreastIsBest isn't always the case, targeting this hashtag, and instead calling attention to her own of #FedIsBest. While doing research for this blog, of course this being a controversial topic, I came across all kinds of articles, blogs, and feelings about the "best" or "most acceptable" way to feed your baby. I've also learned how cruel some women are and don't support other moms when it is very much needed- That breaks my heart! I am a believer that it takes a village, and if you're someone who thinks you're all high and mighty because you breastfed your kid until he was in Kindergarten while you judge the mom next to you because she needed to give her kid formula for whatever reason, you need to chill the hell out! Now that we know how I feel, let's move on... Anyway, while researching, I came across the hashtag of what I titled this post: Fed is Best, Whether Bottle or Breast. Quite a few people feel "Fed is best." goes without saying- Of course you need to feed your kid, yourself, etc. All humans need nutrition in order to survive. I can definitely get on board with that belief! #FedIsBestWhetherBottleOrBreast, is most inclusive and appropriate, I believe. Even though I am a massage therapist, Reiki practitioner, Yoga teacher, all around hippy-dippy chick, I cannot support the idea that "Breast is best." completely. Yes, from the standpoint that it's the most natural, biological method, that is the case. If you look back to before formula was created, however, babies either died because they couldn't nurse for whatever reason, or mothers sought out wet nurses to supplement. Yes, the case of a baby not being able to nurse back then may not have been as common as it is now, but women currently play a much different role in society than they did then. These new roles bring with them different kinds of stress, which can decrease milk supply. Also, c-sections weren't done then either- Having this surgery is often another cause of having a scant supply, or none at all. We live in a very different time than when, perhaps, breast was best, and this needs to be acknowledged. There is an infinite number of reasons why a babe may not be able to nurse, or why a mother may not want to. As a breastfeeding Mama, I can tell you that it's hard work, takes up a lot of your time, interferes with your personal space and boundaries, and requires dedication. If there is even the slightest hiccup to throw off the delicate balance nursing requires, I can see why moms give up. Not only do you and your babe have to be ready physically to do it, but also very much emotionally and mentally- If all those pieces don't line up and breastfeeding doesn't work, this needs to be accepted with grace by that mama, and her community. I was not a breastfed baby due to my mother's chronic health issues, and I turned out perfectly fine! It is not the worst if a baby doesn't get breastfed, but #BreastIsBest sort of implies that, in my opinion, especially after reading some of the articles I came across. I am currently looking to go down the path of becoming a lactation consultant. I do wish to be one, however, who practices most of the ideals I've shared with you here. I have much more to say on this topic, and so I will continue it into next week, along with Part 2 of this blog post. Thank you all going with me on this journey so far, and I look forward to sharing more with you! Please feel free to share my blog, and add your comments to this one. I always appreciate another Mama's journey, so if you wish to share your story with me here, or privately, please do so! Thanks again and may you all be well, Christina |
Author-Christina is a Bodywork Therapist and Yoga Teacher in the Charlotte, NC area with a passion for writing. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this blog!! Archives
August 2019
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