Yup, this little guy or should I say big boy is officially done nursing! I am not sure how I feel about it. I think reality has set in that he is not a baby anymore...sniff sniff! I just let him wean him self, he slowly got down to one feeding a day and then he just kept pushing me away when I would offer it. 15 months is not to shabby if I do say so myself! Treyson was done at 10 months and I was not going to force him to keep doing it just like I was not going to force Porter to keep doing it. I am in a little bit of pain, I been having some leakage but all is all I am glad he is done. He seems more independent now and he is sleeping a lot better at night. When he is really upset sometimes he will pull at my shirt for milk because he just want is for the comfort but I just give him a sippy cup instead.
He takes a sippy cup just fine. He loves juice and water but he will only drink milk the way his brother drinks it...with ovaltine in it! Trey loves chocolate milk but thanks to Gramps Cutler prefers ovaltine. I am glad because it is healthier then regular chocolate syrup or powder. Since Porter saw me putting it in his brothers cup he had to have some too. I guess it fair right. Both of them cannot tell the difference between cows and goat milk and they also love coconut milk too.
Sometimes when I think about it, it just seems crazy that I produce milk to feed someone else. I am so thankful that I was able to do it for so long. I do enjoy nursing, its one of the best things God created. It's so good for you and your baby. Thanks Porty for giving me 15 "breast" months!
PS. Porter goes nuts over the protein smoothies we make. He always get a smoothie mustache when he drinks it that is really cute. When we are drinking it he will sign and say, "peese peese peese (please)" like 100 times...LOL! If we do not give him any he will look at us like, "come on, hurry up, its my turn!"
The reason I am writing about this today is because I just heard on the news that Mrs. Obama is giving tax cuts for breastfeeding moms. I mean ya it would be nice to have a tax cut but is it really necessary? Why do moms need a tax cut to breastfeed their babies when they should be doing it anyways? I know she wants to do it because of her push for childhood obesity. Studies have shown that if you are breastfeed you are least likely to be obese. I believe that is true but if we are going to fight obesity then it need not to start with breastfeeding! Lets start with the food companies dumping, gmo's, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial crap in our food. Also do you ever see commercials promoting breastfeeding? No, you see commericals for formula and prescriptions drugs. We are a microwave and TV society so start advertising breastfeeding then! Also I would like to add that I was NEVER breastfed. My circumstances did not allow me to be breastfed since I was raised by my grandparents. Do I have a problem with obesity? I might it I did not watch my diet and lifestyle habits right? So breastfeeding did help me not be obese it my lifestyle choices. I am just saying breastfeeding is not the cure to obesity! I remember struggling so bad with Trey trying to nurse. I was so hard and I cried a lot. He did not master until he was about 3 months of age and even then he was not as good as Porter was at it. I remember people saying its OK to give him a bottle but I was so offended and I did not want to give in, I did not anyone else feeding my baby when I was trying to help him learn to breastfeed. I also remember people saying "just give him formula" and again I just did not want to give up on myself and my baby! Yes we have formula for a reason and I believe some Moms must use it but I believe breastfeeding one of the best gifts you could ever give child. The benefits for you and baby are endless. The bond between mother and baby when breastfeeding is such a beautiful thing. When Porter latched on right after birth I was in heaven but if he would have struggled I would have fought for breastfeeding with him too! Now having said that I am thankful for breast pumps and that this technology can help you when you need it and to have extra milk. Having extra milk has always saved me when I was not able to breastfeed my children. So I guess when I am trying to say is I am not sure how I feel about Mrs. Obama proposal, I have mixed feelings. I just find it funny that she wants to give tax breaks for breastfeeding yet she totally believes in pro choice...LOL! You can not breastfeed a baby if you abort it! She also wants to do this because breastfeeding is the lowest among African American women. Imagine that! Do you think its because they cant or they choose not to? Please don't think I am being racist here because that is not my intentions, but seriously!!! By law your work place has to give you time to pump your milk if you choose to go back to work but studies have shown that many women just choose to stop which is their choice right? My final thoughts are I am not sure a tax break will fix the problem they are trying to solve. What are your thoughts and feelings?
9 comments:
I think she is just trying to do a good thing and show our coiuntry that breastfeeding is ok and not a nasty thing....I feel our country has become so in love with SEX and we, the USA, have forgotten why women have boobies in the first place!!! Only in the USA do you see people covered up from their necks to their knees with blankets or hootie hiders. other countryies they do not feel the need to do so while breastfeeding becuase that is what they are for!!! So with that I think she is just trying to find a way to bring people to want to breastfeed. Breastfeeding is so good for you and the baby but formula companies have everyone believing that it is almost like 99.5% just as good for baby. It does contain a good amount of vitamins and minerals that the babies need but it does not include EVERYTHING!!!
On that same note the breastfeeding mother has to make sure she is eating the right kinds of foods or her milk will not have all the vitamins and minerals!!! You can't eat junk and expect your body to produce amazing breast milk!!!! So I think she should also explain this for the women who want to take this offer...:)
Olivia just weaned herself and she is almost 9 months old. I am happy her breastfed as all as she did! I am happy with the choice of formula I have put her on and I feel she is getting everything she needs. She eats more food at this point then drinks formula. She want so badly to be like her older brother and sister she hates baby food!!! She wants what every we are eating and that is what we give her! I think it is wonderful that some people can breastfeed for 1+ years but not everyone can...even in the old days without formula they had wet nurses!!! Women's milk production naturally goes down....that is why our grandparnets where probably nursed by their moms aunts or sisters! Now a days that is TABOO!!!!
