For many years we all have
read or have been told that breastfeeding is the best way to provide the best
nutrition for your baby. So why it is that breastfeeding is not encouraged more
for mothers. As a teenage mom, I had a nurse try to work with me in
breastfeeding my son but I was so unsuccessfully due to that my son was tongue
tied, which made it hard for him to latch on.
Nineteen months later my daughter was born and I knew I could not go
through breastfeeding again because I felt as if it was going to be like the
last time. During this time the nurses did not even trying to encourage me to
try again therefore she was bottle feed. Five years later I gave birth to a
baby girl and the nurses encouraged me to try breastfeeding which was a
success. I was more willing to try it again because during this pregnancy my
doctor gave me all the education needed to know all the benefits there was to
breastfeeding. Therefore I continued to breastfeed up until I was told by my
work that I could not take breaks in order to breastfeed my child. Just like in
the United Kingdom most mothers don't choose to breastfeed because they can't
take those breaks to either pump or breastfeed their babies. We all know that
breastfeeding is beneficial to a child's development, so why don't we have more
ways to encourage our employers to allow mother's to take breaks in order to
pump or breastfeed their babies. Breastfeeding out in public is frowned upon in North America and Western Europe, so why
can’t places provide a spot so that a mother who choose to breastfeed their babies
can do so without others judging.
I have not had the privilege to have children, but I know how important breastfeeding is for the child. Most mothers I know said they don't like breastfeeding because it hurts, so they stop after less than one month. The difference between formula and breastfed shows in the development of that child. In America, we have the opportunity to breatfeed, so we should take advantage of it. There are some countries who don't have the opportunity or encouraged to breastfeed. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHi Nina,
ReplyDeleteI breastfed my last two babies, both boys. It is a miracle it even happened because when I first started it was an extremely painful experience. I cried and cried and cried through every nursing. I was determined to continue at all costs. Everything I read said that this pain was necessary and the nipples would eventually harden, just stick with it. I would call my pediatrician daily crying. I would call crying to my obstetrician. They were both very supportive and would tell me they were proud of me, but if I have to stop don't take it as a failure. They would still be proud. I cried through all of the pain, the bruising, the terrible scabs that began to form and the falling off of the bloody scabs. The literature said the scabs were normal and the baby would not be harmed (nor the nipple) if it sucked the scabs off (gross!). This should have only taken weeks, but it took months. Eventually, I became used to nursing, the nipples had hardened, and through it all that baby was greedily sucking up every drop. When he turned 11 months old I was pregnant again and was made to stop nursing. By the time I gave birth my nipples were soft and sore again and I had to endure that painful process all over again! I never gave up and he successfully nursed as well and eventually the pain went away. It really was worth it and I'm glad I stuck with it. I had support and education on my side.
We need to educate our young mothers and support them through what can be a truly wonderful experience for mother and child.
I think more and more there is education available for breastfeeding moms then there may have been in the past. I know that over the time span of having my own children, the tools and resources availalbe to new moms is very different. Also, many places are beginning to accomodate breastfeeding moms as well. This may be because it has become more of a legality to not discriminate against breastfeeding for employers. I did not breastfeed any of my own children and I have been judged for my decision without others conteplating my surrounding circumstances. There will always be judgement though.
ReplyDelete