This Is Not Easy

OK, I have about two more thoughts on breastfeeding and then I will be moving on. So here is thought one.

Breastfeeding is NOT easier than using formula. If it were, every woman would breast feed. Convenience is actually the one benefit I can see to using formula, and based on statistics, that's a doozy. Aside from medical reasons, which would account for a small portion of users, why else would so many people use a product that, one, has to say on the label it isn't as good as the real thing; and two, is 100% more likely to face recalls for exciting things like bug parts? So, folks at the hospital and in health care, I'd stop using the convenience argument and face reality.

Unless you are a stay-at-home mom with no life for the next six months to a year, it does take more than just your body and a baby. Every time we want to go out, I have to plan how much milk to have saved. Every time I want a couple of cocktails, I have to plan how much milk to have saved. Abigail has slept through the night since week eight. Me? Not so much. I'm up every morning at 3 AM to pump. I am inordinately excited that I now have over 100 ounces of milk in the freezer for returning to work or if I am sick. I am inordinately despondent that that is about three days' supply and if something serious happens, we will run out.

If I eat something that disagrees with her, I will hear about it for many hours to come. Onions and peppers on the cheese steak? BAD idea. Indian or Thai curry? Just fine, thank you. Buffalo chicken wings? Hell on earth. But we pretty much have the menu down now. I refuse to give up dairy, so she farts quite a bit, but thankfully, we all find farts amusing around here.

Until a month ago, it was so hard to get her latched on and stay covered, that I would try to take bottled milk with us when we went out. On the plus side, I really can feed her anywhere now. We were at the street fair last night and it was cake to pop her under her blanket and keep walking. No muss, and very little fuss.

And really, everything else is a plus. The benefits for her and me far outweigh the inconvenience that lasts a few months. Oh, and it's cheap too! (But more on that next post)

Thanksgiving

We just can't seem to help ourselves. Once again, we've said we're going to stay home and relax on Thanksgiving, enjoy some time with Abigail, and try to recuperate from a tough couple of weeks. Instead, he's at the store buying the finishing ingredients for brining a 15 pound turkey and picking me up what I need for mashed potatoes and a bread pudding made from leftover coffee cake. Oh well, at least it's what we want to do and not what we have to do. And I know I'm thankful that we're in a position to do it, and have a nice dinner on the table, even if it is just for us. Really, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Yes, It Is a Big Deal

My husband laughs at my sometimes overzealous defense of breastfeeding. I think this site, while not comprehensive, does a nice job of summing up why it is so important. Make sure to check out page two and the decrease in breast cancer for both women who breast feed and those who were themselves breast fed. It makes a bigger difference than buying a bucket of fried chicken with a pink ribbon on it.

And yes, I'm sure your formula fed kid is just fine. Of course, I'm just fine and my parents didn't know about car seats. It doesn't mean I wouldn't use one now, when we know better.

Big Changes

Oh August, how long ago you were! I didn't post the last few weeks of my pregnancy because I kept thinking "she's going to be here soon; I'll just wait until I have news." But she wasn't here soon. She kept baking and baking. Finally, at week 41, I was induced. It wasn't something I wanted to do, but my body wasn't cooperating and it didn't look like that was going to change by waiting another week.
So Abigail Lynn joined us on September 21st at 12:41 in the afternoon. She was 7 pounds, 12.5 ounces and has all her working bits, which is nice. She has the Russell nose and the Butler toes and we'll see where the rest pans out. She doesn't play any instruments--yet, but she loves music and does most of her talking when the tunes are on.