Anyways I could go on and on this subjust so I just want to say no matter how you choose to feed your baby it is the best because you are mom and you know what to do!!!
Tori
Its Stupid. I breastfeed and I still think its a joke. Just more proof that the government is trying to get involved in the everyday, personal choices of the American People. STAY OUT! How in the hell would you monitor something like that? Plus, many Moms simply cannot breastfeed.
I agree with you, it creates a bond and its healthy for the baby. Those two things are a natural blessing that comes from breastfeeding. I don't need any "reward" from the government.
Childhood Obesity is due to laziness and unhealthy eating... I wasn't breastfeed and I'm not obese. Its a generational thing. My Mom's generation was told that Formula was healthiest for babies, so that's what that generation did.
Ugh.... you sure you want to start this debate Kerri? :)
They need to stay out and let people make their own choices. Its not up to the government to reward what "they" think is a good thing.
I do agree with Tori in a lot of ways. Maybe porn wouldn't be so big if we were "allowed" to not hide ourselves while nursing.
Wet nursing I think is awesome, but unfortuneatley due to STD's and drugs and such, its not safe to do that.
As far as encouragement on breastfeeding. I think commercials are a great idea, but I feel the encouragement should come from physicians, not from government.
I get that She is for breastfeeding and that's great, just don't attach a freaking "award" to do it.
I just know too many women who struggle with it and would if they could. As far as the African American Women not nursing, how does she know its because they don't want too? Maybe they do,but because of the poverty that most are living in, they don't have the ability to nurse their babies healthily.
Sorry, I could go on and on about this. Like I said though, I just don't see why its the governments business to "reward" us for choosing something that "they" think is a good thing.
Tor,
Thanks for your input. Yes I gave Trey formula when he quit at 10 months. Her main reason why doing it is to help childhood obesity not to show that it is a good thing even though it is. I don't like her reasoning behind it all and the government being involved in something such as this!
I agree Ginger! Why don't we give tax breaks to women who choose not to have an abortion? LOL
Yes I don't feel we should be rewarded either, it seems silly also because of her reasoning. Its not going to fix childhood obesity and that is her main push for doing it. Also she wants to help the african american community want to do it more and that what upsets me. Flash money in their face so they will do what they are supposed to do? Its one thing if they can but how many women just chose not to do it for good reasons or maybe not so good.
I agree we do not need the government in everything ie, workplace, healthcare, living room, bedroom. It ridiculous mediocrity!!!
I am so glad you got to do it for so long :-) I am very, very jealous! I breastfed my oldest for 10 months, but only 3 with my little one because my milk stopped coming in for some reason. I had no control over it and tried everything I could to salvage it, but it just went away.
So I have been feeding formula to my 8 month old for 5 months now. I don't like formula, and I hate that I have to give it to her, but I don't have any other option. It's been really frustrating for me and it has made me feel so guilty that I couldn't nurse her longer.
I also agree that it's hard because so many people get grossed out or offended by breastfeeding, but it's NATURAL, and obviously good for baby and mom. People are so offended by it and it's RIDICULOUS. It's not like we are trying to give everyone a peep show! I would hope they wouldn't care because it's none of their business anyway-and it's there for a reason, obviously! YES, a lot of people in this country welcome anything that is sex-themed or sexual and aren't offended, but are so flabbergasted by the fact that a mother is feeding her baby in public and have a problem with it. Irritating!
On the other hand, I don't know what obama is doing...both of those people are a lost cause to me in every way. But whatever, hopefully it will do some good. Hopefully!
And I need to send you an article-what is your email address?? I think you will like it.
P.S. Thanks for sharing! And sorry for the novel... :-(
Yes Brooke dont feel bad. There are lots of women like you that why I don't feel its fair to give a tax break for it. Also their reasoning for help child obesity just seems silly to me. I never got the tit...LOL either and I think I turned out just fine. I don't trust them far enough to throw them so them getting involved with breastfeeding just is dumb I think. I know our society is so backwards!! Thanks for your comment.
my email is cnkprice@hotmail.com
I also forgot to mention that I also agree--that breastfeeding shouldn't be rewarded or thrown into every woman's face. It would be nice though if doctors promoted it and explained the importance of it!! And I was hardly breastfed at all too! I know that Michelle Obama is trying to help with the fight against obesity, but you are so right--nursing isn't going to prevent obesity in the future. It all starts with how we take care of ourselves NOW too, and how we show our kids how to eat healthy, exercise, or be active! The change for obesity has to start now, because isn't our country like the fattest country in the world????
Interesting. I nursed all of my babies. Lyric for 11 months. 'Topher for twelve, and 'Tian for around 14 months. 'Tian was the only one I had to "force wean" because I was just so exhausted from being pregnant and nursing too, but at the same time I felt sooo guilty. Our family joke is that 'Tian would still be nursing if I hadn't forced him to quit.
I think the reasons that women don't breastfeed are complicated. Some just don't want to, or for some it is too hard to work and pump. Plus, like others already mentioned, the breast in celebrated for sexual reasons, so some people think breastfeeding is somehow sexual. I'm not sure a tax credit would fix any of that, but I'm not black so I don't know how black women feel or the reasons they don't do it.
Good post :) I haven't really decided my stance on this yet, but I think that rewarding good behavior is far better than forcing people to do something. However, because not everyone is capable of breastfeeding, it becomes a reward that cannot be attained by everybody, and that isn't fair.
Breast milk is definetly optimal during those first critical years of life for the best health of our children. I have been lucky enough that I could breast feed all of my children, but I think that if I couldn't nurse I would look into using a milk bank or would use goat's milk supplemented by necessary vitamins, as it is closest to human breast milk.
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