Breastfeeding is one of the most rewarding things a mother will ever do in fulfilling her motherly role. Yet in many parts of the world this natural task is surrounded by much controversy. So much so that many mothers are now second guessing breastfeeding their little ones and find themselves asking several questions about the nature and ,I dare say, the necessity of breastfeeding. Today I will be exploring five most frequently asked questions and providing answers like only a mother could.
1. Should I breastfeed or formula feed my baby?
Breastfeeding is essential to the growth and development of babies. It is so essential that God ensured to put in the mechanisms needed to produce and express milk whether directly into baby's mouth or be expressed into a bottle and then be fed to baby. Over the years however the media has done it's job by confusing many women and leading them into thinking that breastfeeding is not that important. As a matter of fact the media has pushed its formula agenda so much that many new mothers choose to ( not because of medical reasons or because they are unable to) simply feed their newborns formula at birth and on wards simply because its less tiring and more convenient for them. The media has succeeded, to a point, in convincing many women that formula is just as good as breast milk. When I was seven months pregnant with my first child I received a congratulatory package in the mail which contained a very large tin of formula.You can imagine my surprise as I did not sign up with any of these formula producing companies. In fact I hadn't even gone on any of these websites.So my question is how did these people get my information enough to know that I was seven months pregnant? Why wasn't I sent a breast pump instead? From that day on I have been convinced that there is indeed some hidden agenda by the powers that be.Let me assure you Breast milk is best for your baby. There is no real comparable substitute for breast milk. As long as you are able to you should breast feed your baby. Yes you may have to get up 2-5 times every night but it comes with being a mom,enjoy it and think about all the health benefits for your baby. At the end of the day only the best is good enough for baby and trust me, ask any doctor, breast milk is best.
2. How Long Should I breastfeed my Baby?
There are many factors that will determine how long a mother chooses to breastfeed. These include a mother's ability to produce breast milk and how soon she may have to return to work after birth. Some women have, what seems to be an endless supply of milk while there are others who may have difficulty producing enough milk as soon as several months after birth. If you have to return to work soon after giving birth my advice is to invest in a good,electric breast pump so that you can express and store your milk and have your caregiver still feed baby with your milk.That way baby is still getting best nutrition in your absence. If you are having trouble producing enough breast milk I would advise that you do some research on foods that can actually increase milk supply and also speak with your pediatrician. My son is 18 months old and he still receives his daily dose of breast milk along with other foods, of course. So may advice is to breast feed as long as you are able to, your baby will appreciate it.
3. Should I breast feed in Public?
This is a very controversial question. There are many who turn their noses up against this practice. To those people I ask this when you are in public and you need to eat don't you? I am sure the answer is yes so why should be any different for and especially for a baby. There is the option of expressing milk into a bottle for baby but there are some babies that will never take a bottle no matter what's in it. I speak from experience with two such children. My children went straight from drinking from my breasts to drinking from cups and spoons. I tried several times to get them to drink their milk from bottles but they just refused. So whenever I took them out I made sure to have a large enough covering so that whenever they needed to be fed I was able to cover my self and not expose my breast while feeding. Yes I got some stares that made me uncomfortable and then there were some " How dare she feed her baby in public" stares but I cared zero. My baby was full and happy that's all I cared about. So if you are out and little one is hungry, get your covering and get to feeding.
4. Will breastfeeding sag my breasts?
Listen today's world is all about the superficial but as mothers we should not get caught up in that. Now I'm not saying that mothers shouldn't care about how they look. What I am saying is that the needs of our children should come before what we end up looking like after we fulfill this need. Now, think of your lactating breasts like ballons filled with water and then think of your post lactating breasts as water ballons with far less water than before. Get the picture? Of course after you have weaned your baby your breasts will not be as perky as they once were. I say so what? If providing the best nutrition for my babies result in breasts that are not so perky I'm fine with that. After all if you live long enough gravity will eventually cause them to sag.
Finally, breastfeeding is a natural and wonderful thing to do. It increases the bond shared by mother and baby and allows a mother to pass on her very essence to her child. Embrace this process and be grateful that you are able partake in it for there are many women who would give anything to be apart of this elite club, The Motherhood Club.
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